Events & Festivals in Jeju

Crowds gather at Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) and Hallasan Mountain trailheads to watch the first sunrise of the new year. The volcanic crater rim glows amber as the sun emerges from the East China Sea. Street vendors sell hotteok and tteokguk, and fireworks illuminate the port. One of the most photogenic new year traditions in all of Korea.

The Jeju Olle Trail network opens its winter walking festival, guiding participants along coastal cliffs, lava fields, and tangerine orchards on select Olle routes. Shorter guided routes (10, 15km) are designed for casual walkers, while hardcore trekkers tackle multi-route challenges. Stamp rallies, folk performances at rest stops, and local food stalls make this a cultural as much as athletic event.

One of Korea's most spectacular festivals, held annually at Saebyeol Oreum volcanic cone. Vast hillside grasslands are ritually burned in a tradition dating back centuries, farmers torched the grass to rid fields of insects before spring planting. The controlled inferno at dusk is impressive. Activities include torchlight processions, traditional folk games, and haenyeo performances.

A UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage, the Yeongdeung-gut is a two-week shamanic ritual performed by mudang (shamans) to welcome the goddess Yeongdeung who arrives from the sea with spring winds. Fishing villages perform elaborate ceremonies involving food offerings, chanting, and ritual dancing to ensure a prosperous sea harvest. One of the most authentic and rarely witnessed cultural events in all of Korea.

When canola flowers transform Jeju's fields into an ocean of brilliant yellow, festivals erupt across the island. The largest gathering focuses on Noksan-ro Road and Jeju Airport fields, where vendors sell flower-shaped treats and professional photographers queue at dawn. Hot air balloon rides, cycling tours through flower corridors, and outdoor concerts fill the weekends. The best time to visit jeju for photography falls squarely here.

Jeju's cherry blossoms bloom 1, 2 weeks earlier than the Korean mainland, making the island the first stop on Korea's annual sakura circuit. The King Cherry (왕벚나무) is native to Jeju, and festivals along Jeonnong-ro Street and at Hallasan National Park celebrate this distinction with night illuminations, traditional music, and spring food markets. Jeju hotels fill up fast.

A curated film festival bringing Asian independent cinema, Korean documentaries, and international shorts to Jeju's art cinemas and outdoor screens. Filmmakers participate in Q&A sessions, and special programs spotlight Jeju's own cinematic heritage, the island has served as backdrop for dozens of Korean dramas and films. Evening outdoor screenings at coastal venues pair films with ocean views.

Celebrating Jeju's UNESCO-recognized haenyeo diving culture, this festival includes live diving demonstrations, exhibitions on haenyeo history, workshops where visitors try diving gear, and communal seafood meals prepared by the divers themselves. This is one of the most unique things to do in jeju, watching elderly women surface from 10-metre depths without oxygen tanks is astonishing.

Marking Buddha's birthday (the 8th day of the 4th lunar month), Jeju's temples illuminate their grounds with thousands of handmade paper lanterns. Yakcheonsa Temple, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Asia, hosts the grandest ceremony, with lotus lantern processions winding through the forest. A serene counterpoint to the island's livelier festivals, and one of the most beautiful things to do in jeju when raining since ceremonies move indoors.

An internationally ranked triathlon drawing competitors from across Asia and beyond. The course exploits Jeju's geography, swimmers start from volcanic black-sand beaches, cyclists climb through tangerine orchards on the flanks of Hallasan, and runners finish along the coastal promenade. Spectators line the run course for free. For serious triathletes planning a jeju itinerary, this is a bucket-list race.

A multi-week performing arts festival bringing international circus companies, street theater, and traditional Korean performing arts to outdoor and indoor stages across Jeju City. Evening fire performances and aerial acrobatics play well against Jeju's volcanic skyline. A strong option for things to do in jeju at night during early summer.

One of the best answers to things to do in jeju at night, the summer night market at Dongmun runs on summer weekends with extended hours. Street food stalls serve Jeju black pork skewers, raw abalone, spicy tteokbokki, and fresh citrus drinks. Live acoustic music plays on a central stage. Crafts vendors sell Jeju-made ceramics and haenyeo-themed goods. A casual, local atmosphere distinguishes this from tourist-facing markets.

