If you are arriving in Seoul between late September and early October 2026, your timing is unusually good.
From September 19 to October 11, 2026, Seoul is running SEOUL WELCOME WEEK: Autumn Edition, a 23-day program designed specifically around the autumn peak season for international visitors.
And unlike many Seoul festivals, this is not one event happening in one park or plaza. The idea is much broader: Seoul is creating a welcome network that begins around major arrival points and continues into major tourist districts such as Myeongdong, tourist information centers and the Han River.
The timing is deliberate. Seoul Metropolitan Government says the program coincides with several major East Asian holiday periods, including Japan’s Silver Week, Korea’s Chuseok holiday, China’s Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, and Taiwan’s National Day period. You can read the latest details in the official Seoul Metropolitan Government announcement.
For travelers, that means late September and early October will be one of the busiest — but also one of the most event-filled — periods to visit Seoul in 2026.
Seoul Welcome Week 2026 at a Glance
Dates: September 19–October 11, 2026
City: Seoul
Main audience: International visitors
Key areas: Airports and major visitor gateways, Myeongdong, Seoul Culture Lounge, tourist information centers and selected Han River programs
Theme: Visitor services, K-culture experiences, traditional culture, travel information and special benefits
The city says the autumn program expands beyond the traditional Myeongdong-centered welcome campaign, connecting the experience from arrival points to central Seoul.
That makes this particularly useful for first-time visitors.
Why Seoul Is Doing This Now
Autumn is already one of the most attractive seasons for visiting Korea. September brings cooler evenings after summer, while October gradually introduces autumn foliage.
But 2026 has another factor: a sequence of major holidays across East Asia.
Seoul specifically identifies Japan’s Silver Week from September 19 to 23, followed by Korea’s Chuseok period, Chinese holiday periods and Taiwan’s National Day holiday as major travel windows.
That also means travelers should expect popular neighborhoods to feel busier than usual.
If you have not booked accommodation yet, it is worth doing so sooner rather than later. Our guide to where to stay in Seoul can help you choose a neighborhood based on your itinerary rather than simply choosing the cheapest hotel.
Start at the Airport
One of the most interesting changes this year is that Welcome Week begins closer to the actual arrival experience.
Seoul says its autumn welcome campaign is expanding from central tourist districts to airports and tourist information centers, creating a more continuous visitor experience from arrival to the city.
If this is your first Korea trip, take advantage of staffed tourist information desks whenever you see one. They can be surprisingly useful for confirming temporary events, closures and transportation changes.
For general travel assistance, Seoul’s official 2026 tourist guide also lists the Korea Travel Hotline 1330, which operates 24 hours.
If you are still planning your airport transfer, read our guide to getting from Incheon Airport to Seoul before landing.
Myeongdong Becomes One of the Main Welcome Hubs
Myeongdong is one of the central locations for Seoul Welcome Week.
The city says visitors can find K-content and traditional cultural experiences around Myeongdong and Seoul Culture Lounge during the campaign.
This makes Myeongdong particularly easy to combine with a first-day itinerary.
You could arrive in central Seoul, check into your hotel, explore Myeongdong in the late afternoon, have dinner and then move toward Namsan or another evening attraction.
If you only have a short trip, our Seoul in Your First 24 Hours guide is designed for exactly this situation.
Don’t Ignore the Han River
Welcome Week also extends to the Han River.
Seoul says the campaign will include Seoul Cruise ticket discounts and K-culture experiences connected with the river. Exact benefits may differ by program and date, so check the current official information before making a special trip solely for a promotion.
But even without a promotion, September is already an excellent month for the river.
Korea Inside Out’s What’s On Along the Han River This September brings several river activities together in one place.
And on Sundays, the Jamsugyo Bridge Festival turns part of the river area into one of Seoul’s most unusual pedestrian experiences.
This is exactly how I would use Welcome Week: not as a standalone attraction, but as an extra layer of benefits around a Seoul itinerary you already wanted to do.
What Else Is Happening in Seoul?
A lot.
Seoul’s official September festival calendar shows that the weekend of September 19–20 is particularly busy. Current listings include Seoul Autumn Festa, Seoul Street Arts Festival, Seocho-related cultural events, concerts and walking festivals.
The official Visit Seoul events calendar is also worth checking immediately before your trip because exhibitions and smaller events are added throughout the month.
One of the biggest advantages of visiting Seoul during this period is therefore not necessarily one blockbuster festival.
It is density.
You can visit Seoul for food, shopping and palaces and repeatedly encounter temporary cultural programming along the way.
A Smart One-Day Route During Welcome Week
For a first-time visitor, I would keep the route simple.
Start around Gyeongbokgung or Bukchon in the morning.
Move toward central Seoul for lunch.
Spend the afternoon around Myeongdong, where you can check the current Welcome Week programs and visitor services.
Around sunset, head toward the Han River.
Finish with a riverside walk, picnic or cruise depending on the day’s schedule.
This avoids crossing Seoul repeatedly and gives you a mix of traditional Seoul, shopping, K-culture and the river.
Will Seoul Be Crowded?
Probably more than on an ordinary September week.
The city is explicitly preparing for increased international arrivals during overlapping East Asian holiday periods.
That doesn’t mean you should avoid Seoul.
It means you should reserve the things that actually require reservations while keeping the rest of the itinerary flexible.
Restaurants, outdoor festivals and shopping neighborhoods can be adjusted on the day. A specific hotel, timed attraction or intercity train cannot always be.
What to Search in Korean
These Korean search terms are useful in Naver Map or Korean search engines:
서울환대주간 — Seoul Welcome Week
명동 관광정보센터 — Myeongdong Tourist Information Center
한강공원 — Hangang Park
잠수교 뚜벅뚜벅 축제 — Jamsugyo pedestrian festival
서울 가볼만한 곳 — places to visit in Seoul
For navigation, do not rely exclusively on Google Maps in Korea. Our best apps for traveling in Seoul guide explains why Naver Map and Papago are useful additions.
Is Seoul Welcome Week Worth Planning Around?
I would not book a flight solely for Welcome Week.
But if you are already visiting Seoul between September 19 and October 11, it is absolutely worth checking what is available during your dates.
The bigger advantage is that Welcome Week overlaps with an unusually rich autumn event calendar.
That makes it easy to build a trip around Seoul’s permanent attractions while adding temporary experiences that travelers visiting a few weeks earlier or later simply won’t get.
And if you are coming this autumn, bookmark both the official Seoul event calendar and Korea Inside Out’s September guides before you arrive.
FAQ
When is Seoul Welcome Week 2026?
September 19 through October 11, 2026.
Is it one festival in one location?
No. It is a citywide visitor-welcome program involving several tourist touchpoints.
Is it aimed at foreign tourists?
Yes. Seoul explicitly describes the campaign as a welcome program for international visitors during the autumn travel season.
Where should I start?
For most travelers, Myeongdong is the easiest central location to combine with sightseeing.
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