From K-pop pop-ups to character and palace events, there's plenty to do during Chuseok holiday 

Chuseok, Korea’s fall harvest holiday, gives many people a four-day break. If you’re staying in Korea and looking for something special to do, you don’t have to make the holiday itself the focus.

An Ateez pop-up featuring exclusive merchandise and photos, along with Pokémon events offering games and special displays, are among your options during the extended break. And for those looking to experience the traditional side of the holiday, royal palaces are generally open to the public for free, while museums are running Chuseok-themed programs.

Here are some places and events to visit during the holiday break.

Ateez and Le Sserafim open autumn with themed pop-ups

For K-pop fans, the holiday could be an opportunity to check out pop-ups for Ateez and Le Sserafim.

Running through Sunday, Ateez’s “MighteeZ Rock the Stage” pop-up will take place at locations in Mapo District and Songpa District in Seoul and Haeundae District in Busan.

The pop-up reimagines boy band Ateez and its members as animated characters called the “MighteeZ,” created in collaboration with digital entertainment company IPX.

Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., the pop-up is themed around MighteeZ preparing to debut as rock stars alongside Ateez.

The pop-up features Ateez-themed lockers, handwritten posters and a large photo area with metal stage structures and sound equipment, along with exclusive photos of the members.

Merchandise available at the pop-up includes plush key chains, character bags and collaboration fashion items with brand Coller. Special photo books will be available exclusively at the pop-up as well.

Girl group Le Sserafim’s fashion pop-up will run from Tuesday to Sunday at its agency HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan District, central Seoul.

The pop-up, held to mark the release of the group’s second single “Made My Night,” features photo, experience, album and merchandise zones, as well as a collaboration with game developer Blizzard Entertainment’s multiplayer online shooter “Overwatch.”

The merchandise collection includes mouse pads, photo cards and Le Sserafim-themed clothes and accessories.

The event’s organizers said visitors can also receive exclusive photo cards depending on their purchase amount and signed albums through raffles.

Reservations are required to purchase merchandise, while walk-in visitors can just view and experience the pop-up.

The pop-up will remain open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and reservations are available through the group’s official Weverse channel.

Beauty pop-ups by Clio and Musinsa

Those interested in cosmetics and fragrances can check out beauty pop-ups in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, including cosmetics brand Clio’s autumn-themed “Pungnyeon Dabang” and fragrance brand Liber’s collaboration with online platform Musinsa Beauty.

Clio’s “Pungnyeon Dabang” will run from Tuesday to Oct. 27 at the Seoul Forest.

Designed like a traditional Korean teahouse, the pop-up draws its makeup concepts and interior colors from autumn harvest ingredients such as chestnuts, jujubes, persimmons, acorns and figs.

Visitors can bring an empty or used cushion compact and exchange it for a new Clio cushion in a shade matching their skin tone. They can also collect stamps by taking part in activities around the pop-up, with visitors who collect three stamps eligible for a raffle for limited-edition merchandise.

The pop-up will feature makeup shows at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, along with personal image consultations and a fan meetup with Korean beauty creator Si-ne. The pop-up is open from noon to 7 p.m. and will be closed on Friday, Chuseok Day.

For fragrance fans, Liber’s “Into the Clouds” pop-up will run from Wednesday to Oct. 5 at Musinsa Beauty Space 1.

Built around a cloud-inspired theme, the pop-up lets visitors explore Liber’s fragrance collection through scent-testing sessions and interactive displays designed around the brand’s latest collaboration with Musinsa Beauty.

Customers who purchase an eau de parfum-type perfume at the pop-up can receive an additional 25 percent discount. The pop-up is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Animated character pop-ups

Events featuring popular animated characters will also take place during the holiday, including a Pokémon-themed exhibition and a collaboration between Sanrio Characters and Lotte World Aquarium.

“Pikachu’s Autumn Outing,” part of Pokémon Mega Festa 2026, which kicked off on Friday, is running through Oct. 11 at HiKR Ground, a K-pop and tourism experience center in Jung District, central Seoul.

