At a glance
| Dates | Expected Jan 2027January 2027, most likely opening on a Friday or Saturday between 5 and 18 January and running 12–17 days, as in 2023–2026 (13–24 Jan 2023, 5–21 Jan 2024, 18 Jan–1 Feb 2025, 9–25 Jan 2026). No 2027 dates had been announced as of 19 October 2026; the 2023 and 2024 dates were public by 9 and 15 December of the year before. The ice zone opens only when the ice reaches 20 cm. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: January 2027, most likely opening on a Friday or Saturday between 5 and 18 January and running 12–17 days, as in 2023–2026 (13–24 Jan 2023, 5–21 Jan 2024, 18 Jan–1 Feb 2025, 9–25 Jan 2026). No 2027 dates had been announced as of 19 October 2026; the 2023 and 2024 dates were public by 9 and 15 December of the year before. The ice zone opens only when the ice reaches 20 cm. |
| Admission | Paid by activity: ice or pontoon fishing, bare-hand catching and the family indoor pond have each cost about ₩15,000–20,000, with lower rates for groups and concession holders, free fishing for preschool children, and part of each ticket returned as a Hongcheon Sarang gift voucher or a local-produce voucher. The ice-sled run and children's corners have been free.Ice or pontoon fishing, general (2026 price): ₩15,000 |
| Venue | Hongcheon riverside festival grounds, Hongcheon-eup강원특별자치도 홍천군 홍천읍 신장대리 85 (홍천강변 일원) |
| Nearest station | No rail access; see Getting there |
| From Seoul | about 1 h 7 min · Bus + TaxiLeave from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal · One-way fare from ₩8,800Full route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Hongcheon Culture Foundation, for Hongcheon County재단법인 홍천문화재단 (주최: 홍천군) |
| Usual timing | 12 to 17 days in January, opening on a Friday or Saturday between 5 and 18 January: 13–24 Jan 2023, 5–21 Jan 2024, 18 Jan–1 Feb 2025 and 9–25 Jan 2026. The ice-fishing zone opens only once the river ice is at least 20 cm thick. Dates have been public by mid-December. Browse January festivals. |
| First held | 2013 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 24 sources · See sources |
Ice conditions: Ice fishing depends on the ice. Organizers open the fishing zones only once the ice is thick enough to be safe, and close or delay them after a warm spell or rain; in mild winters some festivals have been postponed or cancelled. Check the organizer's notice the day before you travel.
What it is like
Hongcheon is a county town in Gangwon, east of Seoul, and every winter the county and the Hongcheon Culture Foundation build a temporary water barrier on the Hongcheon River beside the town centre so that the slowed water freezes into a fishing ground. The festival has run since 2013 (the 2026 edition was the 14th) and is built around one local twist: the trout are raised on feed mixed with six-year-old Hongcheon ginseng and sold as "ginseng trout". About 35 tons were to be released in 2026, most kept at about 800 g, with prizes for anyone who lands a "super" trout of about 1 kg or more.
There are several ways to fish. In 2026 there were three ice zones with holes drilled in natural river ice, and beside them a fixed floating pier with about 700 places, which families like and which becomes the fallback when the ice is thin. A family indoor pond is the warmer option, and a bare-hand catching pool ran four times a day on weekdays and five times at weekends, with chest waders and towels lent free. Each person may take two trout home, and the fish centre and grill stalls will slice or cook the catch on site. Around the fishing grounds are free ice-sled runs and children's corners (blocks, drones, VR), a stage with local performers and a singing contest, a DJ radio booth, food stalls and local-produce shops.
In 2026 ice or pontoon fishing cost ₩15,000, of which ₩5,000 came back as a Hongcheon Sarang gift voucher or a farm-produce voucher that can be spent at the festival and in the town's markets. Attendance has grown quickly, from about 160,000 in 2024 to 230,000 in 2025 and about 270,000 in 2026, according to the organizers.
The caveats: everything depends on the ice. In 2023 winter rain shut the ice zone on opening day, and in 2024 it was not thick enough at the opening, so fishing moved to the pier and the indoor pond until it froze. No English information from the organizer was found, and in 2024 the foundation asked night-market vendors to lower their prices after complaints.
