As of October 18, 2026, the only public holiday left this year in Korea is Christmas Day on December 25. After Hangeul Day (October 9), November has no holidays at all. Here are the remaining breaks calculated from the Hyuilmoa holiday calendar data, and how to rest longer at year end by taking leave.
The one holiday left
- Dec 25 (Fri), Christmas Day: because it is a Friday, it makes a 3-day break from Dec 25 (Fri) to Dec 27 (Sun). It does not overlap a weekend, so no substitute holiday is created.
November has only weekdays on the calendar. Unless you take leave, your only days off until December 25 are weekends.
The formula: year-end leave is about joining blocks
Leave efficiency is (days off in a row) ÷ (leave days used). Efficiency is high when you take 1-2 leave days, but at year end the weekdays between the two breaks number 4, so you must use 4 leave days. Even so, the total days off become the longest.
| Leave | Days off | Days off in a row | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day, Dec 24 (Thu) | Dec 24 - Dec 27 | 4 | 4.0 |
| 4 days, Dec 28 (Mon) - 31 (Thu) | Dec 25 - Jan 3, 2027 | 10 | 2.5 |
| 5 weekdays within Dec 24-31 | Dec 24 - Jan 3, 2027 | 11 | 2.2 |
January 1, 2027 is New Year’s Day on a Friday, and with the weekend on January 2-3 your days off continue through Sunday, January 3. Fill the four weekdays from December 28 to 31 with leave and the Christmas break and the New Year break become one block.
Examples: recommendations by number of leave days
- If you have just 1 leave day left: use it on Dec 24 (Thu). The break grows from 3 days to 4, and the efficiency is the highest.
- If you have 4 leave days left: take them together on Dec 28 (Mon) - 31 (Thu) and you rest 10 days. 10 days for 4 leave days is the longest vacation left this year.
- If you have 5 leave days left: using every weekday from Dec 24 (Thu) to Dec 31 (Thu) gives you 11 days.
When leave expires and how unused leave is compensated differ from company to company. Check your work rules to see whether you must use it within the year or it carries over to next year.
Things to watch
- Late December is when work deadlines and year-end closing overlap, so leave approval can be slow. It is better to settle the schedule with your team within November.
- If a temporary holiday is newly designated, this calculation changes. This calendar includes only confirmed holidays and does not reflect 2027 election days or temporary holidays.
- The days above assume a 5-day work week with Saturday and Sunday as days off. With shift work or Saturday work, your actual days off differ.
Check the combination that gives the longest break with your remaining leave in the leave planner, and see whether today is a day off on the today’s holiday page. For next year’s break plans, see Korea’s 2027 Public Holidays and a Leave Strategy.