Korea’s winter festival calendar is one of the most underrated in Asia. Here are the events worth planning your trip around, with dates, locations, and how to get there.
Winter in Korea is cold and clear, and the festival calendar reflects both the season and Korean culture’s talent for community celebration. Ice fishing on frozen rivers, enormous illuminated lantern installations, fire festivals at mountain temples, and the world-class skiing infrastructure of the PyeongChang Olympic area combine to make Korea’s winter a genuinely compelling travel window.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival – January to February
One of the most popular winter events in Korea and one of the most genuinely unusual festival experiences in Asia. The Hwacheon River in Gangwon Province freezes solid in January, and the festival organization cuts thousands of holes in the ice for visitors to fish for mountain trout (sancheoneo). You drill your hole, wait, and pull out what you catch. Vendors cook what you bring them on site.
Beyond ice fishing: ice sculptures throughout the town, sledding runs, ice tube rides, and various outdoor winter activities. The atmosphere is festive and completely unlike any urban Korean experience.
- When: January 9 to February 1, 2027 (approximate dates, verify at festival website)
- Where: Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. About 2 hours from Seoul by express bus from Dong Seoul Terminal.
- Cost: Festival entry and fishing participation around 10,000 to 15,000 won.
PyeongChang Trout Festival – January
A similar ice fishing festival to Hwacheon, but in PyeongChang, the Olympic host area. The combination with nearby ski resorts (Alpensia, Yongpyong) makes this particularly popular with visitors who want to combine festival culture with skiing. The Jinbu KTX station is about 2 hours from Seoul.
- When: January, around the same dates as Hwacheon
- Where: PyeongChang, Gangwon Province
Jeju Fire Festival – March (Early Spring)
Strictly late winter or early spring, depending on the year. The Jeju Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival is held on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, typically in early to mid-March. The festival burns the dried grass on Saebyeol Oreum volcanic cone in a controlled burn, the hillside blazes orange in the darkness, while traditional music plays and fireworks launch from the summit—one of the most dramatic events in Korea and one of the least internationally known.
- When: First full moon ofthe lunar calendar (typically March, check exact date at Jeju tourism website)
- Where: Saebyeol Oreum, Jeju Island. See the Jeju Island guide for getting there.
Seoul Christmas and New Year Illuminations – December to January
Seoul does Christmas and winter illuminations with genuine commitment. The Cheonggyecheon Stream lantern festival runs through December. The streets of Myeongdong and Gangnam are elaborately decorated. The Lotte World Tower light show runs nightly. Bukchon Hanok Village and the palace grounds have winter illumination programs.
New Year’s Eve at Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno is Korea’s main countdown event, where the ancient bell rings 33 times at midnight to mark the start of the new year. Free and open to the public. Extremely crowded, plan transport home in advance.
- When: December through January
- Where: Throughout Seoul, with major illumination installations along Cheonggyecheon and in Myeongdong
Skiing in PyeongChang – December to March
Not a festival per se, but the most significant winter experience in Korea for many visitors. PyeongChang’s ski resorts (Alpensia, High1, Yongpyong) hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and operate to international standards. A full ski day, including a lift pass and equipment rental, costs around 80,000 to 120,000 won. KTX from Seoul to Jinbu Station in about 2 hours.
See the Korea in winter guide for the full picture on skiing and winter travel.
Seollal – Lunar New Year Celebrations – February 17, 2027
While Seollal is primarily a family holiday rather than a public festival, the cultural activities around it are accessible to visitors. Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces offer free entry in hanbok (traditional dress), traditional folk games, and ancestral rite demonstrations. Traditional markets across Seoul are lively with seasonal food and activity. The atmosphere in the days surrounding Seollal is one of the most distinctly Korean experiences available.
- When: February 17, 2027 (lunar calendar date)—festivities in the surrounding week.
- Where: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and traditional markets throughout Seoul
- Note: Transport books out in the surrounding week. See the Korea public holidays guide for planning advice.
