Suitcase for South Korea | Checklist with everything you need
Choosing what to pack for South Korea It will depend a lot on the time you travel to and what type of tourism you are going to do. The seasons are very marked and a large part of the country's tourism is centered in the cities, where you will want to dress nicely but above all comfortable for all the hours you will spend exploring them.
In this article you will find a list of all the clothes to bring to South Korea, and other essentials too. Oh! And if you leave something at home, don't worry. In Korea there are clothing stores everywhere. Let's get to it!
Also, don't forget to read our Tips for traveling to South Korea, They're a Practical guide to preparations and tricks that you should know.
Climate in South Korea
To know what to pack for South Korea, the first thing to do is to talk about the weather. South Korea is a country with four well-defined seasons. Below, I will explain how the weather varies throughout the year. But to summarize, we could say that the winters are cold, very hot summers and the best times to travel to South Korea are spring and autumn.
Summer in South Korea: June – August
Summer in South Korea is warm and humid, with temperatures often around 30°C. It also coincides with the rainy season, especially in July, so you are likely to experience some rain, but it is not a tropical country. We travelled in June for 20 days and only had a day or two of rain, nothing to throw off your plans too much.
For this season, clothing for South Korea should be light and breathable to withstand the heat. You can also include a waterproof jacket or a raincoat for rainy days. Sunny days can be very intense, believe me. So a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are essential.
Spring in South Korea: March – May
Spring in South Korea is a mild season with temperatures ranging from 5°C to 20°C. It is one of the most popular times of the year for tourists, thanks to the cherry blossom season. It is especially popular for the cherry blossoms, which make the landscape particularly picturesque.
During this season, it is common that May the mornings and nights be cool, while the evenings can be pleasant and warmer. Organize your clothes for South Korea in different layers to be able to adjust to these temperature changes. Also, a light jacket taking up little space in your luggage will be useful if one day it is especially cold.
Autumn: September to November
El Autumn is one of the best seasons to visit South Korea for its pleasant climate and the colour of the leaves on the trees. The temperature varies between 10°C and 20°C. It is a time of year when tourists are attracted by the reddish and golden tones that cover the landscapes.
During the fall, temperatures gradually drop, so dressing in layers is best. Light sweaters, transitional jackets and long trousers are ideal for this season. It is also a good idea to wear comfortable clothing for walking in natural parks such as the Seoraksan Park and enjoy the autumn scenery.
Winter: December – February
Winter in South Korea is very cold, with temperatures dropping to -10°C in some regions, including Seoul. Snow is common, especially in the north and mountainous areas, but not too much on the southern coast like Busan or Jeju Island.
It is essential to be well covered, so your clothing for South Korea should include a thick coat, wool sweaters, scarves, gloves and a hat. Also, make sure you bring appropriate footwear for the cold and snow. Although temperatures indoors and in the subway are usually very warm,It is helpful to have clothing that you can easily put on and take off when entering and leaving buildings.
Suitcase for traveling to South Korea | COMPLETE LIST
Clothing for traveling to South Korea
We didn't bring too many clothes to South Korea because we always use washing machines during our trip, we usually bring enough to last from 1 week to 10 days. In several accommodations there was a washing machine or laundry service, it wasn't difficult for us.
We'll tell you about the clothes that, in our opinion, cannot be missing in a suitcase for travelling to South Korea. Although, as we said above, it will depend on the time of year.
Long and short pants
In summer I like to wear some long cloth pants, they dry quickly when you wash them, they take up little space, they are cool if it is very hot and you don't get stuck in the seats on public transport.
For summer we wear 2 long and 3 short ones, the rest of the year all long ones are enough, or one short one for very spring-like days.
T-shirts & Shirts
Opt for cotton t-shirts and neutral colors, This way you can combine them with everything and follow Korean fashion. You'll be amazed at how well dressed everyone is! For summer we took 5 t-shirts each. In Korea there are many shops and the prices are good, too. It may be a good idea to bring less and buy something there. souvenir mode. For me, one of the best souvenirs, you remember your trip every time you put it on.
If you like going out at night, wear something a little more elegant, as I was saying, in Korea they like to dress very well, especially in Seoul.
If you travel to Jeju it is highly recommended. bring a shirt in case it's hot but you need to protect yourself from the sun, for example, to walk along the coast.
In winter, don't forget to put some short sleeves under your sweater and for use indoors. Although it is most likely that you will almost always wear long sleeves.
Sweatshirts and jumpers
A sweatshirt or sweater cannot be missing in your suitcase for South Korea even in summerDuring international flights and on the trains or buses you use to travel around the country, it will be great to have something to keep you warm, as sometimes they put the air conditioning on full blast.
