12 Best Tips To Survive Summer In South Korea

In Korea, summer is synonymous with hot, humid, sticky weather, and often rain. If you’ve never experienced it, surviving this season can be a real challenge. So here are my top 12 tips for enjoying your Korean vacation in the scorching sun.

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Is there a rainy season in South Korea?

Well, unfortunately yes! Also called 장마 (Jangma), the rainy season usually begins in mid-June and ends at the end of July. It often brings days of heavy rain and sometimes flooding, but it can also last only a few days or a couple of weeks. It really depends of the year, I guess. You can also choose to visit in August and September, which are still summer months, sunny and hot, and where the risk of rain is much lower.

And although some people will try to dissuade you from visiting during this period, I still recommend it, as summer in South Korea is also less crowded, with lower prices and plenty of festivals to choose from.

So, here are my 12 best tips if you’re considering visiting South Korea during the hot season!

Tips for surviving summer in South Korea

1. Wear sunscreen

Because summer in Korea can be very hot, up to 40 degrees Celsius, I guarantee that the scorching sun will not only make you sweat but quickly burn your skin if you’re not careful enough. That’s why, and this should always be your priority before going out: apply sunscreen and do it regularly!

Coming back from vacation with a nice tan is great, but coming back with red, inflamed and damaged skin is not!

2. Choose lightweight clothes

It’s time to get out your cutest floral dresses, skirts, tops and lightweight clothing! As long as it’s not raining, your motto should be comfortable and practical, and it’s best to avoid clothes that’ll end up sticking to every part of your body, making the exploration of the city unbearable as the hours go by.

Opt for cotton or linen materials, (especially on the sunniest, warmest days) and even though I’m the first to love black-colored clothes, try to avoid them as much as you can, so as not to get a heatstroke!

3. Consider buying a mini portable fan

Another one of those inventions where I wondered why I hadn’t heard of it before, but in South Korea it’s already an institution and you’ll see them in everyone’s hands on every street corner and in every store too.

Costing around $10 for the simplest, it has become an essential summer item that you can’t do without once you’ve tried it. Cheap, practical and compact, it’s a game changer for those hot days when you’re out and about without access to air conditioning. It’s also less tiring than having to use handheld fans, and very cute.

And for the lazier among us who would like hands-free fans, there are even neck fans, perfect for outdoor and exercise enthusiasts!

4. Bring a reusable water bottle

This is actually one of my favorite tips, and one that applies no matter where you decide to travel in the world, because not only is it a great way to save money if you’re on a budget, but you won’t have to stop at a convenience store every few hours to buy something to quench your parched throat.

Opt for an insulated stainless steel water bottle and enjoy your cold drink for up to 24 hours!

And if you’re wondering, South Korea has free water fountains in most hostels and hotels you book, not to mention free water in all restaurants! So, what do you think? A good way to stay hydrated at no cost, right?

5. Hats, sunglasses an umbrellas aka your best allies

In Korea, as in some other Asian countries, umbrellas are used not only to protect you from the rain, but also from the sun during summer. Because South Korea being a country where beauty standards are high and the obsession with white skin is real, carrying such an item when walking down the street is rather usual.

And to prove just how important sun protection is in the country, you’ll also find street parasols at street lights, where the shade they provide is more than welcome while you wait for what seems like endless seconds before the light turns green.

6. Buy mosquito repellent

Well, being in Asia during the rainy season and living in humid, hot temperatures brings with it the one thing everyone in the world agrees they hate: mosquitoes!

Although you probably won’t be bothered during the day, unless you’re planning to hike, when night comes, your best weapon will be to take out your mosquito repellent to keep the little vampires away.

Oh, and if you’re skilled with your hands, you can also try electric rackets: you’d better be fast, though.

7. Taste some seasonal dishes

Of course, summer in South Korea wouldn’t be complete without tasting the local cuisine and some of its seasonal dishes.

Stuck in the rain and want to do as the locals do and eat the “traditional food” on this kind of gloomy day? Head to a restaurant serving jeon (a kind of pancake) and makgeolli (Korean rice alcohol)! Why do Koreans love to eat this dish on rainy days? Because the sound of jeon frying is supposed to remind them of raindrops falling outside, but also because it’s a warm, comforting dish that’s perfect for boosting the mood when the weather’s bad.

What if it’s stifling hot? Choose to order some naengmyeon (refreshing cold noodle dish) or its variant, milmyeon, and forget the summer heat!

And if you’re craving dessert, a little bingsu (shaved ice) with the toppings of your choice is probably the best way to go!

8. Stop by the convenience store for a cheap ice cup drink

Did you forget your reusable water or in a mood for something sweeter or more caffeinated, but don’t want to go to a cafe? Drop by a convenience store and grab an ice cup in the size of your choice, as well as a pouch drink in the flavor of your choice: coffee, fruit juice…

You actually can’t visit Korea in summer and skip out on this drink, not only as it would be a shame for your wallet (only $1-2), but also because it’s convenient and the perfect sugar boost you’ll need at some point when you visit the city’s attractions in scorching temperatures.

Plus, the experience is fun because you can create your own drink and taste a different, unique flavor every time you buy one. The combinations are also endless, so whether you want something more milky or extra vitamins, just grab a banana milk or health drink, pour it into your ice cup and you’re good to go!

I won’t lie to you, this was my go-to drink during summer in South Korea!

9. Enjoy the air conditioning

You can’t bear the hot rays of the sun anymore? Go to a shopping mall, cafe, convenience store or hop on a bus to enjoy some well-deserved air conditioning.

But be warned, Korea really does love its air conditioning, so you’d better be prepared to experience the crisp, cold air as soon as you go inside. The indoor-outdoor temperature difference is no joke, trust me, but contrary to what you might think, you won’t catch a cold that easily.

Still, air conditioning is better than sweating profusely or having only a fan to cool you down when it’s still 30 degrees outside at night and you can’t sleep.

10. Use cooling powder sheet

If you’re like me, you often forget to put your deodorant in your bag, so here’s another of my summer tips that I’ve only recently discovered: cooling powder sheets.

Perfect for feeling fresh after a sweaty day and keeping odors at bay, these little sheets will quickly become your best friend when the weather’s too hot. Say goodbye to the feeling of unease and anxiety when you find yourself surrounded by people and you’ve forgotten your deodorant.

Small, cheap and practical, it’s the kind of item you can’t get enough of during the summer!

11. Prioritize outdoor activities in the morning

It goes without saying but any strenuous activity should take place in the morning if you’re spending your summer in South Korea, and in general in any country where the thermometer easily exceeds 25 degrees Celsius.

So if you’re planning hikes, coastal walks, jogging or any other kind of intense physical exercise, start early in the morning or in the late afternoon.

And if you’re planning to walk for long hours, remember to drink plenty of water and take a few breaks, because Korea and stairs or steep streets are quite something, just so you know.

12. Go to a water park or the beach

You didn’t think I’d forgotten the easiest way to cool off while having fun, did you?

Do you love swimming, surfing and sunbathing? Choose the beach and its nice 23°C sea temperature.

And if you want to combine the pleasure of fighting the heat in the water with fun rides, you can opt for one of the many water parks existing in South Korea! If you don’t know where to go, Gimhae Lotte Water Park is the largest one in the country and offers both indoor and outdoor attractions, making it a top destination when summer comes.

Don’t like either? You can always opt for a cold shower at the end of the day, if you can handle it!

That’s it! You’re now ready to survive summer in South Korea!

Visiting South Korea in winter? Click here to find out my 8 best tips for surviving the cold season!

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