Key Takeaways

• Dive into Korea’s fall festivals by participating in cultural events highlighted in the 9 Must-Experience Korea Fall Festivals list ! Don’t miss Chuseok in Seoul, where the delicious traditional fare and ancestral rituals ground you to the season’s rich heritage.
  
• Participate in events like the Andong Mask Dance Festival and Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival. You will experience performances, workshops and local food as you explore the history of Korea.
  
• Fireworks at Busan’s Gwangalli Beach and street performances in Jeonju Hanok Village provide vibrant entertainment and unforgettable snapshots.
  
• Visiting historic places like Gyeongju and Korean Folk Village exposes you to old traditions, crafts and festivals that honor Korea’s history.
  
• The Incheon Songdo International Festival is calling you to enjoy the best of both worlds. Explore global Korean traditions, food markets and interactive workshops for all.
  
• Get ready for your trip with an eSIM data plan from Ubigi, local etiquette hacks and transportation planning to make your festival experiences easier.

Korea fall festivals provide you with a blend of cuisine, music and the art of nature. Every year, cities and towns nationwide erect festivals that celebrate local harvests, folk traditions and specialty crafts.

Streets come alive with street food stalls, performances and lantern displays. You get the crisp air, vibrant leaves and warm crowds.

To assist you in uncovering the best, here we list top festivals and what to expect at each stop.

1. Chuseok Celebrations in Seoul

Chuseok celebrations in Seoul are a major holiday, often called the Korean Thanksgiving or Hangawi, marked by deep traditions and festivities. Families share traditional food like songpyeon (Korean rice cake), savory jeon pancakes, and vegetables during large family gatherings at this autumn harvest festival.

Through rituals such as charye (worship rituals), Korean people honor ancestors with food offerings. Local markets fill with Chuseok gifts, colorful hanbok (Korean clothing), and seasonal Korean dishes.

Across heritage sites, visitors enjoy folk games, crafts, and traditional folk dances like 강강술래 (Korean circle dance). Each September and October, Koreans celebrate under the harvest moon with celebrations, gift sets, and wishes of 추석 잘 보내세요 (Happy Chuseok). It’s a time of abundant autumn harvest and reunion.

2. Andong Mask Dance Festival

The Andong Mask Dance Festival floods the city with live performances, folk games, and vibrant festivities in the air. You witness skilled dancers from nearly 30 nations and experience an international mask contest with prize money up to KRW 12,000,000, a highlight of this major holiday festival.

You stroll past street food vendors serving local Andong specialties, enjoying Korean food, and join hands-on workshops to explore the role of masks in Korean culture and long-held traditions.

All around the grounds, concerts, parades, and cultural exhibits showcase Andong’s legacy as a heritage center. Celebrate Korean history and vibrant autumn harvest festival spirit.

3. Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival

The Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival lets visitors stroll the paths of Hwaseong Fortress. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. For three days in early October, crowds gather for Joseon Dynasty reenactments, martial arts exhibitions, and lively performances. All of them highlight Korean traditions and festivities.

Music, dance, and folk games bring the stone walls to life, honoring Korean history and the city’s cultural legacy during this harvest festival and traditional holiday season.

Nearby food stalls serve up tteok (rice cakes, part of chuseok food), savory jeon pancakes, and other Korean dishes. These recipes reflect the harvest season and autumn harvest festival spirit. Craft booths display pottery, fans, and traditional Korean clothes like hanbok worn during major holidays and celebrations.

Every year, the festival evolves with new lineups. It always emphasizes Korean culture, historic heritage, and gratitude for the abundant autumn harvest… Much like Chuseok holiday, Korea’s important holiday often called the Korean Thanksgiving!

4. Busan’s Gwangalli Beach Fireworks

Up next is Busan’s Gwangalli Beach Fireworks Festival, a major holiday attraction boasting nearly 80,000 fireworks that light up the autumn night sky. Each year during the harvest season, huge crowds gather not only for the dazzling performances, but also for live music, street celebrations, and endless food stalls serving Korean dishes and traditional food like tteokbokki, hotteok, and even tteok (rice cakes) that echo the chuseok food classics enjoyed during the autumn harvest festival.