In the coldest months you will need to bring a jumper and warm sweatshirts, the temperature is close to zero degrees and the climate is humid so it will get very cold if you don't dress warmly.
Foldable down jacket or coat
A light down jacket will only be necessary if you are travelling during spring or autumn. This is the hack the one we travel with because it takes up very little space when folded and weighs nothing. During the winter you need a good coat.
Other essential items for traveling to South Korea
I don't think you'll forget underwear, but just in case I'll leave it on the list. And regarding pajamas, keep in mind that during the cold months indoors They use a lot of heating underfloor heating and good duvets on the beds.
If you are traveling to Jeju or Busan during the summer months and you are the type of person who can't resist a dip You can't forget to pack a swimsuit.
What shoes to pack for a trip to South Korea
Opt for something comfortable, Think that you will spend many hours walking.
We traveled in the summer and most of the time we went by sandals and cool sneakers. We take advantage of the slippers to go on some trekking excursions and we also bring flip flops for the beach.
If you go when the weather is cold, you can't forget to pack warm and comfortable shoes for South Korea, along with good socks. They will save you when you spend hours touring the best places in seoul.
Toiletry bag for traveling to South Korea
In hotels it is typical to have gel and shampoo, even in the cheapest ones. So we rarely use what we brought. In our toiletry bag there is gel and solid shampoo, a small bottle with an additive, brushes and toothpaste, a comb, deodorant, sunscreen protection 50 and face cream.
When it comes to makeup and personal care products, you probably know that Korea is paradise. It is full of stores specializing in them, where You can find absolutely everythingIn fact, there are people who are fans of Korean cosmetics and who take suitcases full of them back to their country.
First aid kit for a trip to South Korea
Regarding medicines, we can only give you generic recommendations, since it is something personal. But I leave you a list of what we were carrying in our suitcase for South Korea and what we usually take to almost any country.
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen
- strepsils
- Frenadol
- Biodramina (only if you plan to take a boat)
- Fortasec or tiorfan (Less aggressive antidiarrheal than fortasec)
- Oral serum
- Antibiotic cream
- Strips
- Sterile gauze pack
- Monodose of iodine
- Anti mosquito spray (although you can also buy it there)
Other essentials | What to bring to South Korea
To finish the list of everything you can't miss in your suitcase for South Korea, Let's go with some essentials that you can't leave at home.
Camera or mobile phone
If you like photography, you will enjoy South Korea, although I personally don't think it is a trip that "requires a lot of camera" so if you don't normally use one, traveling through Korea with just your phone will allow you to take good photos and you will be less burdened during the day.
We use a Sony camera with an 18 to 135mm lens and the iPhone for the photos you see here.
Power adapter
In South Korea, plugs are used type C and F. If you travel from Europe you will not need an adapter, but if you come for example from Mexico or Colombia you need a universal adapter.
Regardless of the type of plug in each country, we always travel with an adapter. multi-input to plug in all the chargers at the same time, since we have it we do not know how to travel without it.
Reusable water bottle
In South Korea, tap water is drinkable and there are usually fountains with cool water in all restaurants and hotels, so we recommend you bring a couple of reusable bottles. You can fill in without any problem, It's practical, it keeps the water cool and it's more sustainable than buying Plastic bottles daily.
Travel insurance
We have written an article to tell you everything about travel insurance for South Korea in detail, but in the list of essentials we did not want to leave out the importance of having good travel insurance for health reasons. health and unforeseen events.
For being our reader you have a 7% off en Chapka Insurance or 5% on insurance Heymondo.
Other things to bring to South Korea
- international card, if you plan to rent a car on Jeju Island. In Spain you can ask for one at the DGT for 10€ and go pick it up in person a few days later.
- Travel credit card, to avoid commissions on card payments and to ensure a good conversion rate. Contactless payment is not very widespread, you will need to bring a physical version.
ᐈᐈ You may be interested in reading… Best travel cards abroad and not pay commissions (Updated 2025) ✅
- Small microfiber towel, in case you need it on the beach or in some accommodation. Although in all the accommodations we stayed there were towels.
- Sun protection, especially in summer you will appreciate a cap or hat. In places like Gyeongju shade is very scarce.
Carry backpack or suitcase to travel to South Korea?
For a trip to South Korea we opted by backpack because we use a lot of public transport to get to the accommodations. If you are going to move by taxi or simply prefer a suitcase for the ease it gives you It's not a big problem either. The cities have wide sidewalks and dragging a suitcase is not a drama like in other countries.
I hope this article helps you to know What to bring when traveling to South Korea and prepare your suitcase well. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! You can continue organizing your trip by reading our other articles South Korea or by viewing our featured stories on Instagram.
Do you have any questions or is there anything missing from your South Korea packing list that you consider essential? Share it in the comments.
