The 2026 holiday is Thursday 24 – Saturday 26 September. Chuseok day itself is Friday 25 September; with Sunday 27 it makes a four-day break, and Monday 28 September is not a substitute holiday. Chuseok 2027 falls on Wednesday 15 September, with the holiday running Tuesday 14 – Thursday 16 September.
The order still works for 2027: market food first, then money, then medicines. We’ll update this page with the 2027 deadlines once opening information is published.
- 1. Markets and street food (by Sep 22): Gwangjang and the traditional markets rest on the core days …
- Everything good about the holiday — free palaces, an empty Han River, the jjimjilbang, delivered din…
- Finally, three checks on existing reservations.
Who this is for
- Anyone in Seoul September 23–28 wondering what to do first
- People who read the open/closed map but haven’t fixed the order of execution
- Anyone whose flight home falls on the holiday’s tail, September 27–28
Chuseok (24–27 September) is under a week away. Earlier guides handed you the open/closed map and the movement playbook; today is the execution piece—a checklist ordered by deadline.
What matters isn’t how much there is to do, but the order. The earliest deadline is market food (the markets themselves rest over the holiday); the unmissable one is money (Wednesday the 23rd is the last banking day). Here’s the thing: nail those two and the holiday becomes its bonus stage, an emptied Seoul.
“So what do I do today?” Here’s the week, in four items, earliest deadline first. Let’s get into it.
Contents
1. Four items, by deadline
2. The holiday itself needs no preparation — that is the point
3. Bookings: three confirmations
4. Frequently asked questions
1. Only the Money One Has No Workaround! Four Items, by Deadline
✔ Red is the hard deadline
1. Markets and street food (by Sep 22): Gwangjang and the traditional markets rest on the core days—front-load the eating. 2. Money (by Sep 23): banks and official exchange stop for four days from the 24th; even with the ATM strategy, build your cash floor by Wednesday. 3. Medicine and supplies (by Sep 23): neighborhood clinics and pharmacies go on holiday. 4. Cancellation watch (final days): chasing an intercity trip? The returns wave hits right before departure.
| When | To-do |
|---|---|
| 1 week out | Confirm visa/K-ETA status · set up eSIM/WiFi |
| 3 days out | Reconfirm KTX/show bookings · pack for the forecast |
| Day before | Arrival forms · chargers · activate cards |
| Departure day | Passport · some cash · airport 3 hrs early |
✔ This one comes first, in order. Skim “Chuseok 2026 in Seoul: What Closes and What Opens” and the rest of this page lands better.
2. Pure Walking Once You’re In? The Holiday Itself Needs No Preparation—That’s the Point
✔ Everything good about the holiday requires zero advance work
Free palaces, an empty Han River, the jjimjilbang, delivered dinners—none of it needs prep. The four items above are precisely the things that do. Finish them this week and the holiday itself becomes pure walking.
The full holiday picture lives in the open/closed map. Bookmark e-gen.or.kr (duty pharmacies) while you are at it.
3. Flying Out September 27–28? Bookings—Three Confirmations
✔ Finally, three checks on existing reservations
1. Hotel operations over the holiday—breakfast and facilities sometimes scale down. 2. If your flight out falls on the holiday’s tail (Sep 27–28), your airport run—inbound-to-Seoul roads jam those days; leave margin or consider the airport-the-night-before play. 3. Rental cars and tours—sweep your inbox for holiday cancellations or time changes.
That’s the whole preparation. For the traveler who front-loads this week, Chuseok Seoul is the easiest walking week of the year. Enjoy the holiday.
In short
• Market eating by Sep 22 — the markets themselves rest over the holiday
• Money’s hard deadline is Sep 23 (Wed); banks stop for four days from the 24th
• Medicines and small shopping by the 23rd; bookmark e-gen.or.kr
• KTX returns release right before departure — watch late if heading intercity
• The holiday’s pleasures need no prep — front-load the week, then just walk
Frequently asked questions
I forgot to change money — options?
Global ATMs by convenience stores run through the holiday. Fees are per-withdrawal, so take one consolidated amount.
Too much before the 23rd — priorities?
Money first; it has no workaround. Markets are “if you can”; medicine only matters if you need it.
Do I need restaurant reservations during the holiday?
Chains and hotel restaurants run normally, no booking needed. Save independent restaurants for either side of the holiday.
What if I get sick during the holiday?
Search duty pharmacies and on-call clinics at e-gen.or.kr; emergencies go to 119.
What should I wear this week?
Late-September Seoul runs about 15°C mornings and 25°C afternoons — short sleeves plus a light jacket.
Information current as of 17 August 2026. Confirm operations in official notices closer to the holiday. Photos: Wikimedia Commons.
This article is based on the official information below. Rules can change, so please check the original before you travel.
· HiKorea (Korea Immigration Service)
Information as of 2026-09-17 (official listings and Google Maps as shown at publication). Updated when things change.