What do people do in the break between semesters?

Yes, you can leave and come back, and the break is the best travel window you will get. Two things to know.

On the visa: with a valid ARC you can leave and re-enter Korea freely. The separate re-entry permit was abolished for ARC holders years ago. Just make sure your ARC is valid for the whole trip and carry it with your passport — you show both on the way back in.

The one exception: if you have applied for an extension and immigration is holding your passport or the process is incomplete, do not book a flight until it is done.

On the calendar, breaks are typically 2 to 3 weeks between terms, usually late February, late May, late August and late November depending on the school. Check your specific school's academic calendar because they do not all align.

On cost — this is the real planning issue. Korean holiday peaks are Seollal (Lunar New Year, Jan or Feb) and Chuseok (Sep or Oct), plus the first two weeks of August when the whole country takes leave. Flights and accommodation across Asia spike hard in those windows. If your break overlaps one, book six to eight weeks out or expect to pay double.

What students actually do with the break:

1. Japan. Cheap and short from Seoul — Fukuoka or Osaka is under two hours, and there are frequent sales.
2. Domestic Korea. Busan, Jeju, Gyeongju, Sokcho. Trains are fast and cheap and this is where your Korean gets tested outside the Seoul bubble.
3. Southeast Asia in the winter break, because Seoul in January is a reason to leave.
4. Intensive short courses or a part-time job, if the budget is tight.

One practical note: a short trip early in the break is better than one at the end. Coming back two or three days before term restarts, rested and unpacked, beats landing the night before the placement test.