Spots such as Dongbaekseom Island and Igidae Coastal Park offer spectacular views, perfect for capturing images of the glowing fireworks mirrored in the sea. Though this vibrant festival draws over a million visitors and embodies Korean culture and seasonal festivities, it also brings challenges like traffic and trash—so careful planning is key to enjoying this special holiday event.

5. Jeonju Hanok Village Festivities

The Jeonju Hanok Village Festivities immerse visitors in Korean traditions and the atmosphere of a living heritage celebration. Wandering through cedar‑lined alleys and traditional dwellings beneath a clear autumn sky, you step into the spirit of a traditional holiday tied to the lunar calendar and lunar month.

Hands-on workshops let you practice Hanji paper‑making, shape pottery, or pound rice cakes (tteok) during this festival, echoing common Chuseok foods enjoyed in family gatherings. Traditional folk dance, hanbok (Korean clothes), and historic ceremonies keep Korean culture alive amidst the festivities.

Nearby, street art at Jaman Mural Village, together with folk music and dance, create a vibrant celebration. Food stalls tempt with Jeonju’s iconic bibimbap, savory jeon pancakes, and other traditional food, offering a true Korean feast that honors the harvest moon and the spirit of the autumn harvest festival.

6. Gyeongju Historic Areas Events

The Gyeongju Historic Areas Events bring you face-to-face with Korean history, art, and culture during one of South Korea’s important holidays and festivals. Strolling the ancient paths of Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, both UNESCO treasures, you hear vivid Silla-era tales while embracing the harvest season and autumn celebrations.

Live performances of music, dance, and traditional folk dance preserve old traditions, while lantern displays on the Cheomgang River mark the spirit of the harvest moon and autumn harvest festival.

Local artisans present crafts, pottery, and Hanji paper, symbols of Korean traditions. Visitors can also experience festivities with rice cakes, savory jeon pancakes, and other traditional food that echo common Chuseok foods enjoyed at family gatherings.

Whether in spring or early autumn, the mild air makes exploring these UNESCO sites a perfect way to honor Korean culture, heritage, and the gratitude of a good harvest.

7. Korean Folk Village Activities

The Korean Folk Village immerses you in Korea’s history, traditions, and heritage celebrations. Among hanok houses and ancient buildings, you witness the lifestyle of ancestors tied to the harvest season, traditional holidays, and the spirit of the autumn harvest festival.

Visitors join in crafts, harvest work, and lively folk games or traditional folk dance, while sampling traditional food such as rice cakes, savory jeon pancakes, kimchi, and rice wine, echoing common Chuseok foods enjoyed at family gatherings. Dressed in colorful hanbok (Korean clothes), guests experience festivities that honor Korean culture, the Chuseok holiday, and gratitude for an abundant autumn harvest.

8. Incheon Songdo International Festival

The Songdo International Festival in Incheon blends global performances and Korean traditions, filling Songdo Central Park with music, dance, and lively festivities. Visitors enjoy jazz bands, street crews, and cultural celebrations that showcase both modern spirit and heritage.

Food stalls feature Korean food like tteokbokki, Korean BBQ, savory jeon pancakes, and rice cakes. The flavors are tied to common Chuseok foods and the autumn harvest festival. Hands‑on workshops in crafts and cooking reflect Korean culture, the harvest season, and the gratitude of a major holiday.

9. Ulsan Whale Festival

The Ulsan Whale Festival celebrates maritime culture, Korean traditions, and festivities with a focus on whale preservation. Visitors enjoy workshops, interactive exhibits, and lectures on local sea life, alongside seafood tasting as part of Korean food heritage tied to the harvest season and special holiday events.

Highlights include whale‑watching tours, LED floats, hologram shows, and a nightly musical gala, ending with a grand parade and dazzling fireworks. Blending celebrations of the ocean with the gratitude of the autumn harvest festival, Ulsan’s event reflects both modern innovation and Korean culture in a memorable major holiday festival.

Travel tips for South Korea

If you travel to Korea in November, you get that crisp air and beautiful fall colors. With day temperatures ranging from 3-12 degrees Celsius, layers will keep you warm. It will be particularly true at night. Seoul can receive a dusting of snow late in the month, but it’s rare.

