Gyeongju weather in January
January in Gyeongju: cold, a little rain — a good time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#10 of 12 months in Gyeongju · #958 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 60/100 (tier C)
- Days
- 7°C
- Nights
- -3°C
- Wet days
- 3
- Sun
- 7.9 h
- Humidity
- 57%
- Daylight
- 10 h

Traveller notes on Gyeongju in January
Other months in Gyeongju
Forum posters describe November across South Korea as cool to cold and likely wet, notably cooler than September, with peak autumn foliage typically wrapping up by late October - a late-November visit risks missing the best of the fall colors, and by then few leaves remain on the trees. Posters describing similar Seoul-area conditions note real day-to-day variability, some days very cold and windy, others cool, sunny and genuinely pleasant, recommending a jacket with a removable lining plus gloves and a scarf as flexible cold-weather packing. Posters generally rate November as workable but past its foliage-viewing prime for Gyeongju, cool and occasionally wet conditions the more defining feature than the fall colors themselves by this point in the month.
Forum posters consistently name May as one of the best weather months in South Korea - pleasant, warm and largely dry, with afternoon temperatures reaching the low-to-mid 20sC and short sleeves comfortable by day, though a thin layer is still recommended for cooler mornings and evenings. Posters do flag that the very end of May starts easing toward Korea's rainy season (which properly arrives in June), so a longer-sleeved option for the occasional cooler or wetter day is sensible even at this generally favorable time. For Gyeongju specifically, posters call the former Silla capital - sometimes described as 'the museum with no walls' - an excellent match for a pleasant May visit, with its open-air historic sites and countryside best appreciated without summer's heat and humidity.
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Gyeongju climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Gyeongju in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsSeollal, Winter break (gyeoul banghak) in South Korea, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Gyeongju's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherGyeongju's best weather comes in April, May and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Gyeongju in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Holiday
Seollal
20 Jan – 20 Feb · usuallyLunar New YearCrowdedClosuresThree days when the country drives to its home town and a good share of Gyeongju's restaurants shut. The tomb park and Bulguksa stay open and fill with families in hanbok. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Gyeongju — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Gyeongju?
Gyeongju in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Gyeongju?
- January in Gyeongju: cold, a little rain — a good time to visit. It ranks #10 of 12 months for Gyeongju on SeasonMap's comfort score (60/100).
- What is the weather like in Gyeongju in January?
- In January, Gyeongju averages a daily high of 6.6°C and a low of -2.7°C, with about 30.2 mm of rain over roughly 3.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Gyeongju in January?
- Gyeongju has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 66 in January.
- Does it snow in Gyeongju in January?
- Gyeongju sees roughly 1.4 cm of snowfall in January.
Within 300 km: Busan's Haeundae Light Festival around 29 Nov – 18 Jan, and Fukuoka's Tamaseseri at Hakozaki Shrine on 3 Jan.