It is the season when a knife-like wind digs into your whole body. The thought of wanting to sink into warm water comes naturally. Unlike the languid body, the occasional brush of cold air clears the head. How about savoring winter's atmosphere at an outdoor hot spring with mountains or the sea as a backdrop?
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety selected six hot springs that are ideal to visit in winter. As of the end of last year, Korea had a total of 555 hot springs across 446 areas. The hot springs selected this time are the "top 1%" for water quality and scenery.
Of the six selected, three are in Gangwon, two in North Gyeongsang, and one in Jeju. A common feature is that all have outdoor baths set amid mountains or the sea. They are assessed to offer environments where visitors can enjoy hot spring bathing within winter landscapes.
They also deliver on functionality. The high-quality spring water contains carbonic acid and sulfates; carbonic acid is known to promote blood flow, aiding circulation and cardiovascular health, while sulfates are known for moisturizing and soothing the skin.
In Gangwon, the list includes ▲ Inje Pillye Hot Spring ▲ Goseong Wonam Hot Spring ▲ Yangyang Seolhae Hot Spring. Pillye Hot Spring, formed in a valley area of Seoraksan Mountain, offers a quiet rest while taking in snowy vistas.
Nearby winter-scenery spots such as the Whispering Birch Forest, Gombaeryeong, and the Secret Garden are worth a visit, as are Inje's literary and art spaces including the Manhae Literature Museum, the Park In-hwan Literature Museum, and the Yeocho Calligraphy Museum.
At Wonam Hot Spring, you can take a bath while admiring the grandeur of Ulsanbawi Rock in Seoraksan Mountain. With Songji Lake and Hwajinpo—representative natural coastal lagoons of the East Sea—nearby, you can enjoy scenery where fresh and seawater blend, and security-themed tourist sites such as the Unification Observatory are also adjacent.
Seolhae Hot Spring sits in the eastern forested zone of Seoraksan Mountain and features gentle landscapes where forests and ridgelines connect. You can also enjoy a winter walk along the Yangyang Haeparang Trail linking Dongho Beach, Namdaecheon Stream, and Naksan Beach. Do not miss Yangyang Traditional Market, where specialties from the mountains and the sea gather.
In North Gyeongsang, Mungyeong STX Hot Spring and Cheongsong Solsaem Hot Spring were selected. Mungyeong STX Hot Spring was developed in mountainous terrain where the ridgelines of Songnisan and the Baekdudaegan connect. You can enjoy winter hikes at Mungyeong Saejae and Songnisan National Park, and encounter traces of local industry and daily life at places like Gaeun Mother-of-Pearl Market and the Mungyeong Coal Museum. Solsaem Hot Spring is located near Juwangsan National Park, where you can also take in winter mountain scenery such as Jusanje and Jeolgol Valley.
In Jeju, Sanbangsan Carbonated Hot Spring (Sage Hot Spring) was selected. It opened in 2004 as Jeju's first public hot spring and is located near Sanbangsan and Yongmeori Coast.
Its hallmark is hot spring water containing carbon dioxide gas. Along the Jeju Olle Trail, unique volcanic terrains continue, including the lava plateau on the Sagye-ri coast, Andeok Valley, and Gunsan Oreum. From December, when camellias come into full bloom, through the end of January, you can fully enjoy Jeju's winter at nearby camellia spots such as Camellia Hill.
Park Yeon-byeong, acting director-general for Local Autonomy Innovation at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), said, "Hot springs have long served as spaces of rest and healing in our daily lives," adding, "I hope you will relieve the fatigue of body and mind in warm hot springs during the cold winter."