Film production in Seoul

Between June and December, usable daylight in Seoul moves by 5h 09min — from 14h 44min down to 9h 35min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.

Light and shooting hours

On 15 June, the sun in Seoul rises at 05:11 and sets at 19:55; the evening golden hour starts at 19:17 and runs for 39 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:40–17:16, with a 41-minute golden-hour window from 16:35.

In practice, a spread of 5h 09min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.

Sun times for Seoul — computed for 2026, timezone Asia/Seoul
MonthSunriseSunsetDaylightGolden hour (evening, from)
January07:4717:379h 50min16:57
February07:2318:1110h 48min17:35
March06:4518:3911h 54min18:04
April05:5919:0713h 08min18:32
May05:2419:3414h 10min18:57
June05:1119:5514h 44min19:17
July05:2319:5414h 31min19:16
August05:4819:2713h 39min18:51
September06:1418:4312h 28min18:08
October06:4017:5711h 17min17:22
November07:1217:2310h 11min16:45
December07:4017:169h 35min16:35

Blue hour and shooting windows

Blue hour in Seoul starts at 20:14 in June and ends at 20:27 — a window of 12 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 17:34. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.

Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:39) and September (18:43) there are 4 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.

Weather and washout risk

Seoul averages 17 rain days in July and 3 in January. A three-day exterior shoot in July statistically loses 1.7 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.

Climate profile for Seoul (monthly means)
MonthMean temperatureRain daysSunshine hours/day
January-2.8 °C37.8
February-0.4 °C58.4
March5.4 °C69.2
April11.7 °C79.3
May17.0 °C810.0
June21.9 °C109.8
July25.1 °C178.2
August25.5 °C159.2
September20.9 °C98.6
October13.5 °C78.3
November6.0 °C77.2
December-1.4 °C57.2

Planning a shoot here

A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.

Frequently asked

When is golden hour in Seoul?

In June it starts at 19:17 and lasts 39 minutes; in December it starts at 16:35 and lasts 41 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.

How much daylight does a shoot day in Seoul get?

Between 9h 35min in December and 14h 44min in June. The 5h 09min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.

Which month is best for exteriors in Seoul?

Combining daylight and rain days, May comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.