Visitors can take photos at Pokémon-themed photo zones and explore displays inspired by Korean traditional culture on the second floor. The third floor features Pokémon card game content, displays from the animated series and other interactive activity booths. The fifth floor has a pop-up shop selling Pokémon merchandise and capsule toys featuring Pikachu wearing hanbok, traditional Korean attire.

Visitors to HiKR Ground can register on-site through kiosks on the first floor, with admission subject to capacity.

At Lotte World Aquarium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, “Sanrio Characters in Lotte World Aquarium: Mermaid Party,” which began on Sept. 4, will run through Nov. 29. The event features Sanrio characters reimagined as mermaids.

Visitors can take photos with the characters at several themed spots, including a large My Melody balloon at the entrance, a Pompompurin-themed area with a photo booth and a ballroom-inspired photo zone near the sea turtle exhibit.

Visitors can also take part in quizzes and minigames at an augmented reality area where they will have a chance to win a Sanrio character keyring. Character-themed photo frames and collaboration merchandise will also be available during the event.

Sanrio is also looking to give Korean football fans an assist: The “2026 K League X Sanrio Characters” pop-up is also running through Sunday at the third-floor convention hall of Seoul Cruise in Yeouido, western Seoul. The pop-up offers collaboration merchandise including plush key chains, gym bags, football jerseys and tops.

Tradition-themed events at a hanok village

Namsangol Hanok Village, a village in Jung District featuring hanok, Korean traditional homes, in Jung District, central Seoul, will host the Namsangol Chuseok Festival from Friday to Sunday, featuring traditional crafts, performances and food against the backdrop of Mount Namsan, with lush greenery adding to the traditional village's charm.

The festival will offer visitors a range of hands-on activities, from making traditional accessories and decorative items to trying on hanbok, traditional Korean clothing. Craft programs include making a goebul norigae (a traditional Korean ornamental pendant) keyring, as well as bojagi (traditional wrapping cloth) and crafts using hanji (traditional Korean paper).

Visitors can also experience traditional makeup and hairstyling for free, while performances throughout the festival will include a tightrope performance and traditional music.

The experience extends to the food stalls, which will serve treats such as sikhye (traditional rice drink) and gangjeong (crispy traditional confection), alongside more modern festival fare including yakgwa (chewy traditional cookie) ice cream, skewers, corn dogs and drinks.

Admission to the village is free, although some activities and food and beverages cost extra.

National arboretums and botanical garden

For those looking to spend the holiday surrounded by nature, three national arboretums and botanical gardens will also waive their usual admission fees, except on Friday. Admissions to these places usually range from 3,000 won ($2.20) to 5,000 won.

Home to endangered Amur tigers, National Baekdudaegan Arboretum in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang, offers visitors a chance to learn more about the animals through various programs.

On Saturday, visitors can watch enrichment activities for the tigers using items such as grains, dried persimmons and scarecrow models, as well as an ecology talk led by a zookeeper. Visitors can also take part in a hands-on activity related to tiger whiskers.

Featuring a variety of themed gardens, the National Sejong Arboretum offers a mix of indoor and outdoor attractions. The greenhouse features plants from different climate zones, while the arboretum’s outdoor gardens showcase a variety of seasonal flowers and trees.

During the Chuseok harvest holiday, visitors can also see autumn-themed plant displays and newly added exhibition areas, with seasonal plants providing a changing backdrop across the arboretum. Traditional Korean games, including yutnori (traditional Korean board game) and jegichagi (a traditional shuttlecock game), will also be available for visitors to enjoy.

Set at the foot of Mount Odae, the National Garden of Native Plants in Pyeongchang, Gangwon, showcases rare, endangered and native Korean plants and wildflowers.

Through Oct. 11, the garden will host an autumn flower program featuring seasonal wildflowers, with activities including making transparent frames filled with flowers and pressed-flower fans.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]