Korea’s harvest holiday empties Seoul toward hometowns and sells out trains. Tourists can still have a great trip — if you book transit early and expect quiet neighborhoods.
2026 window: Chuseok day falls on 24 September 2026 (Thu), with a multi-day break around it (typically 24–26 Sep — confirm closer to the date). Peak highway traffic is the day before and after.
Many small restaurants, clinics, and some attractions. Banks closed. Big malls and convenience stores usually stay open.
Palaces, tourist streets in Myeongdong/Hongdae, and hotels. Seoul feels quieter — nice for photos, thinner for late-night food in residential areas.
KTX and express buses sell out weeks ahead. Book the moment tickets open or stay put in one city. See KTX.
Stock snacks from CU/GS25. Hotel breakfast helps. Songpyeon (rice cakes) appear in bakeries — try them.
It’s a family memorial holiday. Keep voices down near ancestral rites if you stumble upon them. General manners: etiquette.