Hwacheon: The 2025 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, one of South Korea’s most popular winter events, concluded with a record-breaking turnout, the event’s organizers announced Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the festival, which celebrated its 20th anniversary, commenced on January 11 in Hwacheon. This remote mountain town in Gangwon Province is located 25 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border and approximately 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul.
The festival attracted over 1.86 million visitors this year, surpassing the previous record of 1.84 million set in 2019. Among the attendees, 122,000 were foreign visitors, a significant increase from the 85,000 recorded last year.
Since its inception in 2003, the festival has consistently drawn over 1 million visitors almost every year, gaining global recognition. This year’s event reached the 1 million visitor milestone a day earlier than in 2024.