5 Reasons You Have To Experience An Ice Fishing Festival In Korea

Ice fishing was one of those things I’d heard about or read about in books growing up, saw in the movie “Grumpy Old Men” and thought, woah, that’s a funny thing to do in the winter. Isn’t it freezing? I had relegated fishing to a summer activity in my head, but it is indeed a winter experience as well and in Korea there are some great ice fishing festivals for everyone to partake in the fun. Looking for an ice fishing festival in Korea? There are three great ones to choose from.

Get ready to attend a Korean ice fishing festival:

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Why you should go to an ice fishing festival in Korea

An experience you’ll never forget: You can don shorts and t-shirts and catch fish with bare hands in freezing temperatures. Will you ever do it again? Probably not. Should you try it once? Absolutely!
Delicious local delicacies: One thing I love about visiting local festivals is the good food you can have. At an ice fishing festival, you’ll definitely want to eat some sashimi, baked fish, and other local delicacies.
Adventurous opportunities: Winter in Korea can be pretty fun if you know where to go. Ice fishing festivals are usually more than just ice fishing and often feature sledding, skating, and other fun experiences in one place.
Fun photos: From icecapades to snowy and icy sculptures and landscapes, take your camera because you will see picturesque views and may even catch your friends and family in funny poses… potentially kissing fish!
Family-friendly: If you’re unsure about taking the little ones with you, fear not. There is a lot more than just sitting on ice. There are often plenty of other activities in warm tents like traditional crafts, and there are ice and snowy fun so you can have plenty of outside time with warming opportunities in between.

What to wear and prepare

Winter in Korea can be frigid and cold, but even if you plan to go bare-hand fishing, there are plenty of ways to prepare so you’re not freezing the entire time.

Layering is key when it comes to staying warm in the cold Korean winter. This will allow you to regulate your body temperature better and if you get hot in the sun, you can remove something, and if you’re cold, you can add.

What to wear when you go to an ice fishing festivals in Korea:

Insulated jacket: A waterproof and insulated jacket to keep you warm and dry.
Thermal inner layers: Such as long-sleeved shirts and thermal leggings, to provide extra warmth. I personally love the Uniqlo Heattech clothing.
Waterproof pants: Insulated, waterproof pants to protect against snow and ice are a great idea since you’ll likely be sitting on ice and snow for the day.
Winter boots: Insulated, waterproof boots that provide good traction on snow and ice.
Thick socks: Wool or thermal socks to keep your feet warm.
Hat and gloves: Thick, insulated hat and gloves to protect your head, ears, and hands from the cold winter winds you might experience..
Scarf or neck gaiter: A scarf or neck gaiter to protect your neck and face from the biting cold.
Sunglasses: To protect your eyes from the glare of the snow. Not everyone needs them, but I know I do when it’s so bright in the winter and Korea often has clear sunny skies in the winter so protect your eyes.
Hand and Foot Warmers: These can be helpful, especially if it’s exceptionally cold.

Ice Fishing Festivals in Korea

There are three major ice fishing festivals in Korea with Hwacheon and Pyeongchang’s being the most popular. Hwacheon tends to have the best turnout and events and Inje is a bit more hidden and local and will require you to figure out how to get there. They’re all fun in some way though.

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Fishing Festival (얼음나라 화천 산천어축제)

Selected as one of the “7 Wonders of Winter” in Korea by CNN, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Fishing Festival is probably the most popular of the ice fishing festivals in the country. Visit to partake in ice fishing, but also ice sledding, seeing ice sculptures, and plenty of delicious fishy (and non-fishy) treats.

Take a tour out to the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Fishing Festival. You can find a tour on Klook or on kkday.

Address: 137 Sancheoneo-gil, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do (강원도 화천군 화천읍 산천어길 137)

Pyeongchang Trout Festival (평창송어축제)

Pyeongchang needs no introduction when it comes to winter activities. Host to the Winter Olympics, the area is a well-known winter destination. Aside from the snowy stops though, Pyeongchang also hosts an ice fishing festival on the Odaecheon River. You can ice fish with a line or try bare-handed ice fishing! There’s also snow tubing, sledding, and plenty of sashimi and grilled trout to devour.

Take a tour out to the Pyeongchang Trout Festival. You can find a tour on Klook or on kkday.

Address: 3562 Gyeonggang-ro, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do (강원특별자치도 평창군 진부면 경강로 3562)

Inje Ice Fishing Festival (인제 빙어축제)

For some reason the Inje Ice Fishing Festival doesn’t get as many group tours clamoring to go these days, but I’ve been and it was the same cold and chilly fun as the other spots but not as far out so don’t overlook it. First held in 1997, this festival focuses on the smelt fish and simultaneously hosts a fun(ny) ice soccer competition. There’s also a snow playground and village, sledding, and lots of great activities for visitors.