A mountain village in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, with a population of a little over 20,000, comes alive in winter. The 297,000-square-meter (about 90,000 pyeong) ice sheet over Hwacheoncheon, an area equivalent to 30 soccer fields, is packed with tourists from across the country. Their eyes are all fixed on small holes drilled into the ice. This is the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival.
Held around Hwacheoncheon in Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival runs through Feb. 1. Launched in 2003, the festival takes place every January and is the only "global festival" designated among Korea's winter festivals by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It is known to draw more than 1 million visitors each year, and CNN in the United States once profiled it as one of the "seven wonders of winter," noting the unusual sight of crowds fishing simultaneously on the ice.
The heart of the festival is, without question, sancheoneo ice fishing. Anglers catch sancheoneo through some 20,000 holes drilled in the ice. On weekends, visitors vie from dawn to secure the best "hot spots," even rushing in at opening. Fishing begins at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8:30 a.m. on weekends.
Visitors who register on site can fish in the downstream section from the No. 1 tunnel to the movable weir, while those with reservations can fish in the upstream section from below Baemeorigyo to the Baemeori weir. Maximum capacity is 8,000 people (on-site registration) and 3,000 people (advance reservation). The experience fee is 15,000 won for middle school students and older, and free for children under elementary school age.
Fishing continues at night. Night fishing operates from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a maximum simultaneous capacity of 2,000 people. The fee is the same as during the day.
Tourists who use accommodations in Hwacheon County receive free fishing vouchers. Those paying under 100,000 won receive two, those paying 100,000–150,000 won receive four, and those paying 150,000 won or more can receive up to six.
Sancheoneo caught by fishing can be enjoyed on site as hoe (sashimi) or grilled. Each person may take up to three fish, and sashimi and grilling stations are set up near both the on-site and reserved fishing areas.
To enjoy ice fishing, it is best to bring an ice chisel, a landing net, and a small chair. The landing net helps clear ice chips, and a chair is useful for long hours of fishing.
For deeper waters, a hand reel rod can be used, and with a short ice-fishing reel rod, the line length can be adjusted according to the depth.
There is no need to be disappointed if you fail to catch fish. The "sancheoneo bare-hand catching" experience runs every hour. Even in subzero temperatures, short-sleeved participants plunging their hands into the cold water to grab sancheoneo offer another spectacle.
The secret to the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival's continued success each year lies in its wide range of hands-on programs aimed at families. This year's venue features winter attractions such as snow sledding, ice sledding, and an ice bobsleigh. A course where visitors ride dedicated tube sleds down a 40-meter slope and a 100-meter ice run is drawing popularity. Traditional ice sledding and family ice sledding zones are also available, and visitors can enjoy an ice bobsleigh that descends through a spiral tube. Spaces for winter sports experiences such as ice soccer, curling, and figure skating are also in operation.
Hwacheon County Chief Choi Moon-soon said, "The Sancheoneo Festival is a winter playground that can be enjoyed day and night, not just for ice fishing," adding, "I hope families, couples, and friends will visit and feel the different charms of day and night."