In my quest to learn more about Korea I've been paying attention to the weather over there. First, I noticed in many Kdramas that we can see the actor's breath and that got me thinking. It took me a bit to recognize that since many of our TV shows are filmed in California that's not something we typically see. Plus Koreans are always talking about how cold it is; both on the screen and on social media. So, what city in the US has a climate similar to Seoul?
Well, per google it's Boston, New York, and/or Washington, D.C. However, I think google is wrong. I lived in the DC area for 3+ years and it is not as frigid as Korea appears to be. I can't speak directly to Boston or New York but I've been tracking temps recently and I think Seoul is colder, or at least in the winter. In late December 2023, for example, the temps in Seoul were closer to North Dakota than the Eastern Seaboard. In fact, even Jeju island which is described
as 'Korea's Hawaii' received snow around Christmas! My theory on this has to do with it's proximity to Siberia. The prevailing winter winds in Korea originate in Siberia/Mongolia and flow across their peninsula. I suspect that this wind may decrease the wintertime temps considerably. I haven't taken the time to ask anyone knowledgeable about climates, I'm just going with my supposition. And I think it makes me sound incredibly smart.
As for summertime temps, Seoul is hot and humid... it gets up to 95 with 80-90% humidity. (Not like the 'dry heat' we get in Arizona!) And, apparently the winds shift around a bit & come more from the southwest.
Why do I care? Well when watching Kdramas you start to notice things like visible breath, snow scenes, fur lined clothes in Joseon period pieces, an amazing inventory of heavy coats worn by the actors, & the ubiquitous scarves tied around their necks.
Plus, you want to pick a good month to visit! My trip is shaping up for October!
It seems like a lot of k dramas are filmed in winter. Brrr!
I've also heard about SK smog. I was in Seoul for work more than a decade ago and it didn't seem too bad then. I'm hoping to visit again soon.
I think October (and also April) seems like a good time to visit S. Korea. I have Seoul as one of the cities on the weather app on my phone & it's not too very different from where I am here in the northeast US. Thanks to Anne Marie, I looked it up & this area of the country is also classified as (humid) continental. I think you're right about the Siberian winds, btw, which is very smart of you!
My larger curiosity about SK climate would be the "fine dust" (what we call smog!) that is mentioned frequently in dramas & more so in real-life variety shows or vlogs. The air quality in SK in general, but more particularly…
I've also noticed the condensate from their breath & wondered about it! And also red ears, & red hands can be quite noticeable (check out those outdoor kissing scenes)
Is there more location shooting in Korea than the west? It seems that even indoor shoots are cold if you ever watch behind-the-scenes.
Anne-Marie is from the Netherlands; one of the Gmamas global followers. (And we're so proud.) Sounds like your trip will be a blast...I'm assuming Seoul, Busan, Geongju area, & perhaps Jeju? Would love to know what your highlights are from your trip!
Lolll… love this: I'm just going with my supposition. And I think it makes me sound incredibly smart😝