'One Million People Flock to the Ice Field' Spectacle... CNN Says Korea Has a 'World's 7 Wonders'

Gangwon-do Hwacheon-gun 'Sancheoneo Festival'
International Interest Rises After US Broadcast
Establishes Itself as One of the World's Top 4 Winter Festivals

There is a domestic regional festival that has become a hot topic, being recognized by foreign media as one of the 'Seven Wonders of the World.' It is the 'Sancheoneo Festival' held in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do, which comes every winter.

The Sancheoneo Festival is held every January in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do. It has been held since 2003 and offers various events including ice fishing.

The highlight of the festival, Sancheoneo fishing, is carried out through collaboration between Hwacheon-gun and Sancheoneo farms nationwide. Tens of tons (t) of Sancheoneo raised in farms are transported to Hwacheon's breeding grounds and released, allowing tourists visiting the festival to catch them. Sancheoneo can be caught by lure fishing or by diving directly into the icy water.

2019 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do / Photo by Yonhap News

One Million People Break the Ice to Fish... CNN Selects It as One of the 'Seven Wonders of the World'

The unique way the festival is conducted has attracted the attention of major foreign media. In 2011, CNN introduced the 'Seven Wonders of Winter in the World,' and the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival appeared as the sixth on the list.

More than one million tourists, dressed in thick padding, flock to the festival site, diving into the icy water, which seemed fascinating to foreigners.

Since the CNN broadcast, international interest in the Sancheoneo Festival has greatly increased. Currently, the Sancheoneo Festival has established itself as one of the 'Four Major Winter Festivals in the World,' alongside the Quebec Winter Carnival in Canada, the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, and the Harbin Ice Festival in China.

Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival introduced by US CNN broadcast / Photo by CNN website capture

Temporarily Suspended Due to COVID-19... Held Again After 3 Years

Hwacheon-gun was unable to hold the Sancheoneo Festival for several years due to social distancing policies caused by the spread of COVID-19. The 2023 Sancheoneo Festival, scheduled to be held next January, marks the return of the Hwacheon local event after three years.

The county is already busy preparing for the festival. From the 23rd, about 171.5 tons of Sancheoneo weighing 250 to 500 grams, raised in 18 farms nationwide including Yeongwol, Chuncheon, Yangyang, and Gangneung, will be transported to Hwacheon. According to Hwacheon-gun, about 90% of the Sancheoneo used in the festival are raised in domestic farms.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.