Diwali 2026 in South Korea: Dates, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and Hindu Temples

Diwali 2026 in South Korea centres on Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November 2026, and the auspicious time in Seoul is 5:48 PM – 7:39 PM (Korea Standard Time, UTC+9). All nine Korean cities in this guide keep the same dates: Dhanteras on Friday 6 November, Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November, Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November. The muhurat shifts by only a few minutes from city to city.

Editor's note (1 November 2026): HinduTone calculated these local dates from Drik Panchang tithi times using Drik's rules for each festival, and checked our method against Drik's own published dates for 15 countries. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna within Pradosh Kaal, following the Drik method, worked out for each city's sunset. We do not list event schedules; temples and community groups announce their own programmes.

Diwali 2026 dates in South Korea

These are the five days of Diwali for Seoul. The same dates apply in every Korean city listed further down.

Monday 9 November has no main observance in Korea this year. Amavasya ends at 4:01 PM that afternoon, and Pratipada continues through Tuesday morning, which is why Govardhan Puja falls on Tuesday 10 November rather than Monday.

Diwali 2026 dates and muhurat by city in South Korea

All times are Korea Standard Time. South Korea does not use daylight saving, so the times below need no adjustment.

If your town is not listed, use the nearest city. Bundang, Seongnam and Yongin are close to Seoul and Suwon; Pohang and Gyeongju are near Daegu and Ulsan; Changwon and Gimhae are near Busan.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat explained

Lakshmi Puja is performed on the evening when Amavasya, the new-moon tithi, covers Pradosh Kaal. Pradosh Kaal begins at sunset and lasts for roughly two and a half hours. In Korea, Amavasya begins at 2:57 PM on Sunday 8 November and ends at 4:01 PM on Monday 9 November. On Sunday evening Amavasya covers all of Pradosh Kaal, while on Monday it has ended before sunset. Sunday 8 November is therefore the clear choice, with no borderline case anywhere in the country.

For reference, Drik Panchang gives these instants in Indian Standard Time: Amavasya runs from 11:27 AM IST on 8 November to 12:31 PM IST on 9 November. Korea is three and a half hours ahead of India, which is why the Korean times above are later in the day. Please use the Korean times, not the IST ones, for your puja.

Within Pradosh Kaal, the most favoured window is Vrishabha Kaal, when the fixed (sthira) sign Taurus is rising. A fixed lagna is believed to help Lakshmi's blessings stay in the home. In Seoul on Sunday 8 November:

• Sunset: 5:27 PM
• Pradosh Kaal: 5:27 PM – 8:10 PM
• Vrishabha Kaal (Lakshmi Puja muhurat): 5:48 PM – 7:39 PM

Here are the figures for every city in this guide. If you cannot finish inside the Vrishabha window, any time within Pradosh Kaal is still considered auspicious for Lakshmi Puja.

Hindu temples in South Korea for Diwali

South Korea's Hindu community is small, and its temples are few and mostly in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi area. We have listed only places we could confirm through reliable sources. Temples and community groups usually announce Diwali programmes a few weeks ahead; check their websites and social pages, and contact them before you travel.

Seoul

• Sri Radha Shyamasundar Mandir – Haebangchon, Yongsan area. A Krishna temple, opened in 2008 as the first Indian temple in Seoul, holding aarti, bhajans, festivals and children's classes.
• Himalayan Meditation and Yoga Sadhana Mandir – Seocho.
• Sri Lakshmi Narayanan Temple – Seoul. Listed in temple directories, but with little public information; check that it is open before you visit.
• Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (Indian Cultural Centre, Embassy of India) – Yongsan, opposite the Embassy of India. Not a temple, but a centre for Indian cultural events, yoga and performances, including past Diwali celebrations.

Gyeonggi and the capital region

• Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra Temple (ISKCON Korea) – north of Seoul. ISKCON's main temple in Korea, a centre for kirtan, prasadam and festival days.

Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju and other cities

We could not confirm a Hindu temple outside the Seoul capital region. If you live in Busan, Ulsan, Daegu, Daejeon or Gwangju, you will most likely celebrate at home, with friends, or with a university Indian students' association. Some families travel to Seoul for the weekend; as Lakshmi Puja is on a Sunday this year, a home puja followed by a temple visit is also possible.

How Diwali is celebrated in South Korea

Hinduism in Korea is mostly a recent, migrant faith. The Hindu community is made up largely of Indian professionals in technology, engineering, shipbuilding and business, postgraduate students and researchers at Korean universities, and their families, along with Nepali and Sri Lankan workers and students and a small number of Korean devotees, many connected with ISKCON or yoga and meditation groups. There is no long history of indentured migration as in Fiji or Mauritius; most families arrived in the last few decades.

Because temples are few, Diwali in Korea is shaped by apartment life and community gatherings. Families light diyas and electric lights on balconies and windowsills, draw rangoli at the door, and share sweets with neighbours and colleagues. Indian associations, university student groups, ISKCON and the Indian embassy's cultural centre have held Diwali gatherings in past years. Such programmes typically include a Lakshmi-Ganesha puja or aarti, bhajans, classical and folk dance, children's performances and a shared vegetarian meal. Larger Diwali galas, when held, are often scheduled on a convenient weekend near the festival rather than on the night itself.

