Life

🗓️ 2026 Korea Public Holidays, International Students Red Day Guide

2026-06-05

Have you ever felt confused about what the 'red days' on the Korean calendar mean after arriving in Korea? 😢

It's really important to know Korean public holidays in advance when planning school, part-time jobs, or bank tasks!

We'll organize information about 2026 Korean holidays to make your study abroad life more comfortable. ✨

Korea has holidays shared worldwide, but also ones unique to its own history and culture. Shall we see the difference?

International holidays: New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Christmas, Buddha’s Birthday
Korean unique holidays: March 1st Movement Day, Memorial Day, Constitution Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, Hangul Day, Lunar New Year, Chuseok

👉 Understanding Korean culture will make studying abroad much more fun!

There’s great news we must remember in 2026! Two public holidays are newly designated.

Labor Day, May 1: From 2026, its name changes from 'Laborer’s Day' to 'Labor Day,' and it is a public holiday for all.
Constitution Day, July 17: It becomes a public holiday again after 18 years since 2008!
If either day overlaps with a weekend or another holiday, substitute holiday applies.

👉 Check the new holidays in advance and have a good rest!

Have you felt disappointed because holidays overlapped with weekends? Korea has a system to compensate for that.

Substitute holidays are when, if a public holiday overlaps with a weekend or another holiday, the next regular weekday becomes a day off.
However, this doesn’t apply to all holidays, so please check the official calendar each year!
For example, in 2026, Memorial Day, June 6 falls on a Saturday, but the substitute holiday does not apply. (It’s an exception because of the June 3 nationwide local elections)

👉 Knowing how substitute holidays work helps you plan better!

Lunar New Year and Chuseok are the biggest holidays in Korea and the time when international students feel the greatest change in daily life!

Lunar New Year (3 days around lunar January 1st), Chuseok (lunar August 14~16) are extended holiday periods.
Express bus and train tickets sell out quickly, so book early if you’re planning to travel!
Some restaurants, banks, hospitals, immigration services, and delivery may be closed or have reduced hours.

👉 During holiday periods, be sure to check business hours before visiting!

Rather than just seeing public holidays as a day off, check their impact on your daily life so you won’t be caught off guard!

School classes: Most classes are off, but there could be make-up classes, so always check notices.
Part-time work holiday pay: If you work part-time, check if you can receive holiday pay for working on public holidays!
Banks and hospitals: Many are closed on public holidays, so handle urgent tasks in advance.

👉 With just this, you can adapt to life in Korea easily!

✔️ From 2026, Labor Day, May 1 and Constitution Day, July 17 are designated as new public holidays!

✔️ On major holidays like Lunar New Year and Chuseok, make sure to reserve train tickets and check hospital & bank closure in advance.

✔️ Knowing the substitute holiday system for overlapping public holidays makes it easier to plan your classes or part-time schedule.

We sincerely hope you have a more enjoyable and relaxing study abroad life with Korea’s various public holidays! 💖

VIVISA summarizes all this information in an easy-to-understand way.

Don’t worry about studying or working in Korea—just start comfortably with VIVISA! ✨