Highlights
- Ice fishing for ginseng trout, raised on feed mixed with six-year-old Hongcheon ginseng, in three zones on natural river ice that must be at least 20 cm thick
- A fixed floating pier with about 700 fishing places beside the ice, popular with families and used when the ice is too thin
- Bare-hand trout catching, about an hour per session, four sessions on weekdays and five at weekends in 2026, with chest waders and towels lent free
- Family indoor fishing pond as a warmer alternative; fishing rods are lent free
- Take two trout home per person, or have them sliced as sashimi at the fish centre or grilled at the grill stalls
- Free ice-sled run and children's corners (blocks, drones, VR), stage performances, a singing contest, the Kkongkkong DJ radio booth and a closing-day lucky draw for a compact car
Who it suits. Best for families with children and first-time ice anglers who want a smaller winter fishing festival about an hour from Seoul by bus; less suited to visitors who need English-language support, dislike the cold, or would only travel if ice fishing is guaranteed, since the ice zone depends on the weather.
Getting there
From Seoul
Intercity bus between Dong Seoul Terminal and Hongcheon Terminal. About 34 buses a day from Hongcheon to Dong Seoul were listed in October 2026, scheduled at 1 h 07 m, ₩8,800 standard or ₩11,500 deluxe; the Seoul-to-Hongcheon timetable was not opened, but the route is the same. From the terminal, take a taxi or walk to the riverside grounds in Hongcheon-eup (the walking distance was not confirmed). Hongcheon has no railway: in January 2026 Korail sold a package combining a Mugunghwa train from Cheongnyangni to Seowonju with a tour bus to the festival. Drivers can use the free festival car parks.
Festival shuttle
Korail's 'Hongcheon city tour by Mugunghwa train' ran 8 times between 13 and 24 January 2026: a Mugunghwa train from Cheongnyangni to Seowonju, then a tour bus to the festival, Sutasa Temple on Gongjaksan, the Hite Jinro brewery, Hongcheon Art Museum and Hongcheon Cathedral; 40 seats per run, first come, first served. Its price was not given in the sources opened. In 2020 the agency Trazy sold a foreigners-only day package from hotels in Hongdae and Myeongdong as a full day trip. No 2027 shuttle had been announced as of 19 October 2026.
Getting home
About 34 buses a day ran from Hongcheon Terminal to Dong Seoul in October 2026, scheduled at 1 h 07 m; the January 2027 timetable has not been checked. Fishing ended at 17:30 in 2026. Check the last bus back at Hongcheon Terminal before the festival day.
Parking
Free parking in 2026 at the Sinjang-daeri off-street car park and the Hongcheon Traditional Market public car park.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ice or pontoon fishing, general (2026 price) | ₩15,000 | 2027 prices not announced; in 2026 ₩5,000 came back as a local voucher, and bare-hand catching or the indoor pond cost ₩20,000 |
- Booking
- No advance booking was described for 2026: tickets were sold on site for each fishing session (morning 08:30–12:00, afternoon 11:30–16:00). In 2019 online reservations were 10–20% cheaper, but no online sales were found for 2026. Seats on Korail's 2026 train-and-bus package were first come, first served.
- English on site
- No English information from the organizer was found; KTO's listing (seen through its Korean data mirror) and the news coverage are in Korean.
- Crowds
- About 270,000 visitors over 17 days in 2026 according to the foundation (230,000 in 2025, 160,000 in 2024). On the 2023 reopening morning the entry queue stretched about 100 m.
- Best time to go
- A weekday morning session (09:00–13:00), buying a ticket when sales open at 08:30; the bare-hand pool runs more often at weekends.
- What to bring
- A warm jacket, waterproof winter boots, thick socks, gloves and hand warmers; dry clothes if you do bare-hand catching (waders and towels are lent); money for the fish centre, food stalls and taxis.
- Rain
- Weather-dependent. Ice fishing needs at least 20 cm of ice: in 2024 the ice zone was closed at the opening and fishing moved to the pier and an indoor area, and in 2023 winter rain shut it from the opening day until 16 January. In 2026 the ice averaged 25 cm or more.