Different communities mark the season in their own way. Tamil and other South Indian families often call it Deepavali and keep Naraka Chaturdashi, with its oil bath before dawn, as the main day. Nepali residents celebrate Tihar, with days honouring crows, dogs and cows, Lakshmi Puja, and Bhai Tika for brothers; Tihar dates are set by Nepal's own calendar committee, so check with your community. Sikh families mark Bandi Chhor Divas, and Jain families observe Diwali as the anniversary of Lord Mahavira's nirvana.

Korean friends and colleagues are usually curious and welcoming. Diwali is a good occasion to share a box of sweets at work and explain the meaning of the lamps: the triumph of light over darkness and of knowledge over ignorance.

Simple Lakshmi Puja at home

A short, sincere puja at home is entirely sufficient, and for many families in Korea it is the heart of the festival. A simple order:

1. Clean the house during the day and place a rangoli or a few flowers at the entrance.
2. Set up a clean low table or shelf, ideally facing east or north, with a red or yellow cloth, an image or idol of Lakshmi with Ganesha on her left, and a kalash of water topped with mango or betel leaves and a coconut if available.
3. Keep ready diyas or candles, incense, kumkum and turmeric, rice grains, flowers, fruit, sweets, a few coins and your account books, laptop or business papers if you wish to seek blessings for work.
4. Begin with a prayer to Ganesha, then invoke Lakshmi. Offer water, flowers, kumkum, rice and sweets, and chant the Lakshmi mantra or Sri Suktam if you know it.
5. Light the main lamp and perform aarti for Lakshmi and Ganesha, then light diyas around the home, including the entrance and windows.
6. Share prasad with family and neighbours.
7. Try to do the puja within the muhurat for your city; if that is not possible, any time in Pradosh Kaal is fine.

Puja items can be found in Indian and South Asian grocery shops in the larger cities, and online. Order diyas, ghee and puja samagri a week or two ahead in case of shipping delays.

Practical tips for Diwali 2026 in South Korea

• Weekday plan: Dhanteras is a Friday and Lakshmi Puja a Sunday, so the main days fall conveniently. Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November fall on working days; plan an evening visit or an early meal.
• Holidays: Diwali is not one of South Korea's traditional public holidays. Check the official 2026 holiday list and speak to your employer or university early if you need time off.
• Early sunset and cold evenings: The sun sets around 5:27 PM in Seoul on 8 November, so Pradosh Kaal starts early. November evenings in Korea can be chilly, so keep diyas on balconies away from curtains and wind, and dress warmly for any outdoor rangoli or lamps.
• Fireworks: Rules are set by Korean authorities and local governments, and many apartment complexes ban them on their grounds. Check the current rules before buying anything; diyas and electric lights are the safest choice.
• Apartment fire safety: Never leave lamps unattended, and keep a damp cloth or small extinguisher nearby.
• Book temple pujas early: If you want a priest to perform a puja at the temple or at home, contact the temple well in advance. Few priests serve the whole country, and Diwali weekend is their busiest time.

Diwali 2026 South Korea: frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in South Korea?

Lakshmi Puja, the main night of Diwali, is on Sunday 8 November 2026 across South Korea. The five days run from Dhanteras on Friday 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November, with Naraka Chaturdashi on Sunday 8 November and Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 November.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Seoul on 8 November 2026?

The Vrishabha Kaal muhurat for Seoul is 5:48 PM – 7:39 PM on Sunday 8 November. Pradosh Kaal runs from 5:27 PM, when the sun sets, to 8:10 PM. Busan is a few minutes earlier (5:45 PM – 7:37 PM) and Gwangju a few minutes later (5:54 PM – 7:46 PM).

Why are Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja on the same day in Korea?

Chaturdashi ends and Amavasya begins at 11:27 AM IST on 8 November, which is 2:57 PM on Sunday 8 November in Korea. The pre-dawn Chaturdashi bath falls on Sunday morning, and Amavasya covers the Sunday evening Pradosh Kaal, so both observances fall on Sunday 8 November. Amavasya ends at 4:01 PM on Monday 9 November, before that evening's Pradosh Kaal begins, so Monday does not qualify.

Is Diwali a public holiday in South Korea?

Diwali is not one of South Korea's traditional public holidays; check the official 2026 holiday list if you need certainty. In 2026 Lakshmi Puja falls on a Sunday, which makes the evening puja easier for most working families and students.

Where can I celebrate Diwali at a Hindu temple in South Korea?

Hindu temples in South Korea are concentrated in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi area. In Seoul there is the Sri Radha Shyamasundar Mandir in Haebangchon and the Himalayan Meditation and Yoga Sadhana Mandir in Seocho, and ISKCON Korea runs the Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra Temple. The Embassy of India's cultural centre in Yongsan also holds cultural events. Outside the capital region we could not confirm a temple, so a home puja is the usual way to celebrate.

Can I light fireworks for Diwali in South Korea?

Rules on fireworks are set by Korean authorities and local governments, and apartment buildings often have their own rules. Check before buying anything, and use diyas, candles and electric lights safely at home.

Related guides

• Diwali 2026 dates in every country, with Lakshmi Puja times
• Diwali 2026: complete festival guide
• Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat in India
• The 5 days of Diwali 2026 explained
• Naraka Chaturdashi 2026
• Govardhan Puja and Annakut 2026
• Diwali 2026 in Hong Kong
• Diwali 2026 in China
• Diwali 2026 in Taiwan