What to pack for Seoul in October
October is autumn in Seoul, and it is one of the best months of the year to visit. The skies are clear, the air is crisp and dry, and the leaves on the palace grounds and the mountains around the city turn red and gold, especially toward the end of the month.
So the list is built on light layers for mild afternoons and cool evenings. Seoul is fashionable, and people dress neatly and stylishly, even for a casual day out. Pack shoes you can slip off, because many restaurants seat you on the floor, and good sneakers for the hills and hiking trails around the city.
Checked
The weather
- Daytime high
- 68°F
- 20°C, cooling through the month.
- Overnight low
- 50°F
- 10°C. Evenings need a jacket.
- Wet days
- ~5
- Mostly clear, dry and sunny.
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
- Sunset around 6pm.
The capsule
A week, one traveler, Gallery palette. Black, white and gray, as sharp as the city. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Trench coat
Oversized blazer
Tops
Heavyweight white tee
Mock-neck knit
Oversized cotton shirt
Bottoms
Wide-leg black jeans
Pleated pants
Pleated midi skirt
Shoes
White sneakers
Loafers
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Light coat or trench
- Blazer or cardigan
- Four or five tops
- Two pairs of pants or jeans
- A skirt or dress, if you wear them
- Hiking clothes, if you are climbing one of the city mountains
- Socks without holes, for floor-seating restaurants
Shoes
- Comfortable sneakers that slip on and off
- Smarter shoes for evenings
Day bag
- Crossbody bag
- Compact umbrella
- Refillable water bottle
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
Documents and tech
- Passport
- Electronic travel authorization, if your nationality needs one
- Transit card, bought on arrival or loaded on your phone
- Travel insurance details
- Type C/F plug adapter (220V)
- Power bank
- A Korean map app, downloaded before you arrive
Toiletries
- Moisturizer and lip balm for the dry air
- Any prescriptions, in their original packaging
Gear worth the space
Stylish, comfortable sneakers
The city is hilly and spread out, and clean white sneakers fit Seoul's neat street style.
A trench coat
The classic Seoul autumn layer: light, smart and right for a cool evening.
A crossbody bag
Hands free for market food and shopping, and secure on the crowded subway.
A foldable tote
For the shopping you did not plan on. It packs flat and goes home as an extra bag.
Many Seoul restaurants seat you on the floor. Packlier packs your October for cool evenings and shoes that slip off.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.
One email at launch, nothing else.