"Wow, Mom, I got one."
An elementary school student who had cast a fishing rod over the ice suddenly sprang to their feet. What came up through the ice hole was a smelt the size of a palm. The child learned the joy of winter angling by immediately frying and eating the fish they had caught themselves.
The 2025 Yangpyeong Smelt and Trout Ice Festival will run through Mar. 2 next year at Sumi Village in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi. The event offers a variety of rural and nature experiences in winter. It is a good outing for families with children or couples on weekends. Visitors can catch fish and try making foods such as steamed buns, dalgona, and pizza.
As the name suggests, the core of the festival is hands-on experiences with "smelt" and "trout." Smelt are a representative species for ice fishing in winter, a small fish that lives only in clear water. The flesh is tender with little fishy smell, making it well suited for frying.
Trout are a cold-water species in the salmon family that grow only in cold, clean water. Because they are strong, the activity of catching them with bare hands can be a game in itself. The firm flesh can be enjoyed grilled, raw, or fried.
Outdoors, there is a smelt ice fishing experience where visitors lower a rod into holes drilled in the ice. Required gear such as fishing rods, bait, chairs, and cushions is provided on site. Trying ice fishing firsthand offers a winter scene not easily found in the city.
If the cold wind is a concern, indoor programs are available. Inside a large dome, visitors can scoop up smelt with a dip net, or catch trout by hand in a shallow tank. Basic gear such as dip nets, waders, and boots is provided on site, but because you may get wet, it is best to bring a change of clothes and a towel.
Sumi Village became the venue for a smelt and trout festival for geographic and environmental reasons. Heukcheon, the stream running near the village, has clear water and low temperatures, creating an environment favorable for cold-water species since long ago. Combining agriculture with hands-on and tourism programs, Sumi Village has developed a representative winter experience festival based on these natural conditions.
The fish experience is available for as low as 10,000 won per person with an online reservation, and visitors can enjoy the smelt or trout they catch, fried on the spot. On-site payment costs about twice the reservation price, so booking in advance is advantageous.
There are also food-making experiences. Visitors can choose one of steamed buns, dalgona, or strawberry syrup and make it themselves. There is also an experience to make a pizza for 2 to 4 people. From kneading the dough to adding toppings and baking, the process serves as a hands-on learning experience for children.
There is also a program to tour around Sumi Village on a four-wheeler. Even without a driver's license or driving experience, participants can join by riding on a vehicle driven by a guide. A sledding hill has been set up near the venue. It is free with a package purchase.
Yangpyeong County Chief Jeon Jin-seon said, "We hope the Yangpyeong Smelt and Trout Ice Festival will become a special memory for tourists visiting Yangpyeong in winter," adding, "We expect this to help Sumi Village establish itself as Yangpyeong's representative hands-on tourist destination."
☞Getting there
Destination: Sumi Village Visitor Center / Heukcheon area, Bongsang 2-ri, Danwol-myeon, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi (55-2 Gobdani-gil)
Via: Saengsaeng Strawberry Farm, 1469 Pension / 40 Darine-gil, Danwol-myeon, Yangpyeong County
Note: Organizers advise entering both the destination and the via point in your navigation app.