Visiting South Korea in Winter: Best Things to Do
General wisdom will tell you that the best times to visit South Korea are in the spring and autumn. However, winter is also an incredible time to visit Korea! Not only will you avoid the crowds you’d find in other times of the year, you’ll also find unique activities and sights! In fact, South Korean winters are known for stunning, snowy landscapes, cultural festivals, winter sports, and relaxing hot springs. If you’re looking for a winter wonderland, South Korea should be on your list! Check out the list below for some of the best ways to experience winter in Korea!
1) Winter Festivals
One of the most wonderful things to do in South Korea in winter is to experience winter festivals! These festivals range from snow and ice spectacles to fine, local cuisine events. For example, you can check out the Mount Taebaek Snow Festival in the national park, which creates a wide array of snow and ice sculptures that amaze. If you’re more of a foodie, consider something like the Uljin Snow Crab Festival in late February, which serves delicious snow crab in every way imaginable. These are just two of amazing winter festivals you can expect in the gorgeous South Korean winter!
2) Excellent Winter Sports
As shown in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, South Korea is a leader in snow sports, such as snowboarding and skiing. With world-class resorts and slopes, as well as long winters and great snowfall, South Korea is a great destination for winter sports. Some of the best places to go include Pyeongchang, the site of the Olympics, and Hongcheon, the most convenient spot from the capital. Whether you want to make snow sports a big part of your trip or a little getaway, we encourage you to check out the stunning slopes!
3) Stunning Snowy Vistas
Whether you decide to venture to the northern part of South Korea or you stay closer to the city, you can appreciate the beauty of winter everywhere in Korea. From the Gyeongbokgung Palace blanketed in snow to the mountains rising around the city, beautiful views will await you at every turn during a winter in Korea! Make sure that you bring your camera, you won’t want to forget these views!
4) Relaxing Hot Springs
There is arguably no better time than winter to experience South Korea’s magical hot springs. While the surrounding scenery sparkles with snow, you can relax into the warm waters. There are several hot springs in South Korea, such as Club D Oasis, Dukgu Hot Spring, and more, offering varied experiences and views so you can find the best one for you. Korean hot springs, which have mineral deposits, are also believed to have healing properties, so they can only enhance your travels!
Winter in Korea: Best Winter Attractions
When you’re considering a trip to South Korea, don’t count out winter! Winter is a wonderful time to visit Korea, owing to the gorgeous views, excellent winter sports, and unique festivals. So, pack your warm layers and head to South Korea this winter. You won’t regret it!
Hey! Really enjoyed reading about all the amazing things to do in South Korea during winter. The way you described the festivals and snowy landscapes has me convinced it’s a season worth exploring. Quick question though – are the ski resorts in Pyeongchang crowded during the winter months? Heard they’re quite popular since the Olympics. Also, stumbled upon this site about prices around the world, https://world-prices.com/en/southkorea/prices, but not sure how accurate it is. Anyone tried using it? Thanks for this great roundup!
Hi there! Thanks for visiting our blog. Those ski resorts located in Pyeongchang such as Yongpyong ski resort, Phoenix ski resort are relatively bigger scale compare to other ones near Seoul. So, I wouldn’t say it’s crowded but expect to have some weekend crowd, as well as big crowd during Christmas season.
Regarding ski rental, and accommodation prices, it is still affordable compare to other ski resorts around the world. Yongpyong ski resort will be always the one opens first for ski season, but this year will be a bit delayed due to unprecedented warm weather so far. Expect to be open on Nov. 29th, 2024 or a week earlier if the weather support cold enough.
Enjoy winter safely!