Jeju Island’s festival calendar follows the seasons: fire rituals in winter, cherry blossoms and canola in spring, beach parties in summer, and tangerine harvests in autumn. Korean festivals on Jeju are well-organized, family-friendly affairs with food stalls, performances, and hands-on activities. Most are free or charge a nominal entry fee of 2,000-5,000 KRW (US$1.50-4). For more detail, see the neighborhoods guide. For more, see the where to stay guide.
Jeju Events and Festivals: Winter (December to February)
Seongsan Sunrise Festival
Held at Seongsan Ilchulbong on December 31 to January 1 each year, this festival draws thousands who hike up the tuff cone in the pre-dawn darkness to watch the first sunrise of the new year over the East Sea. Local musicians perform, and free tteokguk (rice cake soup, the traditional Korean New Year dish) is served to warm up cold hikers. The sunrise hike takes about 25 minutes. Dress warmly: temperatures at 6:00am on January 1 typically hover around 3-5°C (37-41°F) with wind chill making it feel below freezing. Free shuttle buses run from Jeju City and Seogwipo starting at 3:00am. Check the https://theweather.guide/south-korea/jeju/jeju-city/jeju-city-things-to-do/ for more on Seongsan Ilchulbong. For more, see the travel tips and FAQ.
Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival
This is Jeju’s most dramatic festival, held on the first full moon of the lunar new year (usually early March, occasionally late February). On Saebyeol Oreum, a volcanic hill in the island’s northwest, organizers set fire to an entire hillside covered in dry grass. The burning symbolizes driving away misfortune and praying for a good harvest, rooted in Jeju’s traditional cattle-grazing practice of burning old grass each spring to encourage new growth. The main burn happens after sunset and lasts about 30 minutes: a wall of flame moves across the hillside against the night sky. The festival also includes torch processions, fireworks, traditional drumming (pungmul), and food stalls selling Jeju black pork barbecue and tangerine makgeolli (rice wine). Bus shuttle services operate from Jeju City (about 40 minutes). Entry is free but parking fills up by mid-afternoon. Dress in layers you don’t mind smelling of smoke.
Jeju Events and Festivals: Spring (March to May)
Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival
Timing varies each year but typically runs the last week of March through the first week of April, when the cherry trees lining Jeonnong-ro street in Jeju City form a pink canopy. The 1.2km stretch is closed to vehicles in the evenings, with light displays illuminating the blossoms. Food stalls, street performers, and photo zones line the route. During the day, nearby Jangjeon-ri and the Jeju National University campus offer less crowded viewing. The festival is free. Cherry blossom peak bloom on Jeju arrives about one week before Seoul, making it the first place in South Korea to see the flowers each spring. For more seasonal timing, see the https://theweather.guide/south-korea/jeju/jeju-city/jeju-city-best-time-to-visit/ guide.
Seogwipo Canola Flower Festival
Held in early to mid-April near Seogwipo on the south coast, this festival celebrates the yellow canola flowers (yuchae) that blanket Jeju’s fields each spring. The main festival site features canola field mazes, photo zones with props, horse riding, and food stalls. Canola blooms from mid-March through late April island-wide, but the festival concentrates the best viewing and activities into a single weekend. The most photogenic canola field is along Noksan-ro road in the southwest, a 10km stretch bordered by yellow flowers with Hallasan as the backdrop. The festival is free; Noksan-ro canola fields charge 1,000-2,000 KRW for entry to private farm fields used as photo spots.
Jeju Events and Festivals: Summer (June to August)
Jeju Haevichi Music Festival
A weekend-long outdoor music event held at Jeju Haevichi Resort on the south coast in July or August (dates announced each spring). The lineup mixes Korean indie bands, K-pop acts, and international DJs across two stages, one facing the ocean. Tickets run 80,000-120,000 KRW (US$60-90) for a day pass. Accommodation at the resort sells out weeks ahead; alternative hotels in Seogwipo, 20 minutes away, are more available. The south coast is significantly warmer and wetter in July-August, so the https://theweather.guide/south-korea/jeju/jeju-city/jeju-city-weather-by-month/ guide is worth checking before booking.
Jeju Events and Festivals: Autumn (September to November)
Jeju Tangerine Festival
Jeju produces roughly 90% of South Korea’s tangerines (gamgyul), and the harvest season from November through February is celebrated across the island. The main festival takes place in Seogwipo in early November, with tangerine picking experiences (5,000-10,000 KRW / US$4-8 per basket), tangerine-themed foods (chocolate, makgeolli, jam, ice cream), cooking competitions, and agricultural exhibitions. Smaller tangerine-picking farms operate throughout the harvest season across the island; most charge 5,000 KRW for a basket you can fill and take home. The Seogwipo area has the highest concentration of orchards.
Jeju Olle Walking Festival
Held in early November, this three-day event covers selected sections of the Jeju Olle Trail, a 437km network of 27 walking routes that circle the island’s coastline. Each day features a different 10-15km route with guides, and the registration fee (around 30,000 KRW / US$22) includes a trail passport, snacks, and shuttle buses between start and end points. The Olle trails wind past volcanic coasts, tangerine orchards, stone-walled fields, and seaside cliffs, passing through small villages. November weather is perfect for walking: 11-17°C (52-63°F) with clear skies and minimal rain. Even outside the festival, the Olle trails are well-marked with blue and orange ribbon signs and are free to walk independently. Route 7 (Seogwipo to Wolpyeong) is considered the most scenic section with coastal cliffs and views of Beomseom Island.
