South Korea has 22 public holidays listed for 2026 and 24 for 2027, but fewer of them actually interrupt a work week. In 2026, 16 of the 22 fall on a Monday to Friday. In 2027 it is 15 of 24, because many holidays land on a weekend. This guide looks at the calendar from a planning point of view: when Korea shuts down for several days, when it does not, and where a day or two of leave buys the longest break. Every date comes from the Hyuilmoa holiday data.
Months with no weekday holiday
If you need a quiet stretch to schedule meetings, inspections or travel, two months are empty in both years: April and November have no public holiday at all. June 2027 is also clear on weekdays, because Memorial Day (June 6) falls on a Sunday and is never replaced by a substitute day. May and October, by contrast, each have several holidays in both years.
Long weekends of three days or more
| Year | Dates | Days | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sep 24 (Thu) to Sep 27 (Sun) | 4 | Chuseok |
| 2026 | Oct 3 (Sat) to Oct 5 (Mon) | 3 | National Foundation Day, substitute |
| 2026 | Oct 9 (Fri) to Oct 11 (Sun) | 3 | Hangeul Day |
| 2026 | Dec 25 (Fri) to Dec 27 (Sun) | 3 | Christmas Day |
| 2027 | Jan 1 (Fri) to Jan 3 (Sun) | 3 | New Year’s Day |
| 2027 | Feb 6 (Sat) to Feb 9 (Tue) | 4 | Seollal, substitute |
| 2027 | Feb 27 (Sat) to Mar 1 (Mon) | 3 | Independence Movement Day |
| 2027 | May 1 (Sat) to May 3 (Mon) | 3 | Labor Day, substitute |
| 2027 | Jul 17 (Sat) to Jul 19 (Mon) | 3 | Constitution Day, substitute |
| 2027 | Aug 14 (Sat) to Aug 16 (Mon) | 3 | Liberation Day, substitute |
| 2027 | Sep 14 (Tue) to Sep 16 (Thu) | 3 | Chuseok |
| 2027 | Oct 2 (Sat) to Oct 4 (Mon) | 3 | National Foundation Day, substitute |
| 2027 | Oct 9 (Sat) to Oct 11 (Mon) | 3 | Hangeul Day, substitute |
| 2027 | Dec 25 (Sat) to Dec 27 (Mon) | 3 | Christmas Day, substitute |
The 2026 rows show only the breaks still ahead as of October 18, 2026. Earlier in 2026 the longest was Seollal, February 14 to 18, five days in a row.
Holidays that are tied to family travel
Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok are the two three-day holidays. Both are family holidays, so if you are visiting Korea, treat these dates as the ones to check first for intercity transport and accommodation. We have not measured booking levels, so confirm availability with the operator you plan to use.
- Seollal 2027: February 6 to 9. February 7 is a Sunday, so a substitute holiday on Tuesday, February 9 extends the break to four days.
- Chuseok 2027: September 14 to 16, Tuesday to Thursday. It does not touch a weekend, which makes it the best case for adding leave (see below).
- October 2027: two consecutive long weekends, October 2 to 4 and October 9 to 11.
Where leave pays off most
Efficiency is the total days off in a row divided by the leave days you use. These are the best options for 2027:
- Monday, September 13: Saturday, September 11 to Thursday, September 16, six days for one leave day (6.0).
- Friday, September 17: Tuesday, September 14 to Sunday, September 19, six days for one leave day (6.0).
- Tuesday, May 4: Saturday, May 1 to Wednesday, May 5, five days for one leave day (5.0).
- Friday, May 14: Thursday, May 13 (Buddha’s Birthday) to Sunday, May 16, four days (4.0).
Taking both September 13 and 17 links Saturday, September 11 to Sunday, September 19, nine days in a row with two leave days.
The chart compares those options.
What to double check
These dates cover government-office holidays. Private companies, banks and shops decide their own days off, and many follow the public calendar but not all do. The data does not include the 2027 election days or any temporary holidays the government may declare, so keep flexible bookings until the dates are confirmed. For the full month-by-month calendar, see the 2027 holidays page or the long weekend list, and use the leave planner to find the best days for your own leave balance.