Two Three-Day Weekends in Early October! Korea 2026: Foundation Day Sat 3 Oct Plus a Monday Substitute, Hangeul Day Fri 9 Oct—What Gets Crowded, What Closes, and the Rooms and KTX Seats to Book in September

Autumn in Korea is full of holidays. Chuseok has barely finished at the end of September before two more national days arrive in October.

The 2026 calendar lines up unusually. National Foundation Day on 3 October is a Saturday, and Hangeul Day on 9 October is a Friday. With the substitute holiday rule applied, early October is expected to produce two separate three-day breaks.

“Good news for a visitor?” Here’s the thing: it cuts both ways. The weather is as settled as it gets all year, and domestic travel demand peaks at exactly the same moment. How to plan around it—let’s get into it.

A Saturday Holiday Moves to Monday! Why There Are Two Breaks

✔ Fixed to 3 October every year
National Foundation Day marks the mythical founding of the country and is fixed to 3 October each year. In 2026 that is a Saturday.

When a major public holiday in Korea falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following weekday is designated as a substitute holiday. Applying that rule makes Monday 5 October a day off, giving a break from the 3rd to the 5th.

Hangeul Day is 9 October, a Friday in 2026. No substitution is needed there, so it runs straight into the weekend for a second three-day break. The official designation comes from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, so check the notice before you travel.

✔ This one comes first, in order. Skim “Early October in Seoul: Aim for the Trough Weekdays of 6–8 October” and the rest of this page lands better.

Jeju Flights Go First! What Gets Crowded and What Does Not

✔ The crowds are on the way out of town
Domestic travel rises over a long weekend. Main KTX routes, express bus terminals and the Incheon departure hall all run busier than usual, and domestic flights to Jeju become hard to get.

Seoul itself is harder to predict. With so many people heading out of the city, some venues are quieter than on a normal weekday. Palaces and museums that schedule free admission or special events are the exception, and those get busy.

Hangeul Day tends to bring exhibitions and events about the writing system, sometimes at the National Hangeul Museum or around Gwanghwamun Square. Worth checking if that side of the culture interests you.

Government Offices and Bank Counters Close! Closures and Opening Hours

✔ Big commercial venues stay open
Large commercial venues stay open on public holidays. Department stores, duty free, convenience stores and the subway all run. What closes is government offices, bank counters and some clinics.

Because bank counters shut, currency exchange means the airport or a private exchange booth in the city. Private rates are often better anyway.

Independently run restaurants sometimes close on their own schedule. If you have a specific place in mind, check its hours on a map app the day before.

Shift to the Middle Day! What to Book Now

✔ Rooms in September
Book accommodation during September. Nights of 2, 3, 9 and 10 October are the ones where prices climb.

KTX opens booking roughly a month before travel. For early October, morning departures toward Busan and Gyeongju on the first day of each break sell out first.

Travelling on the middle day instead—4 October or 10 October—is noticeably easier. If your dates are flexible, shifting by one day is the single most effective adjustment available.

FAQ

Is 5 October definitely a holiday

It is expected under the substitute holiday rule. Confirm with the official Ministry of the Interior and Safety notice.

Does the subway run during the holidays

Yes, on the normal schedule, and sometimes with extended late-night service.

Are banks open

Counters close on public holidays. ATMs and airport exchange booths remain available.

Are the palaces open

Most stay open, and some years bring special programmes. Venues that close on Mondays need checking in advance.

Which day is quietest for travelling

Avoid the first morning of each break. Moving on the middle day – 4 or 10 October – is considerably easier.