Home » Travel Events In South Korea » South Korea’s Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival Attracts Global Visitors with Exciting Winter Events: What You Need To Know Published on
January 13, 2026The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, which is a world-famous event and celebrates winter as well as ice fishing, has already started in the small town of Hwacheon, which is in the beautiful Gangwon province of South Korea’s northeast. The festival lasts until February 1, 2026, and it is going to be like a big party of snow activities, ice fishing contest being the most popular one among them. The local authorities have made this annual festival their main winter tourism event that attracts thousands of people, both locals and foreigners who come to the region for the excitement of ice fishing alongside many other enjoyable winter activities.A Unique Winter Experience in the Heart of GangwonNestled 25 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border and just 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul, Hwacheon is transformed into a winter wonderland during the Sancheoneo Ice Festival. The event spans over 300,000 square meters, roughly the size of 40 football fields, providing ample space for a variety of activities.Sancheoneo, the special species of trout native to the region’s pristine waters, is at the heart of the festival. Visitors are invited to drill holes in the frozen river surface to catch these elusive fish, adding an exciting challenge to the winter event. The festival allows participants to engage in bare-hand fishing, a thrilling tradition that draws attention worldwide.A Global Gathering for Winter Fun and AdventureSince its inception in 2003, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has grown into one of South Korea’s most popular winter festivals. With an expected turnout of over 100,000 foreign visitors in 2026, the event has turned Hwacheon into a bustling winter festival city, dra …
