Hello, this is 속초어때 (Sokcho Eottae). It's 7 a.m. on Tuesday, September 15. Right now the temperature in Sokcho (속초) is 18°C and the sky is partly cloudy, but the chance of rain is 82%. It's exactly the kind of weather that makes you glance out the window and head out without an umbrella — and that's why it's the most confusing kind of day.
Today there's a single number hanging over Sokcho: 324%. It means that many more people searched for accommodation in Sokcho for this year's Chuseok holiday compared to last year — the largest increase of any travel destination in the country. And yet the Seoraksan fall foliage those people are surely expecting doesn't actually turn until after the holiday is completely over. Today we'll go through the current situation in Sokcho with this mismatched timing at the center.
1. This Morning's Rain Will Stop Around 9 a.m.
The Korea Meteorological Administration has forecast rain in some areas along the Gangwon East Coast between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on the 15th. The current 82% chance of rain is the figure for exactly that window. Think of it not as all-day rain but as rain that only overlaps the commute and school run.
- Temperature: currently 18°C; today's high 23°C, low 18°C
- Sunrise 6:07 a.m. / Sunset 6:34 p.m. (sunrise is 1 minute later and sunset 1 minute earlier than yesterday)
- Sea: water temperature 23.6°C, wave height 0.9m
On the practical side, the problem is the wet road surface right after the rain stops. Stretches with many curves and long downhills, like Misiryeong-ro (미시령로), stay wet for a good while after the rain ends. If you're coming into Sokcho between 9 and 11 a.m., it's better to leave more space than usual between you and the car ahead.
2. In Agoda's Chuseok Searches, Sokcho Alone Was Up 324%
Accommodation platform Agoda analyzed and released data on Korean travelers' Chuseok holiday accommodation searches from May through mid-August this year. The top domestic destination was Jeju (search volume up 131%), followed by Busan and Seoul, with Sokcho in fourth place. What matters more than the ranking is the rate of increase. At 324%, Sokcho posted the biggest jump among the top five — more than double Jeju's growth rate.
Chuseok falls on Friday, September 25 this year. The statutory holiday runs three days, from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26, and there is no substitute holiday, because the holiday doesn't overlap with a Sunday. Instead, Sunday the 27th sits right next to it, so the setup allows four days off from Thursday to Sunday without using any annual leave. As of today, it's D-9 until the holiday begins.
A more-than-threefold jump in searches doesn't mean parking lots and restaurant queues will triple when those people actually arrive, but it is at least a clear signal that it will be busier than last year. Those of you here in Sokcho would also be safer moving your holiday grocery shopping and hospital appointments up in advance.
3. But Seoraksan's Fall Foliage Comes the Week After the Holiday
This is the heart of today's piece. Many of the people visiting Sokcho over Chuseok come with an image of “Seoraksan (설악산) fall foliage” in their heads. But this year's forecast says the opposite.
- First foliage on Seoraksan: expected between September 30 and October 3
- Peak on Seoraksan: mid-to-late October, around October 25 depending on the forecaster
- This year, first foliage on major mountains is about 9 days later than average, and peak about 8 days later
Since the last day of the holiday is September 26, the first foliage only begins about four days after the holiday ends. On top of that, ‘first foliage’ does not mean 20% of the mountain has turned; it refers to the point when the summit area starts to change color. Even on the same mountain, the area around Daecheongbong (대청봉) and the area near the Sogongwon (소공원) parking lot usually differ by a week to ten days. In other words, if you climb Seoraksan over the Chuseok holiday, you may see hints of color along the upper ridges, but the crimson Seorak you've seen in so many photos isn't there yet.
Practical tip: If you're coming over the holiday, don't put foliage first — you'll be far more satisfied planning your route around the ‘still-warm sea’ covered below and around the markets and hot springs. Conversely, if foliage is your real goal, it's better to avoid the holiday and push your trip to early October. Accommodation prices come down from holiday levels, too.
4. Instead, the Sea Is Still Warm Even Over the Holiday
Today the water temperature off Sokcho is 23.6°C. That's a full 5.6°C higher than the current air temperature of 18°C. It means the East Sea (동해) is still holding on to summer's heat in mid-September, and there's a good chance it will stay in the low 20s°C through the Chuseok holiday.
