South Korea releases 2026 autumn foliage map and travel guide

The Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Forest Service National Arboretum have released the ‘2026 Foliage Map,’ providing peak autumn foliage timings and 36 recommended travel destinations across six regions in South Korea.

According to the map, foliage is expected to peak in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province starting in late October, with Jeju Island reaching its peak around November 19. Regions such as Gyeongsang and Jeolla are projected to see peak colors in early to mid-November.

Recommended locations include Incheon Grand Park, Hwadam Forest in Gwangju, Goseokjeong Tourist Site in Cheorwon, and various scenic spots like Munwang Reservoir and Damyang Meta Provence. To improve prediction accuracy, the map utilizes data from the ‘Plant Phenology Observation Project,’ a citizen science program involving 829 participants.