On January 10th last Saturday, the largest winter event in South Korea, the “Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival,” grandly opened in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, attracting tens of thousands of visitors to experience the joy of ice fishing. The scene was bustling with people, creating a magnificent sight.
Hwacheon is located in Gangwon Province, the northernmost province of South Korea, known for its excellent water quality, making it an ideal habitat for mountain trout. Every severe winter, people would drill holes on the thick ice surface to enjoy the fun of ice fishing.
According to the report by Yonhap News Agency, about 65,000 people visited the event on the opening day of this year’s festival, with approximately 3,200 foreign tourists. On that day, the ice fishing area was crowded with visitors clad in heavy winter clothing, wearing winter hats, gloves, snow boots, focusing on experiencing the joy of ice fishing mountain trout. Many visitors also participated in unique activities such as hand-catching mountain trout in icy waters, creating a lively atmosphere on site.
Visitors can also enjoy various winter activities including a 140-meter long sledding course, ice snowmobile rides, ice skating, ice mini-golf, and more. The nighttime ice fishing area provides visitors with a distinctive winter night experience.
Furthermore, the event cleverly integrates elements of global winter festivities. The indoor ice sculpture plaza evokes memories of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China, large snow sculptures reminiscent of the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, and the “Lantern Street” evening event inspired by the Quebec Winter Carnival in Canada, attracting many visitors to stop and admire.
Since its establishment in 2003, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has evolved from a local celebration in a border town to a world-class winter tourism brand. Statistics show that about 100,000 foreign visitors visit each year. This year’s event will continue until February 1st, spanning 23 days.