| Dates | 31 Dec – 1 Jan 2025 |
|---|---|
| Weather | December average 8/0 °C (46/31 °F), 37 mm of rain January average 5/−3 °C (42/27 °F), 48 mm of rainMonthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Gangneung station, about 15 km away. |
| Venue | Jeongdongjin Sandglass Park and beach (beside Jeongdongjin Station)강원특별자치도 강릉시 강동면 정동역길 17 (정동진역 일원) |
| Admission | Free; the evening programme, the hourglass rotation and the sunrise need no ticket (KTO lists admission as free). |
| Previous edition | 2023: 31 Dec – 1 Jan 2024 |
| Next edition | 2025: 31 Dec – 1 Jan 2026 |
Program
- Plannedperformances, hourglass rotation and fireworks at Gyeongpo Beach and Sandglass Park; the fireworks were dropped on 30 December
Notes on the 2024 edition
Scaled back during the national mourning period after the Jeju Air crash at Muan: Gangneung cancelled the fireworks at both venues and reviewed cuts to other events. Whether the stage performances and the hourglass rotation went ahead was not confirmed.
About the festival
The Jeongdongjin New Year Sunrise Festival is Gangneung City's free New Year's Eve and first-sunrise event at Sandglass Park beside Jeongdongjin Station on Korea's east coast, where an 8 m hourglass is turned over at midnight. In 2025–26 it ran 20:00–00:30 on 31 December and 06:00–08:00 on 1 January, with sunrise at 07:39; the 2026–27 edition is expected on the night of 31 December 2026 but had not been announced by 19 October 2026. Jeongdongjin is about 2 h 10 m from Seoul Station by KTX-Eum (₩28,300), but in the timetables checked no regular train arrived before sunrise, so arrive on the 31st or take a special New Year train.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Jeongdongjin New Year Sunrise Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
21 October 2026, against the sources listed below.