Jeju Island remains mild, so you can bank on comfortable meanders. For hiking, warm and waterproof clothes keep you reveling in the trails. Unexpected rain can pop up, but won’t ruin plans. Ong Hahoe Folk Village exhibits old Korea’s charm.

Book an eSIM data plan for Korea with Ubigi

For short visits or light data users in Korea, you can choose a 1GB plan or a 3GB plan. Frequent travelers or those needing more data can opt for a 10GB or even a 25GB plan. If you want maximum flexibility, Ubigi also offers unlimited data plans for a fixed period. It will be perfect for extended stays or sharing data via tethering.

Ubigi features both single-country and regional Asia plans. You can stay connected not only in Korea but across neighboring countries with a single eSIM data plan.

All Ubigi eSIM plans for Korea are prepaid, with no hidden fees or roaming charges. Just create your Ubigi account through the app and purchase the eSIM data plan. Activate your eSIM when you land in Korea. You can easily top up or manage your plan via the Ubigi app, no Wi-Fi required.

This makes staying connected in Korea convenient and worry-free, whether your trip is a few days or several weeks. Book your eSIM data plan for South Korea and enjoy seamless internet access.

Understand Local Etiquette

In addition to all the amusement, local etiquette makes you blend effortlessly. A little bow upon meeting is a great help. Locals anticipate it and frequently return it with a smile. When you give money or a ticket, both hands give the other person respect.

This is true for most interaction, not just with seniors. Keeping your voice down in public, like in subways or restaurants is key.

A lot of places appreciate the serenity, and no one makes loud conversations, even in crowded urban locations.

Prepare for Transportation

Easy to travel with a T-money card. You can use it on buses, subways and most taxis in Korea. Topping up is convenient at stations or convenience stores. Big cities like Seoul run fast and on time, but crowds develop at rush hour, 7–9 am and 6–8 pm.

Waiting for a later train or bus tends to be more room and less tension.

For navigation, Naver Map and KakaoMap are the best. Google Maps won’t provide you with route details, so local apps simplify your trip.

Conclusion

Korea’s fall provides you a total blend of old and new. You have street food, radiant leaves and music in the open air. Every festival offers you something tangible–one day it could be a fireworks event in Busan, the next it could be sampling traditional snacks in Jeonju.

Everyone of all ages participates, so you’ll be right at home. Local hosts keep things cozy and uncomplicated. You encounter new people, listen to tales and sample hands-on activities with people from around the world!

Planning in advance gets you out of long lines and keeps you cozy. Wish easy travel? An Ubigi eSIM date plan provides you instant access to easy maps and quick chats in South Korea.

Experience these festivals and take home real tales, not just snapshots. See when these festivals take place and begin your itinerary. We hope that this “9 Must-Experience Korea Fall Festivals” article helped you prepare your trip !

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Korea for fall festivals?

Take a trip to Korea between late September and early November. A bunch of the big festivals, like Chuseok and the Andong Mask Dance Festival, are going on right now.

Do I need to buy tickets in advance for Korea’s fall festivals?

While some festivals, like the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, are free to enter! If it’s for a sought after thing such as fireworks or performances, book well ahead of time to guarantee your spot.

Is it easy to get around Korea during festival season?

Indeed, Korea’s public transportation is excellent. Take subways, buses or cabs. Take a transport card or eSIM data plan for easy navigation.

What should I wear to fall festivals in Korea?

Bring comfortable clothes and layers. Fall temperatures vary between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius. Pack a light jacket : evenings can be cool, particularly outside.

Are Korea’s fall festivals family-friendly?

Yes, the majority of korea fall festivals are family-friendly. There will be kids activities, food stalls, performances, and cultural experiences for everyone.

Can I use my phone’s internet at Korea’s festivals?

Indeed, connect on-the-go by booking an eSIM data plan for Korea, with Ubigi for instance. This assists you with maps, translation, and festival news on your phone.

How do I show respect for Korean culture at festivals?

Observe local courtesy. Say hello politely, queue up and throw away your rubbish. Dress conservatively and tread softly when snapping pics.