Typhoon Champi brings rain and gusts to Jeju and the south coast, Oct 23–26

Typhoon No. 30 Champi is due to bring rain and strong gusts to Jeju from the afternoon of Friday, October 23, 2026, and to the south coast from Saturday. Forecasters expect it to stay at sea, about 520 km south-southwest of Seogwipo at 03:00 on Sunday, October 25, so the practical risk for visitors is changed flights and ferries and a wet weekend outdoors.

What happened

According to Korean media reports citing the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Champi should pass east of Taipei on Saturday, then turn northeast and weaken. Edaily reported on October 23 that a direct landfall on the Korean Peninsula is unlikely. The storm should become an extratropical low about 60 km north of Kagoshima, Japan, by 03:00 on Monday, October 26.

The same report says flights have already been cancelled in Taiwan and Japan. We checked the KMA typhoon bulletin issued at 04:00 KST on October 23; its forecast track shows the same weakening path toward southern Japan.

The essentials

• What: Typhoon No. 30 Champi (태풍 참피)
• When: October 23–26, 2026
• Where: Jeju first, then the south coast: Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongnam, Gwangju and Jeonnam
• Status: KMA rates a direct landfall unlikely, but the track can still shift; no Jeju flight or ferry cancellation was confirmed in the reports we read

When and where it hits

• Friday, October 23. Rain starts in Jeju in the afternoon, with gusts of 55 km/h (15 m/s) or more. It spreads to the south coast overnight.
• Saturday, October 24. Rain covers much of the south, and gusts of the same strength reach the south coast.
• Sunday, October 25. Champi weakens as it heads northeast toward southern Japan. Segye Ilbo reported waves of up to 5 m east, south and west of Jeju, and rain may reach parts of Chungcheong.
• Monday, October 26. Champi is expected to have weakened into a low over southern Japan.

The rain figures cover different periods. For October 23–24, KMA forecasts quoted by Edaily and Segye Ilbo give most of Jeju 30–80 mm, its north and west 10–40 mm, and Gwangju, Jeonnam, Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam 5–30 mm. Counting the whole spell to October 26, News1 reported up to 150 mm in Jeju.

The sea turned rough first. Segye Ilbo reported wave advisories in the open waters south of Jeju on October 22. It also warned that swells could break over breakwaters and reef rocks on the Jeju coast from that day, and on the south coast from October 23.

Who is affected: flights, ferries and outdoor plans

Segye Ilbo, citing the forecasts, said flights and ferries to and from Jeju may be rescheduled or cancelled if conditions worsen. Boat tours and coastal walks are also at risk while the wave advisories last.

Before you go: checklist

• Check on the day. Confirm your flight or ferry with the airline or operator on the morning you travel, return leg included.
• Keep off the rocks. Stay away from breakwaters, reef rocks and seaside walkways while waves are high.
• Move plans inside. Line up museums, markets or cafes for Friday to Sunday.
• Drive with care. In a Jeju rental car, expect wet roads and poor visibility, and check for closures on mountain and coastal roads. Our Jeju rental car guide covers the paperwork.

If something goes wrong

Call 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance. Never drive or walk into flooded roads or underpasses.

Our verdict

A Jeju or Busan trip this weekend does not need cancelling on current forecasts, but it does need slack.

The tightest spot is a Sunday return from Jeju, with rain forecast there until Monday, so a refundable fare or a spare night is worth more than a sea-view tour. KMA's 04:00 bulletin listed its next update for about 10:00 KST on October 23.

Quick links

• KMA typhoon bulletins (Korean): weather.go.kr
• Source reports (Korean): Edaily, October 23; News1, October 23; Segye Ilbo, October 22
• Related: our guide to sudden downpours in Korea
• Related: our strike watch for AREX and the Busan subway
• Korea Tourism Hotline (free 24/7 multilingual): 1330