The summer Olle festival focuses on shorter coastal dawn-walks before the heat peaks. Participants complete 2, 3 routes over a weekend, earning stamps at rest shelters stocked with cold barley tea and local snacks. The pre-dawn start from Hamdeok Beach, with bioluminescent waves and a gradually brightening sky, is one of the most memorable experiences in the jeju itinerary planner's toolkit.

An outdoor music festival set against the backdrop of Jungmun Resort's volcanic coastline. Korean indie acts, international headliners, and classical crossover performances fill a three-day program. The stage is positioned so the East China Sea forms a natural backdrop. One of the most scenic music venues in Asia, and a compelling answer to what to do in jeju in peak summer.

A grassroots food festival in Jeju's coastal fishing villages where haenyeo cooperatives open their collective kitchens to visitors. Raw sea urchin, abalone sashimi, and spicy seafood stew are served straight from morning dives. Activities include trying your hand at net-casting and visiting the village bulteok (haenyeo stone warming huts). This is authentic jeju food culture at its most unfiltered.

When Jeju is selected as host for the national multi-sport games, the island transforms, new athletic infrastructure opens, international teams train in the mild autumn climate, and spectator sports fill the calendar for two weeks. Events span athletics, swimming, cycling, and traditional Korean sports including ssireum wrestling and archery. A rare opportunity to see elite Korean athletes competing.

Korea's most important traditional holiday sees Jeju come alive with ancestral rites, family gatherings, and cultural performances. Jeju's version includes unique local traditions: the preparation of omegitteok rice cake made from red millet, and shamanic rituals (musok) in fishing villages giving thanks for the sea harvest. Many businesses close for 3 days. Jeju hotels book out months in advance.

A trail running race through Jeju's tangerine (hallabong) orchards at peak harvest season. Routes wind between rows of tangerine trees heavy with fruit, climbing through mid-mountain orchards with Hallasan views above and coastal panoramas below. Participating runners receive a bag of freshly picked tangerines at the finish. One of the most scenic races in Korea's growing trail-running scene.

Celebrating Jeju's UNESCO World Heritage volcanic landscape, this festival includes guided geological tours of lava tubes, stone sculpture demonstrations by master craftsmen working in Jeju basalt, and exhibitions on the dol hareubang (stone grandfather) totems that define the island's folk culture. Workshops let visitors try hand-chiseling small basalt stones under artist supervision.

Jeju's well-known tangerines ripen for harvest and orchards across Seogwipo open their gates to pick-your-own visitors. The festival includes tangerine juice pressing, citrus dessert competitions, and a market selling hallabong, cheonhyehyang, and rare Jeju citrus varieties not found elsewhere. The scent of ripe citrus across the south coast during this period is intoxicating, arguably the best time to visit jeju for a sensory experience.

Scuba diving competitions and recreational dive expeditions around Jeju's underwater volcanic landscape. Visibility peaks in autumn as summer plankton blooms clear, and water temperatures remain comfortable for wetsuits. Cave diving through lava tubes is the headline event. Free introductory dives for non-certified visitors run alongside the competitive program. A compelling reason for jeju day trips to the outer reef zones.

When Hallasan's summit trail reopens after autumn maintenance, hiking enthusiasts flood to the mountain for the first winter ascent, a Korean tradition. Snow crowns the 1,950-metre peak from December onwards, and the contrast of volcanic rock, frozen crater lake (백록담), and snowy ridgelines is a highlight of any jeju itinerary. The mountain authority monitors conditions. Ascents close at 12pm to ensure safe descent before dark.

Jeju's resorts and Jungmun tourist complex light up through December with elaborate illumination displays. The Jeju ICC convention center grounds host a European-style Christmas market with mulled wine, seasonal foods, and craft stalls. Teddy Bear Museum and Bonte Museum stage their own paid illumination events. A popular choice for things to do in jeju city at night during the holiday season.