This study was designed to examine the immune response in Korean rockfish during water temperature fluctuation and to elucidate the factors contributing to streptococcal pathogenesis in cultured Korean rockfish, S. schlegeli. We investigated cumulative mortality against Streptococcus iniae (FP5228 strain) infection in the exposed Korean rockfish (39.7±5.8 g) to environmentally relevant temperature (Control, 23℃; High temperature, 28℃ and 23℃ and 28℃ with 12 hours interval exchange, 23↔28℃) for 48 hours. Also, the expression of the mRNA related to the immune response genes (heat shock protein 70, interleukin- 1β, lysozyme g-type and thioredoxin-like 1) were measured in spleen and head kidney by real-time PCR analysis in the exposed fish to thermal stress. In this study, the combined stress with bacterial challenge in fishes exposed to thermal stress lowered the survival rate than that of control (23℃). The cumulative mortality in the group of control, 28℃ and 23↔28℃ was 24%, 24% and 40% (P<0.05), respectively. Also, thermal stress modulated the mRNA level of immune related genes; heat shock protein 70, interleukin-1β, lysozyme g-type and thioredoxin-like 1 in Korean rockfish. The present study indicates that a high and sudden water temperature change affect immune responses and reduce the disease resistance in Korean rockfish.