But there's something you absolutely need to know. All of Sokcho's designated swimming beaches finished their season for the year on August 30, with Deungdae Beach (등대해수욕장) the last to close. Warm water does not mean you can go in. There are no lifeguards and no watchtowers right now. This is exactly why accidents at non-designated beaches actually increase during the season when the water is warm.
So at this time of year, the sea in Sokcho should be used as a ‘sea to walk beside,’ not a ‘sea to go into.’ A wave height of 0.9m is just right for walking the coastal paths — enough for the sound of waves, not enough for spray to come over. Oeongchi Badahyanggiro (외옹치 바다향기로) and the Sokcho Beach promenade earn their keep on days like this.
5. If Foliage Is the Goal, the Date Starts October 2
There's one event that overlaps exactly with the expected first-foliage window. The 61st Seorak Cultural Festival (설악문화제) runs from October 2 to 4 around Sokcho Expo Plaza (속초엑스포광장) and Rodeo Street (로데오거리). This year's theme is ‘Seorak, Drawn Together.’ Begun in 1966 as the ‘Seorakje (설악제),’ it reaches its 61st edition this year and is the oldest festival in Sokcho.
To sum up: the holiday (9/24–26) is a period with many people and no foliage, while the first week of October is when the first foliage and the festival arrive together. If your schedule has room, we recommend the latter. 속초어때 will keep posting comparisons of how crowded these two periods are.
6. Crowding and Traffic Right Now
Even at 7 a.m. on a rainy Tuesday, two places are registering as congested.
- Congested: Daepohang (대포항) Observatory, Cheongchoho (청초호)
- Moderate: 켄싱턴호텔 설악 (Kensington Hotel Seorak), 신흥사 (Sinheungsa, on Seoraksan), Cheongchoho Lake Park, Oeongchihang (외옹치항)
- Inbound traffic (estimated): Misiryeong-ro (toward Seoul) flowing, Donghae-daero (동해대로, coast/downtown) flowing, Seoraksan-ro (설악산로, toward Seorak) flowing
Daepohang Observatory is a spot whose numbers rise around this time every day because it's just after sunrise (6:07 a.m.), and Cheongchoho is a stretch where commuting routes overlap with the walking path. What's worth noting is that all three access roads are flowing freely. These three arteries are the first to break down once the holiday starts, so if you have business to take care of in Sokcho on a weekday this week, today and tomorrow are the easiest days to get around.
7. The Numbers Left for Sokcho Residents — 15,300,000,000 KRW, and 27,500,000,000 KRW
It would be a shame to talk only about travel, so here's a roundup of the news residents need.
Applications for the Livelihood Recovery Support Payment closed on September 11. Of the 79,238 eligible recipients, 76,446 received it — a payout rate of 96.5% — releasing a total of 15,289,200,000 KRW. As of September 4, 12,270,450,000 KRW of that (80.6%) had already been spent at local participating merchants, broken down by sector as restaurants 37.0%, convenience stores/supermarkets/marts 21.8%, clothing/accessories/eyewear 7.3%, and medical/health 6.0%. The fact that pre-Chuseok spending is concentrated in restaurants is also a signal that if you plan to eat out over the holiday, you should hurry to book.
The Childcare Complex Support Center wrapped up the interim report session for its architectural planning services on September 8. It will go up in Yeongnang-dong (영랑동) with a total project cost of 27,580,000,000 KRW, at 4 stories above ground and a total floor area of 2,968.15㎡. The main topics at the session were the direction for introducing an indoor playground and hands-on spaces, and securing circulation, accessibility and safety for children and parents; the target opening is 2029. It's a facility aimed squarely at a long-standing frustration among Sokcho parents — that there's nowhere suitable indoors to take a child on a rainy day like today.
For reference, the 속초도문농요 (Sokcho Domun Nongyo) public performance held around Sangdomun (상도문) village yesterday has ended. There is no event there today.
8. Sokcho Today, in Three Lines
- The rain stops around 9 a.m. The wet road right afterward is the more dangerous part.
- Chuseok holiday searches for Sokcho surged 324%, but Seoraksan's fall foliage starts after September 30, once the holiday is over.
- If you're coming over the holiday, go for the 23.6°C sea and the markets and hot springs instead of foliage; if foliage is your goal, aim for October 2–4, when the Seorak Cultural Festival is held.
Today we looked at why travel demand in Sokcho at Chuseok D-9 and the foliage season are out of sync, along with the weather, sea and crowding at this hour — did you find it useful? We'll be back next time with even more useful information.
