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πŸ“… Holidays & surprise closures

Korea does not close for Christmas the way the West does. It does shut down for Lunar New Year and Chuseok β€” trains sell out weeks ahead.

WhenNameWhat happens
Lunar New Year (Seollal)μ„€λ‚ 3–4 day national break. Highway traffic, sold-out KTX, many restaurants closed. Palaces may have special hours.
Chuseok (harvest)좔석Same travel crunch as Seollal. Convenience stores stay open; family restaurants often do not.
1 Mar, 5 May, 6 Jun, 15 Aug, 3 Oct, 9 OctIndependence / Children’s / Memorial / Liberation / Foundation / HangulBanks closed. Malls and tourist sites busy. Subway still runs.
Most MondaysMuseum / palace rhythmMany museums close Mondays. Palaces often stay open. Check the specific site.
Election days / ad-hocRare extra holidaysAlcohol sales rules can change; some offices closed. 1330 can confirm.

Always verify palace hours the morning you go. A β€œopen 09:00” site can still stop ticket sales an hour before last entry. Pair this page with festivals so you do not land in the middle of a parade closure.