Summers in Korea are usually hot, humid, and sticky. Lucky for us, however, there are plenty of things to do. Festivals, performances and events are abundant across the country despite temperatures that reach the high 30s! Why not partake in a mud wrestling contest at the Boryeong Mud Festival, go ziplining in Nami Island, or dance the day away at Korea’s biggest EDM festival?
If you’re looking for a fun Korean summer activity, then look no further! Here at 10 Magazine, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best summer activities in South Korea.
1. Boseong Green Tea Festival | Boseong Tea Plantation
The Boseong Green Tea Festival is a hot summer event for locals, though it remains largely unknown to many foreign travelers. The Boseong Tea Plantation, open since 1957, is the only tourist tea plantation in Korea and is well-known for its spectacular teas and breathtaking tea fields that stretch across 5,000,000㎡ of land. The Boseong Green Tea Festival, which takes place every May when the leaves are greenest, hosts a variety of tea events such as a ritual to the Tea God to pray for good harvests, tea leaf-picking, making tea, and tea ceremonies. Here, you can also enjoy tea-inspired dishes such as green tea ice cream and green tea infused bibimbap (비빔밥). Click here for more information about the Green Tea Festival. For more information about the venue, check out the listing of the Boseong Tea Plantation on our 10 Directory.
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- Dates: May 02-May 06, 2019
- Cost: 3,000 KRW (adult) / / Free admission for children aged 7 and under
- Location: Boseong Tea Plantation, 775 Nokcha-ro, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do
2. Ultra Korea | Seoul Jamsil Olympic Stadium
Ultra Korea is one of South Korea’s biggest outdoor electronic music festivals. Having made its debut in 2012, the festival has an amazing lineup of DJs every year. This year, the three day event will take place from June 8th to June 10th in Seoul Olympic Stadium. 2018’s events will feature artists such as Above & Beyond, Axwell & Ingrosso, The Chainsmokers, David Guetta, Galantis, Nicky Romero, Steve Angello, Zedd, and Zhu, making it one of the greatest lineups the festival has seen to date. Click here for more information about Ultra Korea. For more information about the venue, check out the listing of Seoul Olympic Stadium on our 10 Directory. If you want to know about other music festivals happening this summer, check out our article “9 Summer Music Festivals To Experience in Korea in 2018.”
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- Dates: June 7-June 9, 2019
- Cost: 240,000KRW (Regular 3-days ticket) / 320,000KRW (Premium 3-days ticket)
- Location: Seoul Olympic Stadium, 25 Olympic-ro, Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul
3. Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival | Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
The Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival takes place every year in July for a week. The festival celebrates the beautiful lotus flowers that have blossomed for the summer and highlights the importance of preserving these flowers and appreciating natural beauty. The week-long festival’s main events will include an opening performance, celebratory performance, the birth of King Mu, and Seodong Seonhwa (서동 선화) Impact Show. Other hands-on programs like lotus flower origami classes, lotus flower soap making lessons, and lotus leaf-shaped candle-making sessions will also be available. Click here for more information about the Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival.
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- Dates: July 5-July 14, 2019
- Cost: Free admission
- Location: 52 Gungnam-ro, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
4. Boryeong Mud Festival | Daecheon Beach, Boryeong
The Boryeong Mud Festival is the perfect event to get down and dirty while beating the summer heat. This festival not only attracts locals from all over the country but also international visitors looking to have a good time. The festival holds many activities like mud wrestling, mud sliding, a marine mud training course, and swimming in a big mud bath. The events are also perfect for kids, as there is a Mud Kid’s Land for children to have fun in the mud. Those looking to relax while at the festival can spend their time at the mud massage zone and end their night with music and fireworks at the beach. Click here for more information about the Boryeong Mud Festival. For more information about the venue, check out the listing of Daecheon Beach on our 10 Directory.
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- Dates: July 19-July 28, 2019
- Cost:
- Mon-Thur: 12,000 KRW (adults) / 10,000 KRW (children)
- Fri-Sun: 14,000 KRW (adults) / 12,000 KRW (children)
- Location: Daecheon Beach, Boryeong-si, South Korea
5. Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival | Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do
The Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival offers a week of fun filled with water-themed events to help beat the hot, summer days. The festival also offers a healing health camp, woodland woodcraft experience classes, woodcraft exhibitions, and more. You can enjoy your weekend with friends and family at this water-filled festival and cool off at the same time. Click here for more information about the Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival.
