Trout Festival at the Winter Wonderland ? Pyeongchang, South Korea

The Pyeongchang Trout Festival is a seasonal festival that takes place during winter in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

This year, Pyeongchang marks a ceremonial milestone as it celebrates the trout festival alongside the 2018 Winter Olympics, where most of the sports venues are located.

During the festival, visitors can experience and enjoy a variety of programs and activities aside from the traditional trout ice fishing.

South Korea Guide (2018 Blog Series)
• Ultimate Guide to Seoul, South Korea!
• Winter Korea: Here is what it’s like to go skiing in South Korea!
• South Korea Day Trip: Nami Island, Petite France and Morning Calm Garden!

Located high up in the mountains of Pyeongchang and 2 hours away from Seoul, the trout festival takes place in a frozen lake right outside the city.

Trout farming first started in the rivers of Pyeongchang due to its unique location and crystal clear icy waters.

The mighty Odaecheon river, an ideal environment where the cold water trout fish can grow abundantly.

Trout is cold water fish that only inhabit the cleanest and coldest waters high up in the mountain valleys. The trouts themselves offer plenty of nutrients and makes for a delicious raw snack according to some locals.

Pyeongchang is the perfect venue since it’s rich in spring waters from the limestone mountains nearby.

We arrived in Pyeongchang early in the morning. It is said that the best time to catch the fish is before the sun starts to warm up the river.

Part of the package that we availed included van transfers, private tent, and a meal that would otherwise be excluded if you booked it by yourself.

It was windy when we arrived, and there were a lot of tourists trying their luck in catching the famous trout.

Lucky for us, our package came with a private tent for the ice fishing!

I can’t imagine myself standing out in the open for who knows how long?

According to my guide, people from all over Korea flock to this place with their kids and families to bond and fish or share a fish that they might or might not catch.

Asking around, I noticed that a lot of guests have invested in some expensive fishing equipment and have probably done this multiple times.

I could also tell that some of them have been here for hours without a catch (there really is no guarantee you will catch anything).

As fate would have it, I was able to catch a big trout just 5 minutes after I sat down! How’s that for beginner’s luck?

What I caught was relatively big compared to the others.

I was told I was allowed to catch as many as I could during the day, and that I could bring my catch inside to be grilled (for a fee) or eat it on the spot.

And after 30 minutes, my freshly caught trout was ready! I shared my catch with the guides and they all loved it. I like how the tender fish meat tastes more savory and better the longer I eat.

There are also various traditional activities that guests can participate in, such as…

…snow sled…

…bumper cars…

…ice bicycle…

…and skating while sitting!

There are also (one-time) motorized activities for guests who availed of the package, like…

…being pulled by a snowmobile while on a snow raft…

…4×4 river tour…

…and of course, ice carting.

This is the perfect experience with your friends, family, and kids!

I really enjoyed the Annual Trout Festival in Pyeongchang despite the freezing weather.

It was an honor participating in one of South Korea’s most popular festivals. It was a fascinating festival that let me experience a traditional Korean event just like in the olden days.

Not to mention my catching a trout for the first time! Just don’t be disappointed if you don’t catch a fish; remember, you’re there for the experience and not the fish.

 

South Korea Guide (2018 Blog Series)
• Ultimate Guide to Seoul, South Korea!
• Winter Korea: Here is what it’s like to go skiing in South Korea!
• South Korea Day Trip: Nami Island, Petite France and Morning Calm Garden!

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Live an Awesome Life,

Disclosure: Our tour in South Korea was courtesy of Juan World Philippines & Starway Korea. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.

P.S. Note: I highly suggest that you join an English tour package. Not only is it hassle-free, but you also save time, effort, and money. Not to mention that it’s hard to get around Korea without knowing the local language.