Seoraksan's First Autumn Colors Expected From Sept. 27 — When Will Korea's Foliage Peak This Year?

Travelers planning a trip to Korea to catch this autumn's foliage now have a forecast to plan around. Private weather forecaster WeatherEye predicts that the first autumn colors — when 20% of a mountain has changed — will appear at Seoraksan around September 27-30, with official observation expected around October 3, according to a September 5 report by Gukje News. Foliage typically begins at high

er, cooler elevations before moving south and downhill; per the forecast, the color front will then advance southward at about 20-25 kilometers a day, reaching central Korea between October 10-27 and the southern region, including Jirisan, between October 22 and November 5. Peak colors are expected earliest at Odaesan and Seoraksan, from October 16-25, followed by central Korea from October 31 to N

ovember 5, and the southern region and Jirisan from November 5-13. WeatherEye also forecast that above-normal temperatures in September and October would push this year's first foliage later than the historical average. Foreign travelers aiming for peak colors at Seoraksan or Gangwon's mountains should target the third or fourth week of October; those hoping to catch central-region foliage around S

eoul should aim for late October to early November, while travelers wanting to see southern-region colors as well, including Jirisan, may want to plan for early-to-mid November. Because foliage timing can shift by several days depending on that year's temperature and rainfall, it's worth checking the latest forecast again just before departure. Korea Tourism Times Editorial Desk