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What to Pack for Korea in December: Weather, Clothes and the 6 Things Visitors Forget

Seoul in December: 4°C afternoons, −3°C nights and snow on about six days. One warm coat, thin layers and shoes with grip cover the clothes; a Type C/F plug adapter, your e-Arrival Card and an…

By Ari · Koriway in Korea · How we check prices

Snow on the tiled roofs and stone walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on a sunny December morning.

Seoul in December averages 4°C (39°F) in the afternoon and −3°C (27°F) at night, with snow on about six days of the month, so pack one warm, wind-proof coat, thin layers you can take off indoors, and shoes with grip. Finish three things before you fly: a Type C/F (European round-pin) plug adapter, your e-Arrival Card or K-ETA check, and a data eSIM. Hot packs, masks and umbrellas are easy to buy after you land.

Snow on the tiled roofs and stone walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on a sunny December morning.
Gyeongbokgung Palace after a December morning snowfall. The sun is out, and the ground stays white.

December packing list at a glance

Pack
One warm, wind-proof knee-length coat · thin layers (a thermal top, a thin knit) · a hat that covers your ears, gloves and a scarf · shoes with grip that you can slip off, and warm socks · a Type C/F plug adapter · lip balm and hand cream (Olive Young has more) · your prescription medicine with its generic name written down.
Do before you fly
File the e-Arrival Card (or check whether you need a K-ETA) · buy a data eSIM · book KTX seats if you travel over the Christmas weekend.
Buy after you land
Hot packs · a KF94 mask for hazy days · an umbrella only if a wet day shows up · extra gloves or fleece-lined tights · a T-money card.
Leave at home
A voltage converter (chargers marked 100–240V only need the adapter) · a rain jacket.

How cold is Korea in December?

These are the Korea Meteorological Administration’s 30-year averages (1991–2020). December is the month winter arrives in Seoul: the afternoon high drops from about 12°C in November to 4°C, and nights fall below freezing. January is colder again, so a trip that runs over New Year gets the lower row.

City and monthAfternoon highNight lowSnowy daysDays with 1 mm+ rain or snow
Seoul, December4.2°C / 39.6°F−3.4°C / 25.9°F6.44.2 (22.6 mm)
Seoul, January2.1°C / 35.8°F−5.5°C / 22.1°F7.13.3 (16.8 mm)
Busan, December10.4°C / 50.7°F2.0°C / 35.6°F0.9— (33.8 mm total)

Two notes on the table. Measurable rain or snow (1 mm or more) falls on only about four days, though light snow or flurries show up on about six, so the rain jacket stays home. And averages hide the swings. A cold front can hold Seoul mornings well below that −3°C for several days before it eases, so check the KMA forecast in the week before you fly and decide then whether the thermal layer goes in the bag.

Busan, on the south coast, is about 6°C (11°F) warmer and sees snow on less than one day a month. Pack the same coat; you will just open it more often.

Snow falling on a small park with a wooden hut and snow-covered trees in Sangam-dong, Seoul.
Snow falls on about six December days in Seoul; settled snow like this, in a Sangam-dong park, is less common.

What to wear: palaces, subways and evenings out

The same December day has three temperatures. Dress for the coldest one and make everything else removable.

Outdoors: palaces, Bukchon, markets, the Han River

Open courtyards and river paths are windy, and wind is what turns 2°C into a miserable afternoon. A knee-length insulated coat is a common sight in Seoul in winter (롱패딩, long-pae-ding, “long padding”); add a hat that covers your ears, gloves and a scarf. On the coldest days add a thermal top under a knit. If you only bring one serious piece of clothing, make it this coat.

Indoors: subways, buses, cafés, malls

Subways, buses, cafés and malls are heated, so you will likely open the coat soon after you step inside and want to take off a layer. A thin knit or a thermal under the coat works better than one heavy sweater you cannot remove. A small tote for the hat and gloves saves you from carrying them in your hands all day.

Evenings out

The sun sets before 5:30 pm all month, so light shows, Christmas markets and the outdoor rink happen after dark at or below freezing. Thicker socks, a hot pack in each pocket and the coat zipped to the top are the difference between staying for the lights and leaving early.

Shoes: a grippy sole, a water-resistant upper, and something you can slip off. Snow falls on about six days and shaded steps stay icy longer than streets, so leather sneakers or boots beat canvas. You will also take your shoes off at floor-seating restaurants, hanok stays and Korean homes (where Korea’s shoe-off rule actually applies), which is why warm, presentable socks matter more here than at home.

Skirts and dresses work too: many women in Seoul wear them in winter over fleece-lined tights (기모 스타킹, gi-mo seu-ta-king) under the long coat. Bring tights from home, or Daiso and Uniqlo stores in central Seoul carry them.

A shopping lane in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, lightly dusted with snow, with footprints and a socks shop on the left.
Light snow on a Seongsu-dong shopping lane in December: the kind of surface where a grippy sole helps.

