When Does Winter Start In Korea Best 【Full - 2024】

In Korea, the answer to “when does winter start” depends on who you ask—and that small question once sparked a quiet, unforgettable moment between a grandfather and his grandson.

Instead of answering, his grandfather took him on a weekend trip to the old village. On November 8— Lidong —they woke before dawn. The old man pointed to the persimmon trees, dried and hanging with orange fruit like little suns. “See? The birds are already fluffing their feathers. The air smells of frozen earth. This is when we say winter has entered.” when does winter start in korea

“But which one is right?” Minjun asked. In Korea, the answer to “when does winter

That night, Minjun wrote in his journal: Winter in Korea starts three times—by tradition on November 7 or 8, by astronomy on December 21 or 22, and by weather on December 1. But for Harabeoji, it starts the moment you put on your first pair of long underwear and hear the ajummas on the street say, ‘It’s really cold now.’ The old man pointed to the persimmon trees,

His grandfather smiled. “No. Winter starts when you decide to notice it. In Korea, it arrives like a quiet guest—first as a whisper in November, then as a promise in December. But if you really want one answer for your friends?” He tapped Minjun’s notebook. “Tell them: meteorological winter in Korea begins December 1. That’s what weather forecasters use. Average temperatures drop below freezing, and the first snow usually falls in Seoul around mid-December.”

His grandfather, who grew up in a mountain village near Sokcho, chuckled softly. “In my heart,” he said, “winter starts the first morning you see your breath freeze in front of you. But officially? Korea has two winters.”