'Global Winter Festival' Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival Opens... Crowds Gather from Dawn

Drilling Ice Holes and Clearing Snow from Early Morning
Busy Preparations to Welcome Visitors
Clearing Overnight Snow and Melting Stairs
'Visitor Safety' Remains the Top Priority
Spectacular Opening Ceremony at 5:20 p.m.
Kicking Off a 23-Day Festival Journey
Weekend Fishing Reservations Sold Out
Experience the True Essence of a Winter Festival

The "2026 Ice Country Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival," a winter event attracting global attention beyond South Korea, opened in spectacular fashion on January 10 along the Hwacheoncheon area in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province.

The winter festival attracting global attention beyond South Korea, the "2026 Ice Country Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival," spectacularly opened on the 10th along the Hwacheoncheon area in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province. Photo by Hwacheon County

A female tourist visiting the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, which opened on the 10th, is holding a Sancheoneo trout caught by fishing. Provided by Hwacheon County

Children who visited the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, which opened on the 10th, are showing the Sancheoneo trout they caught by fishing. Provided by Hwacheon County

A child visiting the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, which opened on the 10th, is showing off a Sancheoneo trout caught by fishing. Provided by Hwacheon County

A female tourist visiting the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, which opened on the 10th, is holding a Sancheoneo trout caught by fishing. Provided by Hwacheon County

A child is fishing at the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, which opened on the 10th. Provided by Hwacheon County

On the festival's opening day, the Hwacheoncheon area was filled with excitement from early morning as preparations were made to welcome visitors.

Festival officials braved subzero temperatures, drilling thousands of holes in the ice to prepare for fishing. There was also a flurry of activity as staff checked the thickness of the ice to ensure that anglers, eagerly awaiting the silver Sancheoneo trout, could enjoy fishing in optimal conditions.

In particular, the snow that fell overnight just before the opening added to the festive atmosphere, but also prompted emergency measures to prevent safety accidents.

Hwacheon County employees were fully mobilized from early morning, clearing snow along visitor pathways and melting frozen stairs to prevent slips and falls. An official on site stated, "We are focusing all administrative resources to ensure that visitors can enjoy the festival safely and comfortably."

The festival's excitement is expected to peak on the evening of January 10. Starting at 5:20 p.m., a spectacular celebratory performance will take place on the main stage, followed by a large-scale fireworks display that will light up the winter night sky of Hwacheon, serving as the highlight of the opening.

This year's festival runs for a total of 23 days, from today's opening until February 1. Throughout this three-week period, a wide variety of hands-on programs are available for all ages, including Sancheoneo ice fishing, barehanded fish catching, snow sledding, and the world's largest indoor ice sculpture plaza.

Festival officials are drilling thousands of holes in the ice early on the 10th, braving subzero cold to prepare for fishing. Provided by Hwacheon County

Officials of the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival are clearing snow early in the morning on the 10th. Provided by Hwacheon County

Officials of the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival are melting the ice on the stairs with torches in the early morning of the 10th. Provided by Hwacheon County

Citizens waiting at the fishing site ticket booth in the early morning of the 10th to enjoy the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival. Provided by Hwacheon County

Citizens waiting at the fishing site ticket booth in the early morning of the 10th to enjoy the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival. Provided by Hwacheon County

An official from Hwacheon County commented, "With the festival running for about three weeks, we hope families and couples will visit on a date that suits them and fully experience the essence of winter."