[Digging Travel] Trout Dance Beneath the Ice... This Weekend, GO to Pyeongchang!

Pyeongchang Trout Festival: Creating Winter Memories in Gangwon-do
45,000 Visitors in Three Days Despite the Cold Wave

The winter festival of passion facing the cold, the Pyeongchang Trout Festival, has returned. In this place where the phrase "Winter, nice to see you!" naturally comes out, even subzero temperatures are warmed by the laughter and enthusiasm of the people. As the saying goes, "fight cold with cold" (以寒治寒). The thrilling ice fishing experience and delicious trout dishes on the ice have made Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, the number one destination for winter travel.

Freshly caught trout are jumping on the frozen ice of the first-class pristine Odaecheon stream.
[Photo by Pyeongchang Trout Festival]

Marking its 16th year, the Pyeongchang Trout Festival opened on the 3rd under the theme "Winter Again, More Special Memories." The 110,000㎡ event site along Odaecheon in Jinbu-myeon attracted about 45,000 visitors during the opening weekend alone, creating a lively atmosphere. The festival, which continues until February 2, is filled with various programs that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can enjoy.

The highlight of the festival is undoubtedly ice fishing. The sight of up to 5,000 people fishing simultaneously on ice over 20cm thick is a spectacle in itself. Visitors who cast their fishing rods through the cold ice burst into cheers the moment a trout bites the bait. One participant smiled, saying, "The thrilling sensation of catching a trout made me forget the cold." Admission fees are 25,000 KRW for ice fishing, and 20,000 KRW for bare-hand trout catching and indoor children's fishing. Of the purchased tickets, 3,000 KRW can be refunded as local gift certificates usable at the festival site and shops in Jinbu-myeon.

Foreign tourists participating in the bare-handed trout catching experience are posing while holding trout.
[Photo by Pyeongchang Trout Festival]

The thrilling bare-hand trout catching experience is also very popular among foreign tourists. The process of catching trout with bare hands in the water is a battle against the cold, but the moment of cheering while holding the caught trout is truly exhilarating. Children and the elderly can enjoy the fun of trout catching in a warm indoor fishing area, making it highly satisfying for family visitors as well. Safety has also been thoroughly verified. According to water quality analysis by the Gangwon-do Health and Environment Research Institute, no pathogenic E. coli or heavy metals were detected, so the freshly caught trout here can be enjoyed with peace of mind.

Behind the joy of catching trout awaits a delicious reward. Restaurants within the festival site prepare the caught trout immediately. Trout sashimi costs about 15,000 KRW, and grilled trout about 20,000 KRW, making the prices reasonable. The fresh trout’s firm texture and deep flavor were enough to captivate visitors’ palates. Winter snacks like tteokbokki and fish cake soup are also abundantly available throughout the festival site, adding to the enjoyment.

The Pyeongchang Trout Festival boasted its status as a representative winter festival by attracting over 45,000 visitors within just three days of its opening.
[Photo by Pyeongchang Trout Festival]

The golden trout catching event is the highlight of the festival. The lucky person who catches a specially marked golden trout at the ice fishing site receives a pure gold commemorative plaque weighing 0.5 don. Even if you don’t catch one, you can spin the roulette in the "No Miss Day" event to win prizes, making it a program everyone can enjoy.

The Pyeongchang Trout Festival is loved by both domestic and international tourists. Southeast Asian tourists from Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam repeatedly expressed amazement at the new experience of ice fishing, and visitors from Europe and the United States also fully enjoyed the festival’s charm.

A visitor is catching a trout through ice fishing. Rumors about the excellent size and taste of Pyeongchang trout have spread, leading to an increase in anglers visiting from all over the country.
[Photo by Pyeongchang Song-eo Festival]

The popularity of the Pyeongchang Trout Festival is confirmed by numbers as well. Following about 45,000 visitors in the first three days, more than 400,000 tourists are expected during the festival period. Along with the Pyeongchang Trout Festival, winter festivals in Gangwon-do continue. Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, Hongcheongang Frozen Festival, and Inje Icefish Festival are scheduled one after another, so Gangwon-do is expected to be filled with the warmth of winter festivals until the end of January.

Choi Ki-seong, chairman of the Pyeongchang Trout Festival Committee, said, "As many visitors come, we have prepared with safety and enjoyment as the top priorities," adding, "You can also receive discounts by donating through the hometown love donation system or purchasing Pyeongchang love gift certificates to use at the festival site."

A foreign visitor holding a freshly caught trout and striking a commemorative pose.
[Photo by Pyeongchang Trout Festival]

How about creating special memories this weekend at the Pyeongchang Trout Festival with ice fishing experiences, fresh trout dishes, and time spent with family, lovers, and friends? The warm happiness felt in the cold winter awaits you at the Pyeongchang Trout Festival.