What to pack for Seoul in January

Lows around 19°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

Lows drop to minus 7 degrees Celsius, so your head loses heat fast.

Wind at 16 kilometers per hour cuts through exposed skin on your hands.

Snow falls in January and sidewalks ice over.

Sunlight reflects off snow and ice even in winter.

Mosquitoes don't bite in January, so skip this item.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Cold air dries skin and cracks form in the cold.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Nine hours of daylight means your phone battery drains faster.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 5:35pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Seoul's subway system is tight, so overhead bins fill fast.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Snow and wind together soak through regular gloves.

For the mornings and the nights.

The gap between hat and coat is where cold air finds your neck.

Wet feet and subzero temperatures end a day quickly.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Tap water is safe, so a bottle reduces plastic waste.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel to Seoul means bag theft is a real risk.

Two weeks in Seoul requires more clothes than a carry-on holds.

Packing cubes compress winter layers into your luggage.

Winter gear takes up twice the space of summer clothes.

Three rain days means some clothes dry slowly indoors.

Lows around 19°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Flights to Seoul are long and noise helps you sleep.

Gaiters seal the gap where snow enters your boots.

High-touch surfaces in winter carry more germs.

Insect bites aren't a risk in January Seoul.

One outlet per room forces you to charge devices sequentially.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

International borders require your passport in a safe place.

International flights mean your luggage passes through many hands.

Compression sacks squeeze puffy jackets down.

Humidity at 59 percent keeps your gear from drying fast.

Long flights to Seoul mean neck support matters for sleep.

Minus 7 degrees at night makes hand warmers essential.