Korea's 2026 Fall Foliage to Peak Nationwide in Late October, With Southern Regions Lagging Weeks Behind

According to the Korea Forest Service's 2026 Fall Foliage Peak Forecast Map, released on September 22, color change will begin in earnest in the mountainous areas of northern Gangwon in early October, with a nationwide peak expected in late October. Southern regions such as Gyeongsang and Jeolla are expected to peak only in early to mid-November, putting the north and south about two to three weeks apart.

The Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea National Arboretum jointly released a 2026 Autumn Foliage Map on October 8, covering 36 spots nationwide along with regional timing, published through the VisitKorea travel portal. Notably, the forecast does not rely solely on climate models but incorporates field observations from 829 citizen scientists participating in the arboretum's plant phenology observation project.

Regional timing

Seoul, the greater capital area and Gangwon in the north are expected to reach peak foliage from late October. Gyeongsang and Jeolla in the south, by contrast, are projected to peak between early and mid-November, meaning travelers heading south should plan their trips later. The released material, however, does not include specific peak dates for individual mountains such as Seoraksan or Naejangsan.

Featured spots

Among the sites highlighted are Incheon Grand Park, known for its foliage tunnel, Cheorwon's Goseokjeong, where the Hantan River gorge offers dramatic autumn color, Goesan's Mungwang Reservoir, where gingko trees reflect on the water's surface, Damyang's metasequoia-lined road, and Jeju's Dara-oreum, covered in silver grass.

Dates vary by source

Travel guide sites report that Seoraksan typically peaks around October 20 to 25 and Naejangsan around November 4 to 10. Some describe Seoul's foliage season as running from October 20 to November 20, with the peak falling in early to mid-November. These figures, however, including a guide from the Seoul Tourism Organization, differ among unofficial sources, and no official Seoul-specific forecast could be confirmed.

Because actual foliage conditions change daily, travelers should check the latest updates from the VisitKorea portal and the Korea Forest Service before setting out.

Sources: Korea Forest Service 2026 Fall Foliage Peak Forecast Map (2026-09-22), Korea Tourism Organization and Korea National Arboretum 2026 Autumn Foliage Map, Herald Economy, Korea Times (2026-10-08), unofficial travel guide sites. Information is current as of early November 2026, may change, and should be confirmed before travel.