Tropical Nights Break Records as Seoul Swelters Beyond Thirty Degrees

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Korean Reading Practice

Tropical Nights Break Records as Seoul Swelters Beyond Thirty Degrees

Date: August 07, 2026

Introduction

South Korea experienced an intense heat wave during summer, with Seoul recording its 15th consecutive tropical night and temperatures soaring to nearly 38 degrees Celsius. Foreign tourists visiting popular areas like Myeongdong faced unexpected challenges from the extreme weather. This article describes how the unusual heat affected both residents and visitors to Korea's major cities.

Vocabulary

Korean Romanization Meaning Example
열대야 yeoldaeya tropical night (temperature stays above 25°C) 열대야가 계속되고 있어요.Tropical nights are continuing.
연속 yeonsok consecutive; succession 15일 연속 열대야가 이어졌어요.There were 15 consecutive tropical nights.
기록 girok record 역대 기록을 경신했어요.It broke the all-time record.
극심한 geuksimhan extreme; severe 극심한 더위가 계속되었어요.The extreme heat continued.
관광객 gwangwanggaek tourist 외국 관광객들이 명동을 방문했어요.Foreign tourists visited Myeongdong.
양산 yangsan parasol; umbrella (for sun) 양산을 구매했어요.They purchased parasols.
일시중단 ilsijungdan temporary suspension 운영을 일시중단했어요.Operations were temporarily suspended.
관광정보부스 gwangwangjeongbobuseu tourist information booth 관광정보부스가 문을 닫았어요.The tourist information booth closed.
도시 dosi city 서울은 큰 도시예요.Seoul is a large city.
평년 pyeongnyeon normal year; average year 평년보다 더워요.It's hotter than an average year.
nat daytime; afternoon 낮에 기온이 올라갔어요.The temperature rose during the afternoon.
저녁 jeonyeok evening 저녁에도 더웠어요.It was hot in the evening too.

Reading Text

서울이 15일 연속으로 열대야를 기록하면서 밤 기온이 25도에서 26도 아래로 내려가지 않았습니다.

Seoul recorded 15 consecutive tropical nights, with nighttime temperatures not dropping below 25 to 26 degrees Celsius.

제주도는 이보다 더 심각한 상황으로 30일 연속 열대야를 겪고 있었습니다.

Jeju was experiencing an even more severe situation, with 30 consecutive tropical nights.

한반도 전역에서 평년보다 높은 기온이 계속되면서 전국의 열대야 일수가 12.6일로 같은 시기 역대 기록을 경신했습니다.

As temperatures higher than the average continued across the Korean peninsula, the number of tropical nights nationwide reached 12.6 days, breaking the all-time record for the same period.

서울의 낮 기온은 37.9도까지 올라갔고, 저녁에도 34.3도를 기록하는 극심한 더위가 이어졌습니다.

Seoul's daytime temperature rose to 37.9 degrees, and severe heat continued into the evening with temperatures reaching 34.3 degrees.

이런 가운데 명동과 홍대 같은 관광지에서는 빨간색 옷을 입은 직원들이 운영하는 관광정보부스가 극심한 더위로 인해 일시중단되었습니다.

Meanwhile, tourist information booths operated by staff in red clothing at tourist areas such as Myeongdong and Hongdae were temporarily suspended due to the extreme heat.

그럼에도 불구하고 해외 관광객들은 계속해서 명동을 찾았습니다. 스리랑카에서 온 사미르와 산두는 한국의 더위가 자신들의 나라보다 더 심하다고 말했고, 아르메니아에서 온 릴리드, 마리아, 릴리아는 한국에 도착한 지 3일 만에 양산을 구매해서 계속 사용하고 있다고 했습니다.

Nevertheless, foreign tourists continued to visit Myeongdong. Samir and Sandu from Sri Lanka stated that the heat in Korea was more severe than in their country, and Lilid, Maria, and Lilia from Armenia reported that they purchased parasols three days after arriving in Korea and have been using them continuously.

Grammar Points

-(으)면서 while (simultaneously)

Attached to a verb stem to mean 'while doing X, Y also happens' — two simultaneous actions or a cause leading to a concurrent result.

📖 서울이 15일 연속으로 열대야를 기록하면서 밤 기온이 25도에서 26도 아래로 내려가지 않았습니다. As Seoul recorded tropical nights for 15 consecutive days, the nighttime temperature did not drop below 25–26 degrees.

✏️ 음악을 들으면서 공부하는 것을 좋아해요. I like studying while listening to music.

-(으)로 인해(서) due to

Attached to a noun to express a cause or reason, meaning 'due to' or 'because of'; commonly used in formal or written contexts.

📖 이런 가운데 명동과 홍대 같은 관광지에서는 빨간색 옷을 입은 직원들이 운영하는 관광정보부스가 극심한 더위로 인해 일시중단되었습니다. In the meantime, tourist information booths operated by employees wearing red clothes at tourist spots such as Myeongdong and Hongdae were temporarily suspended due to the extreme heat.

✏️ 교통사고로 인해 도로가 막혔습니다. The road was blocked due to a traffic accident.

Cultural Notes

Korea's summer heat waves have become increasingly intense in recent decades, with tropical nights (열대야) becoming a common term in Korean weather reports and daily conversation. A "tropical night" is specifically defined as a night when the temperature does not drop below 25 degrees Celsius, and the number of such nights is tracked annually as a key indicator of climate change and summer severity. The government operates tourist information booths staffed with multilingual employees in major shopping and cultural districts like Myeongdong and Hongdae to assist the millions of international visitors who come to Korea each year, making the suspension of these services during extreme heat a notable disruption to the tourist experience.

Topics are inspired by current events in Korea. All lessons are original learning content written by Learn Korean Today.
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📝 Comprehension Questions

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Q1

How many consecutive tropical nights did Seoul experience according to the text?

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Q2

What was the daytime temperature recorded in Seoul on the day mentioned in the article?

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Q3

Which city experienced more consecutive tropical nights than Seoul?

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Q4

Why were the tourist information booths in Myeongdong and Hongdae temporarily closed?

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Q5

What did the foreign tourists from Armenia say about their experience with the heat in Korea?

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