Halloween in Korea has a charm of its own. It’s unlike a borrowed westerners holiday but more of a creative fun mashup of k-culture and modern horror. It’s fun, unique and yet another fashionable event that brings people together. Whether it’s sipping spooky themed lattes, participating in a zombie run or doing a hanbok dressup, here’s proof that k-halloween in Korea knows how to make things bone-chilling while keeping it fashionable.
- Participate in a Zombie Run
- Dress for a Costume Party
- Sip Spooky Lattes at Cafes
- Visit Theme Parks with Friends
- Have a Home-loween!
- Participate in a Zombie Run
Zombie runs take place all over the world during Halloween, but Korea does it quite differently. Zombie runs that take place abroad give off a Halloween themed marathon vibe, but the Korean one is perfect if you like the idea of being chased by zombies.
Zombie runs in Korea usually start at night and the focus is usually on having fun while surviving the zombies. The best part? You can choose if you wanna be a human that’s being chased or be a zombie that’s doing the chasing, and what level of fear you want. There’s almost always an after club party, so stay back and enjoy the night to its fullest with fun people and drinks.
- Dress for a Costume Party
Love dressing up? Halloween in Korea is the perfect place for you, unlike most places Koreans take Halloween costumes very seriously. Popular spots in Hongdae and Itaewon become a social get together where people dress up and take pictures for social media. From universities to party goers, people dress up in the current year’s trend, the year of 2025 is reserved for the Saja Boys.
- Sip Spooky Lattes at Cafes
If going out in crowds during summer is not your thing, don’t worry. Korean cafes and restaurants bring halloween to you on a platter, with spooky decorations and themed food menu, you can still celebrate halloween but in a much more laid back version.
These cafes usually go all out with orange and black, spider webs and bat decor with spiced pumpkin lattes turning into a staple. Most cafes and bakeries join in the spirit of Halloween and sell deliciously spooky pumpkin tarts, ghost themed macarons and black sesame flavor desserts.
Just absolutely perfect if you want a quiet yet memorable Halloween!
- Visit Theme Parks with Friends
Every year amusement parks in Korea like Lotte World and Everland host amazing Halloween themed festivals for you to enjoy solo or with friends and family. You can soak up the festive cheer while enjoying their haunted houses, themed parades, music, food and performances in both western and korean style.
But, if you’re in the mood for something truly spooky, head over to the ‘Night Horror Village’ at Yongin Folk village, it’s a limited time attraction that blends Korean tradition with modern horror. In the daytime, it is a beautiful traditional style korean village where visitors can enjoy folk performances and indulge themselves in the culture. But by night, the village transforms into a chilling horror village, where they offer night only attractions that start from 6pm to midnight.
- Have a Home-loween!
Celebrating Halloween at home has become a go to choice for many people, it started during the pandemic and has stuck around ever since. Who wouldn’t love celebrating in a cozy, personalised environment without having to go out.
Costume parties with friends are always fun, usually the host decides the theme and everyone dresses accordingly, gentle reminder though, Koreans prefer dressing trendy cute rather than spooky realistic scary, they also love everything aesthetic so be ready for some cute decor with fairy lights taking over the place.There’s also always a halloween dessert table, that everyone decorates with themed sweet treats.
For those who loves binge watching, Netflix Wavve Tving promote special horror movie line ups that include top tier movies like ‘The Wailing’ and ‘Sweet Home’
For gamers, since Korea has a rich gaming culture people dress up in costumes and participate in themed games on PUBG and Lost Ark.
For those who love being on social media, there are home halloween challenges posted by beloved influencers where people from all over participate by posting pictures of their cute decor or pets outfits and win prizes.
Overall Halloween in Korea isn’t about fear but a cosy, cute event surrounding fun, food, fashion and photos. It’s the perfect epitome of k-culture meeting Halloween.
Insider tip!
October gets chilly in Korea, so dress in layers and comfortably!
Written by – Rimpa Ash
About the author –
Hello hello! Two things I love the most? Putting pen to paper and sharing little bits about Korea, from its culture to food and everything in between. Here’s both of them combined for you by me, simply a guide for your next exploration, be it for a new k drama or a new kimchi recipe.I hope my words make you tingle with excitement and push you to try that next new thing. Just a cozy corner on the internet where we explore fascinating things together.