- Step-free access
- Fishing takes place on river ice; the floating pier is a fixed platform popular with families, and the indoor pond is the warmer, easier option. No step-free information was published.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | January 2027, most likely opening on a Friday or Saturday between 5 and 18 January and running 12–17 days, as in 2023–2026 (13–24 Jan 2023, 5–21 Jan 2024, 18 Jan–1 Feb 2025, 9–25 Jan 2026). No 2027 dates had been announced as of 19 October 2026; the 2023 and 2024 dates were public by 9 and 15 December of the year before. The ice zone opens only when the ice reaches 20 cm. | expected | Would be the 15th edition. No announcement found as of 19 October 2026. |
| 2026 | 9–25 Jan 2026 | ended | Ice averaged 25 cm or more through the festival. Three ice zones and a fixed pontoon pier on the river in Hongcheon-eup. |
| 2025 | 18 Jan – 1 Feb 2025 | ended | About 230,000 visitors, a record at the time and about 40% more than in 2024; provisional farm-product and food sales of about ₩500 million. |
| 2024 | 5–21 Jan 2024 | ended | Dates 5–21 January as announced in December 2023; the 5 January opening is confirmed by YTN, but no closing report was found. About 160,000 visitors. |
| 2023 | 13–24 Jan 2023 | ended | The river ice was about 15 cm thick in mid-December 2022, so the ice zone was smaller than in past years and more pontoon, lure and indoor fishing was added. |
Before or after the festival
Places you can fit in before or after the festival without missing the shuttle or the last train or bus back.
- Hongcheon Central Market (홍천중앙시장)After
Hongcheon-eup's traditional central market, selling farm produce, fish, food and household goods, and the place to spend the Hongcheon Sarang vouchers that come back with festival tickets; try olchaengi-guksu, a noodle dish the KTO listing calls a Hongcheon speciality. Go when fishing ends (17:30 in 2026); stall hours vary, so eat early and check the last bus to Dong Seoul at Hongcheon Terminal before you sit down. Tip: the Hongcheon five-day market is held here on dates ending in 1 and 6.
Getting there: On foot, about 330 m from the festival grounds (KTO data); free
Questions travelers ask
When is the Hongcheon River Kkongkkong Festival 2027?
Not announced as of 19 October 2026. It is expected in January 2027: from 2023 to 2026 it opened on a Friday or Saturday between 5 and 18 January and ran 12–17 days (9–25 January in 2026). Dates have usually been public by mid-December.
How much does ice fishing cost?
Fishing is ticketed: ice or pontoon fishing, bare-hand catching and the family indoor pond have each cost about ₩15,000–20,000 a session, less for groups and concession holders and free for preschool children, and part of each ticket has come back as a Hongcheon Sarang gift voucher or a local-produce voucher. Prices for 2027 have not been announced.
How do I get there from Seoul?
Take an intercity bus from Dong Seoul Terminal to Hongcheon Terminal (scheduled 1 h 07 m, ₩8,800 standard), then a taxi or walk to the riverside grounds. Check the last bus back to Dong Seoul at the terminal before the festival day. Hongcheon has no railway station.
What are the opening hours?
In 2026, 09:00–17:30, with ice and pontoon fishing in two sessions (09:00–13:00 and 13:30–17:30). Morning tickets were sold 08:30–12:00 and afternoon tickets 11:30–16:00. KTO lists 09:00–18:00.
Can I keep or eat the trout I catch?
Yes. Each person may take two trout home (preschool children may not take fish out), and the fish centre slices sashimi while the grill stalls cook your catch on site.
What happens if the ice is too thin?
Ice fishing needs at least 20 cm of ice. When it falls short the festival runs the floating pier and the indoor pond instead: in 2024 the ice zone was closed at the opening, and in 2023 rain shut it until 16 January. In 2026 the ice averaged 25 cm or more.
What is ginseng trout?