Buy it in Korea, not at home

This guide contains an affiliate link. If you buy through it, Koriway may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Hot packs (핫팩). Convenience stores and Olive Young stock air-activated hand warmers. On October 29, 2026, Olive Young Korea listed single pocket hot packs at ₩1,200 (about US$0.90) and a 10-pack at ₩6,900 on sale, plus stick-on ones for your back. If you’d rather land with a few in your pocket for the trip from the airport, the HotHands 10-pair pack on Amazon US (paid link) is the same type.
  • KF94 masks. The government’s seasonal fine-dust program runs December 1 to March 31 every year. It does not mean every day is hazy, but on bad days many locals wear a KF94 mask. Convenience stores and pharmacies sell them; check the morning’s air quality on AirKorea before deciding.
  • An umbrella. December is dry, so leave the rain jacket at home; a small folding umbrella is optional, and any convenience store sells one if a wet day shows up (what else convenience stores are good for).
  • Gloves, earmuffs, thermal socks, fleece-lined tights. Daiso, Uniqlo and market stalls in Seoul carry all of them, so pack one set and buy more if the week turns cold.

Leave at home: a voltage converter. Phone, laptop and camera chargers marked 100–240V need only the plug adapter in item 1 below.

The 6 things visitors forget

  1. A Type C/F (European round-pin) plug adapter. Korea runs on 220V at 60Hz with round-pin sockets. Chargers labeled 100–240V just need the adapter; a 120V-only hair dryer or flat iron can be damaged, so use the hotel’s. Details and what to check on the label: Korea plug type and adapter.
  2. The e-Arrival Card, or a K-ETA check. Passport holders from 22 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, are exempt from K-ETA until December 31, 2026, but still file the free e-Arrival Card in the three days before landing. If you land on or after January 1, 2027, read the K-ETA guide before you book; nothing had been announced for 2027 as of November 1, 2026.
  3. A transport card plan and some cash. A T-money card from the convenience store on the airport arrivals level is paid for and topped up in cash (what happens when you land at Incheon); iPhone users can add Tmoney to Apple Wallet and top it up through the Mobile Tmoney app’s Foreigner option with an overseas Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay or JCB card (not Visa). Our T-money guide and cash vs card in Korea cover the rest.
  4. Data before you land. A data eSIM bought before the flight is the simplest option if your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM; airport counters are the fallback. See eSIM vs SIM vs pocket WiFi.
  5. Lip balm, hand cream and a thicker moisturizer. Cold, dry air outside and heated rooms inside crack lips and hands within days, and most people only notice once it hurts. Pack a small tube of each; Olive Young is the easy stop for more, and our Laneige lip mask review and the Dr.Althea 345 cream price check cover two winter staples. December UV in Seoul is low (index about 2), so sunscreen matters mainly on snow or ski slopes; if you want one, the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun guide explains the Korean and US versions.
  6. Cold-and-flu basics. Pharmacies sell cold medicine without a prescription, but you will need to explain symptoms; bring your own prescription medicine with its generic name written down. Pharmacies in Korea explains the green cross and what to say.

December dates that change your plans

  • Short days. The sun rises between about 7:30 and 7:45 am and sets around 5:15 pm all month; December 22, the solstice, has 9 hours 34 minutes of daylight. Gyeongbokgung is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from November to February, with last entry at 4:00 pm, and it closes on Tuesdays, so put palaces and hikes in the middle of the day and keep the evenings for lit-up streets.
  • Christmas Day, Friday December 25, is a public holiday, and so is January 1. Banks and government offices close; shops, restaurants and the big attractions largely stay open, but confirm the one you care about. KTX seats go on sale two months ahead, so Christmas-weekend trains are already on sale and popular departures go early: how to book KTX as a foreigner.
  • Seoul Winter Festa. The 2025–26 edition ran from December 12 to January 4 with the Gwanghwamun Square light show, lantern displays along Cheonggyecheon Stream and events at DDP; the Seoul Plaza skating rink opened December 19 and ran to February 8, and the Bosingak bell-ringing marked New Year’s Eve on December 31. Seoul’s festival calendar lists the 2026 edition from mid-December 2026 to January 31, 2027 at Gwanghwamun Square and six other sites; the full program is usually announced in late November (last year’s came on November 24), so check Seoul’s official site a week before you fly. Myeongdong’s shopping streets put up lights through the month regardless.

Still sorting out holiday presents before your trip? Our K-beauty gift sets under $30 guide compares lip sets, starter kits and masks at Sephora, Ulta and Olive Young US, with order-by dates for US delivery.

A dense crowd in winter coats under neon signs and string lights on a Myeongdong street on Christmas Eve.
Myeongdong on Christmas Eve 2017: coats, hats and a crowd under the lights.

Useful Korean phrases

Pronunciations are approximate.

핫팩 어디 있어요?hat-paek eo-di i-sseo-yo?Where are the hot packs?
너무 추워요neo-mu chu-wo-yoIt’s so cold.
마스크 있어요?ma-seu-keu i-sseo-yo?Do you have masks?
롱패딩long-pae-dinga long padded (down) coat

Sources and update date

Updated November 1, 2026. Temperatures are 30-year averages, not a forecast; prices were read on October 29, 2026; event details are from the 2025–26 season, plus the 2026 window on Seoul’s festival calendar, until Seoul announces the full program.

View sources and photo credits

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