Korean Dictionary
How to say "Holiday Traffic" in Korean
“Holiday Traffic” in Korean is 명절 귀성길 (pronounced "myeongjeol gwisonggil").
명절 귀성길
myeongjeol gwisonggil
Usage & Context
명절 귀성길 refers to the mass migration of Koreans traveling to their hometowns for major holidays like 설날 and 추석. The expressways become extremely congested during 귀성길 with journeys that normally take 2 hours sometimes stretching to 6-8 hours. Korean broadcasters provide real-time traffic reports during 명절 귀성길 as a public service.
Example Sentence
추석 귀성길에 고속도로가 꽉 막혔어요.
The expressway was completely jammed on the Chuseok holiday homeward journey.
How to use 명절 귀성길 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Holiday Traffic” is 명절 귀성길, romanized as myeongjeol gwisonggil.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 명절 귀성길.
Pronunciation Guide
'Myeong' sounds like 'myung' in 'young' but with an 'm' sound. 'Jeol' is like 'jull' in 'jolly' but with a shorter 'u'. 'Gwi' is like 'gwee' in 'Gwen'. 'Song' is like the English word 'song'. 'Gil' is like 'gill' in 'gills'. Say it as 'myung-jull gwee-song-gill', emphasizing 'myeong-jeol' and 'gwi-song-gil' as two distinct parts.
More Example Sentences
Explaining travel plans to avoid congestion.
명절 귀성길 정체가 너무 심해서 새벽에 출발했어요.
The holiday traffic was so bad that I left early in the morning.
Discussing current traffic conditions during a holiday.
올해 명절 귀성길은 작년보다 덜 막히는 것 같아요.
This year's holiday traffic seems less congested than last year's.
A common greeting or warning during holiday travel periods.
명절 귀성길에 안전 운전하세요!
Please drive safely on your holiday journey home!
Cultural Context
"명절 귀성길" is a quintessential Korean holiday experience, particularly during Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). Millions of Koreans travel from urban centers, especially Seoul, to their ancestral hometowns, causing massive traffic jams on expressways. This phenomenon is so significant that news channels provide dedicated, real-time traffic updates, and families often plan their departure times meticulously, sometimes leaving in the middle of the night, to avoid the worst of the congestion. It's a shared national experience, often filled with both frustration and the warmth of returning home.
Editorial note
We review entries like 명절 귀성길 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
명절 귀성길 잘 다녀오세요.
Have a good journey home for the holidays.
명절 귀성길이 너무 막혀요.
The holiday traffic is so jammed.
명절 귀성길은 언제나 전쟁이죠.
Holiday traffic is always a battle, isn't it?
Related Expressions
귀경길
gwigyeonggil
return journey (from hometown to city after holiday)
고속도로 정체
gosokdoro jeongche
expressway traffic jam
설날
Seollal
Lunar New Year (major holiday)
추석
Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving (major holiday)
More Holidays & Festivals Words
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