Farmed trout raised on feed mixed with six-year-old Hongcheon ginseng. The festival keeps most at about 800 g and also releases larger 'super' trout of about 1 kg or more, with prizes for catching one.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제kto — 2026 dates 9–25 Jan, hours 09:00–18:00, paid, held every January, venue 홍천강변 일원, KTO address 홍천읍 갈마곡리 신장대리 85, coordinates 37.6882/127.8867, organizer Hongcheon Culture Foundation, host Hongcheon County, 033-439-5800, homepage 홍천축제.kr, programme list, 800 g trout, Central Market 326 m, Torisup 555 m, listed 19 Dec 2012
- Twig24 — 6년근 인삼송어가 '펄떡'…홍천강 꽁꽁축제 내일 개막 (8 Jan 2026)news — 14th edition 9–25 Jan 2026, 17 days; ice and pontoon fishing ₩15,000, ₩5,000 less than 2025; indoor and bare-hand ₩20,000 unchanged; ₩5,000 voucher; 2 trout per person; ice over 20 cm; lucky draw 25 Jan 17:10, compact car from Sono International; Mugunghwa tour 8 times, Cheongnyangni–Seowonju, 40 seats, stops; free parking at Sinjang-daeri lot and traditional market lot
- Twig24 — '6년근 인삼' 먹여 키운 송어 잡으러 오세요 (9 Jan 2026)news — Opens 9 Jan to 25 Jan; ice, pontoon and indoor fishing; bare-hand area; sledding, blocks, drones, VR; Korail Mugunghwa city tour from Cheongnyangni to Seowonju and stops (Sutasa on Gongjaksan, Hite Jinro brewery, Hongcheon Art Museum, Hongcheon Cathedral)
- Segye Ilbo — 제14회 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 개막 (9 Jan 2026)news — Opening ceremony 9 Jan 2026; 14th edition; Korail Mugunghwa-and-tour-bus package, 8 runs, 13–24 Jan, 40 seats, first come first served
- Money Today — 펄떡펄떡 '인삼송어' 회 vs 구이 (7 Jan 2026)news — 14th edition 9–25 Jan, 17 days; theme; six-year-old ginseng feed; about 800 g; 35 tons released; bare-hand 4 sessions weekdays, 5 weekends, free chest waders and towels; super trout 900 g–1 kg+ prize; consolation prize; 2 trout take-home; sashimi station and grill area; about 230,000 visitors in 2025; 2025 sales about ₩500 million
- Segye Ilbo (Daejeon edition, PDF) — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 (7 Jan 2026)news — 9–25 Jan 2026, 17 days; ice at 20 cm; ice and pontoon fishing cut from ₩20,000 to ₩15,000; three ice zones and a 700-place pontoon area; 1 kg big-trout challenge at the information office; stage performances and singing contest
- Twig24 — [포토] 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 폐막 (25 Jan 2026)news — Closed 25 Jan 2026 after 17 days; about 270,000 visitors per the foundation; ice averaged 25 cm or more; new ice-sled area; DJ radio booth; vouchers usable at Hongcheon Central Market; record food and product sales
- Telltrip — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 guide (2026)blog — 9–25 Jan, 14th; 85 Sinjang-daeri; 20 cm ice; 09:00–17:30, sessions 09:00–13:00 and 13:30–17:30, sales 08:30–12:00 and 11:30–16:00; ₩15,000 (was ₩20,000), ₩10,000 groups of 30+ and concessions, preschool free; ₩20,000 bare-hand and indoor, ₩5,000 voucher; three ice zones; 700-place pier; free rods; bare-hand about 1 hour; free kids' areas; 2 fish; free parking
- Kyunghyang Shinmun — 강원 1월 축제 결산 (6 Feb 2025)news — 2025 dates 18 Jan–1 Feb; about 230,000 visitors, a record; 2024 about 160,000; increase of about 70,000 or 40%; Gangwon Visit Year recommended destination
- Food Today — 강원방문의해 1월 축제 성과 (6 Feb 2025)news — First held in 2013; 2025 opened 18 Jan and ran 15 days; 230,000 visitors, a record, up from 160,000
- Financial News — 강원방문의해 1월 추천 여행지 (21 Jan 2025)news — Recommended January 2025 destination by the Gangwon Tourism Foundation; about one hour from the capital region; ice-fishing and pontoon fishing areas
- Munhwa Ilbo — 강원 6대 겨울축제 준비 한창 (15 Dec 2023)news — 2024 dates 5–21 Jan; 50 tons of trout, 10 tons more than the year before
- YTN — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 개막, 얼음 두께 부족 (6 Jan 2024)news — 2024 opened 5 Jan, a day before Hwacheon (6 Jan); ice too thin, ice zone not opened; indoor fishing area and plastic floating pier
- YTN — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 야시장 가격 논란 (17 Jan 2024)news — 2024 night-market price complaints (sundae ₩20,000, tteokbokki and noodles ₩7,000); the Hongcheon Culture Foundation asked vendors to lower prices
- Seoul Shinmun — 반갑다, 동장군… 설레는 겨울축제 (9 Dec 2022)news — 2023 dates 13–24 Jan; organizer Hongcheon Culture Foundation; water-barrier works from 5 Dec to about 14 Dec; smaller ice zone, added pontoon, lure and indoor/outdoor fishing
- Financial News — 제11회 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 (19 Dec 2022)news — 11th edition 13–24 Jan (12 days); ₩15,000 for all programmes with ₩5,000 voucher; ice about 15 cm; super ginseng trout 1 kg+, 45–50 cm; bare-hand catching, pontoon and lure fishing, alpaca feeding, 4D VR