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- Dates: July 26-August 1, 2019
- Cost: No general admission fee
- Note: there may be additional fees to participate in extra classes and events
- Location: 21 Jangheung-
ro , Jangheung-eup , Jangheung-gun, Junranam-do
6. Busan Sea Festival | Haeundae-gu, Busan
The Busan Sea Festival hosts many events located spread across several beaches in Busan, including Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장), Gwangalli Beach (광안리해수욕장), Songdo Beach (송도해수욕장), Dadaepo Beach (다대포해수욕장역), and Songjeong Beach (송정해수욕장). The week is filled with a variety of cultural events, hands-on programs, ceremonies, performances, and more. Each beach holds different events throughout the week catering to those in all age groups. Click here for more information about the Busan Sea Festival.
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- Dates: August 2-August 6, 2019
- Cost: No general admission fee
- Note: there may be additional fees to participate in extra classes and events
- Locations:
7. Hallasan National Park | Cheju, Jeju-do
Hiking is a popular summer activity in Korea, whether it be on a trail or a mountain. Though there are many great places to hike all around Korea, one of our personal trails is at Hallasan National Park. Hallasan National Park is located in Jeju Island, just south of the Korean peninsula. Also known as Mt. Yeongjusan (영주산), Hallasan Mountain is located within the park and is one of Jeju Island’s most treasured landmarks. The mountain offers five different hiking courses, with various levels of difficulty: Seongpanak Trail (성판악), Eorimok Trail (을이목), Eogeungsaengak Trail (어긍샨각), Yeongsil Trail (영실), and Gwangeumsa Trail (광금사). Please note that operating hours are subject to change depending on weather conditions. Check the official website for more information. For more information about the park, check out the listing of Hallasan National Park on our 10 Directory. If you’re an avid hiker, check out our article, “19 Breathtaking Hikes Into The Korean Mountains,” to find more trails around South Korea.
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- Dates: Anytime
- Cost: None
- Location: Hallasan National Park 220-13 Haean-dong, Cheju, Jeju-do
8. Nami Island Zipline | Nami Island
Did you know you could zipline in South Korea? Well, you do now – and a popular place to partake in the activity is at the Namiseom Zip Wire located on Namiseom (남이섬) or Nami Island. Known as one of the longest and most famous zipline facilities in Asia, this track has two different destinations that you can choose between: Jaraseom(자라섬) / Jara Island and Namiseom(남이섬) / Nami Island. Either way, you’ll start off at a high tower that stands 80 meters from the ground. Keep in mind, though, that there is a daily cap on the number of riders allowed on the zipline per day. The program will only take 150 riders to Jara Island and 200 riders to Nami Island every day, so get there early! Please note that operating hours are subject to change depending on weather conditions. Check the official website for more information. For more information about the venue, check out the listing for Nami Island on our 10 Directory.
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- Dates: Open Daily
- Cost: 41,000 KRW
- Location: Nami Island, 1 Namiseom-gil, Chuncheo-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
9. Everland | Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
As South Korea’s largest amusement park, Everland receives more than 7.3 million visitors a year. There are five different theme zones throughout Everland: Global Fair, American Adventure, Magic Land, European Adventure, and Zootopia. The theme park houses a plethora of restaurants with flavors from all around the world. In the summer, Everland hosts its annual Rose Festival (May-June) and Summer Splash Festival (June-Aug), so don’t miss out! Please note that operating hours are subject to change. Check out the official website for more details on hours. For more information about the theme park, check out the listing of Everland on our 10 Directory.
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- Dates: Open Daily
- Cost: 56,000 KRW (individual one-day) / 44,000 KRW (child one-day)
- Location: Everland, 199, Everland-ro, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
10. Gyeongbokgung Palace | Jongno-gu, Seoul
Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is located in the northern part of Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul and is one of Korea’s most iconic tourist spots. Here, you can visit what originally served as the home of Korean kings and their families. For a real treat, try to catch the changing of the Royal Guards in front of the main gates, which takes place three times a day every day except Tuesday when the palace is closed. Entrance is free to those who wear hanboks (한복), traditional Korean attire. Check out the official website for more details on hours. For more information about the palace, check out the listing of Gyeongbokgung Palace on our 10 Directory.
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- Dates: Everyday except Tuesdays
- Cost: 3,000 KRW (adults) / 1,500 KRW (children)
- Location: Gyeongbokgung Palace, 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
All photos courtesy of the respective festivals & locations.