Korea in November Weather: Seoul, Busan and Jeju

November is the month Korea changes jackets. The humid heat is long gone, the air turns dry and clear, and the temperature drops a little every week. Here is what the Korea Meteorological Administration's 1991 to 2020 climate normals look like for the three cities most visitors pass through.

• Seoul: average high about 12°C (54°F), average low about 3.5°C (38°F). Around 50 mm of rain falls over roughly six wet days, so most days are dry.
• Busan: average high about 16.5°C (62°F), average low about 8°C (47°F). The sea keeps nights noticeably softer than in the capital.
• Jeju City: average high about 16.5°C (62°F), average low about 10°C (51°F). The mildest nights of the three, but also the most changeable, with more drizzle and stronger wind off the sea.

Two things the averages hide. First, the month is a slope, not a plateau. Seoul's October highs average around 20°C and December's around 4°C, so November covers most of that drop. Second, the daily swing is wide. A sunny 15°C afternoon can be followed by a morning close to freezing, which is why Koreans dress in layers rather than in one heavy piece.

Inland and in the mountains of Gangwon-do, mornings run colder than in Seoul, and frost arrives earlier. If your plan includes a mountain day, check the forecast for that valley, not the city.

Daylight is shorter than many visitors expect. In Seoul the sun sets at about 5:30 p.m. in early November and a little after 5 p.m. by the end of the month. Plan palaces, hikes and outdoor markets for the morning and early afternoon, and keep the evening for neighborhoods that come alive after dark.

Early, Mid or Late November: How the Month Changes

Because the month moves so quickly, it helps to think of November as three short seasons.

Early November (1 to 10): late autumn. This is the gentlest stretch. Afternoons in Seoul are often in the low to mid-teens, skies are frequently clear, and the city's trees are at or near their best. Seoul's downtown streets and palaces usually peak in late October and early November, a little after the mountains on the city's edge. Mornings are crisp enough that you'll want a jacket on the way out and may carry it by lunch.

Mid-November (11 to 20): the turn. Leaves start falling in earnest, ginkgo streets turn into carpets of gold, and the first properly cold mornings arrive. November 11 is Pepero Day, when shops fill with the chocolate-dipped sticks; our guide to Pepero Day in Korea explains the custom. On Thursday, November 19, high school seniors across the country sit the college entrance exam, the suneung. In past years, offices have started later that morning and flights nationwide have paused for around half an hour during the English listening test, so if you fly that day, check your schedule with the airline.

Late November (21 to 30): early winter. Highs in Seoul often stay in single digits, the wind has a bite, and the trees are mostly bare. This is also when Seoul usually sees its first snow. The Korea Meteorological Administration counts any flakes at its Seoul station as the first snow, even if nothing settles, so the date often passes as a brief flurry rather than a white city. In exchange, the crowds thin, the year-end lights begin to appear along streets and in department stores, and warm food tastes better than at any other time of year.

If you are still choosing between months, our month-by-month guide to traveling in Korea sets November beside the rest of the year.

What to Wear in Korea in November

The single rule for November is layers. Outdoor temperatures swing widely through the day, and indoors is warm: subway cars, cafés, department stores and restaurants are heated, often generously. You want pieces you can take off and carry, not one thick coat you'll sweat in underground.

Early November. A light jacket, trench or denim jacket over a long-sleeve top or thin knit covers most days. Add a light sweater for the evening. Jeans or trousers and comfortable sneakers are what you'll see on most people.

Mid-November. Step up to a wool coat or a light padded jacket, with a sweater underneath. A thin thermal or long-sleeve base layer makes cold mornings easy and disappears under your clothes once you're indoors. This is when a scarf starts earning its place in the bag.

Late November. Pack a proper winter jacket, a padded coat or a heavy wool coat, plus a scarf, gloves and a hat for evenings, especially if you'll be by the Han River or on any viewpoint. Closed shoes with thicker socks are a better bet than canvas sneakers.

A few things work across the whole month:

• Walking shoes you trust. Palace grounds are gravel and stone, old neighborhoods climb hills, and subway transfers involve long corridors and stairs.
• A small umbrella. Rain is light and infrequent in November, but a passing shower is possible, and Jeju sees more of it.
• A bag with space. By mid-afternoon you will be carrying the layers you wore at 8 a.m.
• Something for dry air. Heated rooms and clear skies make the air dry, so a refillable water bottle is worth having.

Busan and Jeju let you pack one step lighter than Seoul for most of the month, though Jeju's sea wind can make a mild day feel cooler than the number suggests. If your trip runs into December, the full winter kit, from the long padded coats Koreans swear by to the small heat packs sold at every convenience store, becomes the norm.

Where the Last Autumn Colors Linger

Korea's autumn color moves from north to south and from the mountaintops down to the cities, so November is about knowing where it still is. For 2026, the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea National Arboretum expected the capital region and Gangwon-do to peak from late October, and the Gyeongsang and Jeolla regions in the south in early to mid-November.

In Seoul, early November. The city's palaces are the easiest place to catch the end of the season. Deoksugung sits right beside City Hall, Changdeokgung's secret garden, Huwon, is visited on guided tours with separate tickets, and Jongmyo Shrine turns quiet and golden. For ginkgo, walk Samcheong-dong-gil, the 1.5 km road from Dongsipjagak, the corner watchtower of Gyeongbokgung, toward Samcheong Tunnel. The mountains, on the other hand, are finishing. Seoraksan was expected to peak around October 20, so by November its high ridges are bare; our Seoraksan autumn foliage guide covers how that season unfolds.

In the south, the first half of November. Naejangsan in North Jeolla Province is one of Korea's most famous late-color mountains, with maple-lined paths and a pavilion reflected in a small pond near the park entrance. The Korea Forest Service forecast its peak for around November 4 this year and Hallasan on Jeju for around November 6. Those dates mark the point when about half of a mountain's trees have turned, so color usually holds for several days on either side.

On Jeju, all month. Even after the leaves, Jeju keeps November's colors in other forms: silver grass across the oreum, the island's small volcanic cones, and tangerines ripening in roadside orchards.

Peak dates move with the weather from year to year, so check recent photos or the national park updates the week you go.