- NS News Seoul — 제11회 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 연일 방문객 (18 Jan 2023)news — 11th edition opened 13 Jan 2023, runs to 24 Jan (last day of Lunar New Year holiday); winter rain cancelled opening-day ice fishing, indoor pond expanded; ice zone reopened 16 Jan; ₩15,000 with ₩5,000 Hongcheon Sarang voucher; groups of 30+ and enlisted soldiers ₩12,000
- NS News Seoul — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제에서 위기탈출 NO.1 (18 Jan 2023)news — Ice zone restored overnight and reopened 16 Jan 2023; entry queue about 100 m on reopening morning
- Maeil Shinmun — 홍천강 꽁꽁축제 2019 (9 Jan 2019)news — 7th edition in 2019, to 20 Jan; 1 km of the Hongcheon River; online reservations 10–20% cheaper; ginseng-fed trout
- Korea Herald — Hongcheon River Kkong Kkong Festival (19 Jan 2015)news — English name Hongcheon River Kkong Kkong Festival; 2015 edition 17 days from 2 Jan; provisional 500,000+ visitors; 2014 edition 24 days, 410,000 visitors
- Munhwa Ilbo — 겨울축제 축소 검토 (6 Nov 2020)news — Hongcheon County considering a scaled-down January 2021 festival amid COVID-19, using 20 tons of trout already contracted
- Trazy — Winter Festivals Shuttle Bus Package: Seoul ↔ Hongcheon / Daegwallyeong / Inje (2020)other — 'Hongcheon River Trout Festival' 10–26 Jan 2020; foreigners-only package departing Hongdae 07:30 and Myeongdong 08:10/08:20, back in Seoul 20:00–21:00; ice fishing unavailable until 20 Jan 2020
- Hongcheon Terminal intercity bus departures (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-14)other — 34 buses a day to Dong Seoul, 06:00–21:30 (including 19:00, 19:30, 20:25, 20:30, 21:30); scheduled 1 h 07 m; ₩8,800 standard, ₩11,500 deluxe
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 홍천 중앙시장 (1,6일)kto — Hongcheon Central Market, 홍천로8길 17: farm and marine products, food and household goods; five-day market on the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st and 26th; hours vary by shop; olchaengi-guksu as a Hongcheon speciality; homepage given as hc5959.com
What we could not confirm
- 2027 dates, prices and programme had not been announced as of 19 October 2026; the official festival site (홍천축제.kr) was not opened.
- Status of the January 2021 and 2022 editions: a November 2020 report said the county was considering a scaled-down 2021 festival amid COVID-19, and the numbering (7th in 2019, 11th in 2023, 14th in 2026) counts every year from 2013, but whether either year was held or cancelled was not confirmed.
- Hours: Telltrip gives 09:00–17:30 with two fishing sessions, while KTO lists 09:00–18:00.
- The ₩10,000 group and concession rate, free rod rental and free children's corners come only from a blog; which concessions apply, and whether foreign visitors get any discount, was not found.
- Price of Korail's 2026 Mugunghwa train-and-bus package, whether it returns in 2027, and whether any shuttle runs from Seoul.
- Walking distance and route from Hongcheon Terminal to the grounds, and the Dong Seoul-to-Hongcheon timetable: only the Hongcheon departures page of a third-party mirror of the national timetable feed was read, and the detailed Hongcheon–Dong Seoul page could not be opened.
- Visitor figures are not comparable: the Korea Herald reported a provisional 500,000+ in 2015 and 410,000 in 2014, while 2025's 230,000 was called a record.
- Japanese and Chinese names not verified; no KTO English listing was located, and the festival is not in the site's KTO TourAPI snapshot (listed.json), so no TourAPI contentId was found.
- KTO writes the address as '홍천읍 갈마곡리 신장대리 85'; the exact entrance on the riverside was not confirmed.
- Last bus back from Hongcheon Terminal to Dong Seoul on the festival dates under the timetable in force that day.
- Evening opening of Hongcheon Central Market stalls in January (KTO says hours vary by shop), and whether hc5959.com, the homepage in the KTO listing, is the market's own site (not opened).
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-20 — Bus class corrected from the timetable: the fare listed as premium is deluxe (우등). · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed bus clock times from the October 2026 timetable, which does not cover January 2027; journey time, bus count and fares kept, with a reminder to check the last bus at the terminal. · 2026-10-30 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: removed the 2020 tour-package departure and return times; prices: exact 2026 fishing fees in the answer, admission and FAQ replaced by a range (about ₩15,000–20,000 per activity).
