Sarah KhanAs the temperatures plummet during South Korea’s winter months, the country comes to life with exceptionally cool winter festivals that sprout across the country.
Snow wall climbing, ice fishing, ziplining over ice, traditional sledding, snowy ATV rides and even ice bowling: these are just the mere icing on the cake when it comes to all the exciting snowy attractions you can dive into during Korea’s epic winter festivals.
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Whether you’re ziplining over stunning icy landscapes at Pyeongchang Trout Festival, trying your luck at bare-handed ice fishing at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, or tucking into quintessentially Korean winter street food like warm roasted cashews and sweet potatoes, Korea’s exciting winter festivals are a great way to enjoy the snow.
| A winter wonderland awaits in Korea: exciting snow sports, picture-perfect icy vistas, and unique seasonal festivals. Don’t miss the best South Korea deals in winter to make the most out of your holiday vacay! |
1. Go-go Ski Festival
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization – Doit Company, Lee Hyeonyeop
Whenever winter arrives, the lovely province of Gangwon experiences plenty of snowfall, even up until March! That, plus the many notable ski resorts in the area make Gangwon Province South Korea’s top ski destination. Naturally, there are also plenty of festivals that celebrate the snowy season.
Among those, the Go-go Ski Festival is arguably one of the most famous. Held yearly at High1 Ski Resort, the festival celebrates Korean culture through various skiing and snow events, as well as performances by local talents! Expect plenty of skiing, fun winter activities, and of course, magical, snow-laden scenery to go with it all!
2. Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
With over 1 million visitors each year, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival in Korea is often touted as one of the world’s biggest winter festivals. It’s no surprise why throngs of tourists continue to return every year. You’ll be spoiled for choice with an array of activities that include figure skating, bobsleighing, mountain trout fishing on ice, ice sledding, ice soccer, and even a larger-than-life snow castle and snow park.
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Like many other quintessentially Korean winter festivals, ice fishing is a main attraction here. You’ll find festival-goers patiently waiting with their fishing lines on the icy surface for a fresh catch. To celebrate their prized catch, you’ll even find some visitors even bizarrely biting into the head of their trout. No doubt, the festival is certainly one worth making the trip down for. After all, where else will you ever experience bare-handed fishing in the middle of winter?
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Venue: Hwacheoncheon Stream, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
Entrance fee: Refer to the official website for details.
Opening hours: 09:00 to 19:00
3. Pyeongchang Trout Festival
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With its breathtaking snow-laden landscapes, it’s no surprise why Pyeongchang has rightfully earned its moniker, “the Alps of Korea.” Every year, it hosts an outdoor trout festival at the Odaecheon Stream, where visitors will get to try their hands on a slew of fun winter activities like ATV, traditional ice sledding, snow rafting, bumper rail rides (which comes accompanied with equally entertaining comments from the ride personnel), ice skating, and of course, trout fishing.
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
As the largest trout producer in Korea, Pyeongchang is the perfect place for this fun, family-friendly annual event. You’ll find the freshly caught trout being served in scrumptious dishes in restaurants in proximity to the festival. Great views, scrumptious food, and an endless array of seriously cool activities — what’s not to love?
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Venue: Odaecheon Stream, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Entrance fee & opening Hours: Refer to the official website for details.
4. Hongcheon River Ginseng Trout Festival
Image credit: HCCF (Official Website)
Thousands of tourists flock to the frozen Hongcheon River every year for a chance to catch the special “ginseng trout” — named so because they’re fed with the six-year-old Hongcheon Ginseng, widely lauded for its medicinal value.
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The festival also boasts other attractions like the Snow World, charming views of surrounding thatched cottages, and innumerable traditional Korean restaurants you can grab a bite at. And if you’re brave enough, you’ll also get to give bare-handed trout fishing a go — just be sure to keep your hands warm and toasty after!
Venue: Hongcheongang River, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do
Entrance fee & opening hours: Refer to the official website for details.
5. Inje Icefish Festival
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As the Soyangho Lake freezes over during Korea’s winter months, the festival fun begins. The Inje Icefish Festival, held annually at the Soyangho Lake in the mountainous town in the Gangwon province, offers visitors the chance to enjoy nearly 30 uniquely winter-exclusive activities.
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Take your pick from ice wall climbing, ice sledding, hoop rolling, and — get this — ice soccer and ice bowling. And if all the wintry fun gets you peckish, tuck into the smorgasbord of food options. Be sure to try the famous “icefish” as well while you’re at it!
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Venue: Injedaegyo Bridge, Nam-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: Refer to the official website for details.
6. Taebaeksan Snow Festival
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Held every winter amidst the snowy peaks of the Taebaeksan Mountain, the Taebaeksan Snow Festival boasts of impressive ice sculptures designed by artists, as well as an adorable snowman festival that’s bound to put a smile on yours and your little one’s faces. Sink your teeth into their traditional winter games, pit your skills at a snow climbing contest, or marvel at the handiwork behind their international snow sculpture exhibition.
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Venue: Taebaeksan National Park, Gangwon-do
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: Refer to the official website for details.
7. Jaraseom Singsing Winter Festival
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Just an hour’s drive from Seoul in the Gapyeong district is the Jaraseom Singsing Winter Festival. You’ll find an eclectic mix of vendors selling everything you could possibly need from fishing poles and gloves and hats to piping hot street food and drinks. If you’re traveling with kids, there are sledding hills that your older children will love and festival rides for your younger ones.
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Be sure to try your luck at ice fishing — even if you don’t come away with a fresh catch, it’s quite an amusing experience watching your little one patiently anticipating theirs! And if you do luck out, enjoy your catch at the grills and sashimi stands available across the festival.
Image credit: Korea Tourism Organization
Venue: Gapyeongcheon Stream area in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Entrance fee: 17,000 won/person (inc. a gift certificate worth 5,000 won)
Opening hours: 09:00 – 18:00
And there you have it, amazing winter festivals in Korea that are more than worth a visit! Which one’s your favourite?
| Travel to South Korea for an enchanting winter season like no other. From celebrating winter festivals in iconic cities to hitting the slopes in a thrilling ski trip, you’ll never run out of things to do during winter in Korea. |
Brought to you by Korea Tourism Organization.
