Time Difference Between Chicago and Seoul
Seoul is 14h ahead of Chicago.
This is the standard-time difference as of 2026. If either city observes daylight saving time, the actual difference can shift by up to an hour for part of the year — the live clocks below always show the current real-time difference.
Working Hours Overlap
For each hour of Chicago's working day (9:00-18:00), here is the corresponding local time in Seoul. Rows highlighted green fall within standard working hours (9:00-18:00) in both cities.
| Chicago | Seoul | Both working hours? |
|---|---|---|
| 9 AM | 11 PM | No |
| 10 AM | 12 AM | No |
| 11 AM | 1 AM | No |
| 12 PM | 2 AM | No |
| 1 PM | 3 AM | No |
| 2 PM | 4 AM | No |
| 3 PM | 5 AM | No |
| 4 PM | 6 AM | No |
| 5 PM | 7 AM | No |
| 6 PM | 8 AM | No |
Best Time to Meet
Chicago and Seoul don't share a standard 9 AM-6 PM working-hours window. The least disruptive compromise is around 4 PM in Chicago, which falls at 6 AM in Seoul — expect one side to take an early or late call.
How the Difference Changes in 2026
Because the two cities change their clocks on different dates, the gap is not one number. Here is how Seoul stands relative to Chicago through 2026:
| Period | Seoul vs Chicago |
|---|---|
| Jan 1 – Mar 7 | 15h ahead |
| Mar 8 – Oct 31 | 14h ahead |
| Nov 1 – Dec 31 | 15h ahead |
Chicago changes its clocks on Mar 8 (clocks forward) and Nov 1 (clocks back); Seoul keeps the same clock all year. Dates use the UTC calendar; the switch takes effect early that morning local time.
Chicago
Chicago uses the America/Chicago IANA time zone, currently at UTC-5. This zone observes daylight saving time.
Seoul
Seoul uses the Asia/Seoul IANA time zone, currently at UTC+9. This zone does not observe daylight saving time.