Annual Snow Festival Returns to PyeongChang’s Winter Wonderland

PYEONGCHANG, Jan. 20  (Korea Bizwire) — The 31st Daegwallyeong Snow Festival, featuring a whimsical “Snow Journey with Nundong-i,” will transform the Songcheon area of PyeongChang County — home to the 2018 Winter Olympics — into a winter wonderland from January 24 to February 2.

The festival, which began in 1993 through grassroots community efforts, originated in Daegwallyeong, a region nicknamed “Korea’s rooftop village” due to its high altitude. Local residents initiated the event to showcase their winter culture and stimulate the local economy.

Over the years, the festival has gained prestigious recognition, including being named one of the top 10 festivals by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and serving as an official cultural event during the 1999 Asian Winter Games.

This year’s centerpiece attractions include a 120-meter snow tunnel and intricate snow and ice sculptures. The festival entrance features a snow tunnel shaped like a traditional lucky pouch, symbolizing New Year’s prosperity, alongside massive snow sculptures heralding the year ahead. Visitors can even glimpse their fortunes in a specially constructed igloo fortune-telling booth.

The organizers have incorporated local elements through relief sculptures depicting PyeongChang’s natural landscapes and snow sculptures featuring the festival mascot Nundong-i alongside representations of the county’s eight districts and their distinctive tourist attractions.

Ice sculptures of familiar animals, including polar bears, penguins, pandas, and deer, add to the festival’s visual appeal. The site offers numerous interactive winter activities, including a snowman-building plaza and a unique ice tag game featuring wild boars from Hwangbyeongsan.

Visitors can enjoy traditional winter sports and activities such as snow sledding, ice slides, ice curling, slide bowling, and top spinning. The festival also features distinctive culinary experiences, including an Ice Café where guests can sit on ice chairs while enjoying hot beverages and ice sculpture displays. Indoor venues offer winter comfort foods such as ramyeon, fish cakes, noodle soup, and tteokbokki.

“The festival committee and local residents are working tirelessly to create an accessible and enjoyable experience for all visitors,” said Kim Beom-jun, chairman of the Daegwallyeong Festival Committee, speaking on January 19. “We invite everyone to join us in making this year’s Snow Festival a resounding success.”

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