Chuseok is Korea's harvest holiday, and it is the closest thing to Thanksgiving in Korea. In 2027 it is on Wednesday 15 September, with the holiday on 14 to 16 September. This page uses the government's calendar notice for the dates, and the 2026 holiday to show what closes and how trains sell out, because the 2027 details are not out. We read the government notice (through our holiday page), VisitKorea's 2026 Chuseok guide, two news reports and our own Korea guides on 12 October 2026.
The dates
Hours: Chuseok 2027: Wednesday 15 September, with the holiday on 14 to 16 September (Korea AeroSpace Administration, calendar notice of 29 Jun 2026, as read on our public holidays page on 12 Oct 2026). The notice lists no separate substitute day for Chuseok
Hours: Chuseok 2026, for comparison: Friday 25 September, with the holiday on 24 to 26 September (VisitKorea, 2026 Chuseok Holiday Travel Guide, posted 14 Sep 2026)
Chuseok moves each year. If you plan a trip to Korea in September 2027, check the dates before you book flights.
What closes
These are the 2026 facts. They show the pattern, and we have not confirmed the same closing days for 2027.
Hours: Museums: the National Museum of Korea and the MMCA branches were generally closed on Chuseok Day and open the rest of the holiday (VisitKorea, 14 Sep 2026)
Hours: Shops and restaurants: many department stores, malls and restaurants closed on Chuseok Day or for part of the holiday. Convenience stores and shops near tourist sights often stayed open (VisitKorea, 14 Sep 2026)
Price: Palaces: free entry at Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, Jongmyo and the royal tombs on 24 to 27 September 2026. The Changdeokgung rear garden was not included (Herald Business, 18 Sep 2026, on the Cultural Heritage Administration's plan)
Getting there: City subways and buses ran as usual. On Chuseok Day and the day after, some services could run later than normal for returning travelers (VisitKorea, 14 Sep 2026)
Two older pages in our own guides also list Chuseok as a closing day: the Gyeongju National Museum, and the Third Tunnel at the DMZ. Check each place before you go.
Our advice: plan one proper meal in advance for Chuseok Day, and treat convenience stores and shops near tourist sights as the backup.
How trains sell out
Booking: Chuseok 2026 trains: Korail's sale covered trains running 23 to 27 September. People who are 65 or older, disabled, national merit holders or pregnant booked on 3 and 4 September by line. Other riders booked on 7 to 11 September, 07:00 to 13:00, with a different line each day. Only Korail integrated members could book, online or by phone, with no counter sales (Wikitree, 18 Aug 2026, reporting Korail's announcement)
The news report is not Korail's own page. We could not open Korail's notice. Our KTX booking guide has the same point in Korail's words: holiday tickets are for members only, and normal two-month sales do not apply.
For 2027 we found no sale dates. For 2026, Korail's English notice list had a notice dated 14 August, about three weeks before the first sale day. If your trip is in September 2027, check Korail in the summer, and have a backup plan, such as an express bus.
What to do during Chuseok
Visit the palaces if they are free again. City subways ran as usual in 2026, so a day of walking in Seoul works. Try songpyeon, the half-moon rice cake that VisitKorea calls a signature Chuseok food. The same guide lists the circle dance ganggangsullae under the full moon. Check the venue before you go. We have no dates for 2027 events.
What is checked here and what is not
Checked on 12 October 2026: the 2027 dates from our own holiday page, which reads the Korea AeroSpace Administration's notice of 29 June 2026, VisitKorea's 2026 Chuseok guide (posted 14 September 2026), a Herald Business article of 18 September 2026 on the palaces, and a Wikitree article of 18 August 2026 on Korail's sale.
Not checked: the notice's text itself, Korail's own pages, the 2027 train sale dates, any 2027 closing days, the 2027 palace plan, and how a foreign visitor registers as a Korail member. We did not check the museum, mall or restaurant closures ourselves. Charye, the memorial rite, is not covered by the VisitKorea guide we read, so we do not describe it.
