Skiing and Snowboarding in South Korea

Written and photographed by E.J. Jones

It has been a mild winter in Korea thus far. February is already here and we have only seen snow stick to the ground a handful of times. I am still waiting for us to get that one winter dump that tends to befall us at least once in a season. Yet, thanks to snowmaking technology, natural snow is not a necessity for enjoying the slopes. Getting to a ski resort may seem a bit daunting if you are a foreigner, and especially if you are new to the country and do not speak much Korean (I know it was for me when I first arrived four years ago). Now, I have had the chance to visit four different resorts in Korea and have held season passes at two.

Let’s talk about prices. In general, most resorts I have seen run 65,000–90,000 won for one adult day pass (without discounts). On top of that, if you do not have your own equipment, you will have to dish out about an extra 20,000–30,000 won for ski or snowboard rental, plus another 15,000 won or so for clothing to keep you dry and comfortable in the elements. This does not include food or bus fare to the resort! As you can see, skiing and snowboarding are expensive (and these are prices you will see everywhere, not just in South Korea). Luckily, you can save a ton of cash by owning your own equipment, purchasing a season pass, or joining an all-inclusive trip with a tour company such as Enjoy Korea or Wink. As for which resort to choose, there are many options. I will cover the four I have visited and list some pros and cons for each.

Muju Deogyusan Resort
Muju is the closest resort to Gwangju, with a bus commute time of about three hours (faster if you are lucky enough to find a buddy with a car). I have also heard rumors that there is a direct bus that can take you from Gwangju straight to the mountain. What I experienced at Muju was a lovely, family-friendly resort with decent snow and nice, long trails. There is also at least one really nice spa at the resort for soaking in the hot tubs after a frigid day on the slopes. In addition, there is a great shopping area for those friends n4fdtrf fx ot so keen on spending all day in the cold. It is a breathtaking view at night with all the lights, especially if you are lucky to go there after a nice snowfall.

For me, the biggest drawback to this resort was that there was not much of a free-style terrain park, which is a must for me. Also, the cost to stay in the resort’s overnight accommodation was quite pricy, in my opinion. On the flip side, the resort actually has two peaks, which means that, for the person who just wants to cruise, there are more than enough trails to keep one busy for a good couple of days. Discounts are offered for certain bank cards. Also, it is usually cheaper to stop by one of those rental shops on the way to the resort to get your equipment rather than paying the prices at the resort. Tip: If you are an experienced rider, the extra cost for the gondola ticket is definitely worth it as this lift is much faster than the regular lifts and also usually has a much shorter wait time. This goes for any resort, in my experience.

Pro: Closest resort to Gwangju; great facilities; some nice, long runs; very family-friendly.
Con: Becomes quite crowded on weekends, lacking in freestyle terrain.

High 1 Resort
I found out about High 1 upon joining a group ski trip organized by Wink, a tourist organization that organizes a variety of trips for foreigners. I highly recommend taking one of these trips if you are new to the area and want a hassle-free way to enjoy the slopes at a discounted rate and also to meet some new shred buddies along the way. I remember paying less than 200,000 won for a two-day trip that included riding, bus fare, equipment rental, and accommodation! As for my experience at High 1, I found this resort to be a big step-up from Muju for my personal tastes. They had a huge freestyle terrain park, super-friendly staff, and modern facilities. Since this resort is further away from Gwangju, I would stay with a friend in Seoul on Friday night, and then we would take the resort bus for two hours to the resort from there. I actually bought a pass to High 1 in 2015 for under 300,000 won, which paid for itself in just four trips. My time at High 1 was pleasant, and I highly recommend it.

Pro: Super-friendly staff, decent freestyle park, and longer runs.
Con: Park and layout don’t quite match up with Phoenix Resorts.

Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park hosted a number of events in the 2018 winter Olympics, including men’s and women’s ski and snowboard slopestyle and halfpipe events. Every year, Phoenix puts together the longest, most creative freestyle terrain park I have seen in Korea, making it my top personal choice over any other resort. If a good park is what you’re after, then Phoenix is your best bet. The resort is located about two hours northeast of Seoul.

Pro: Amazing freestyle park, longer runs.
Con: May be a bit more expensive than other resorts.

Welli Hilli Park
Welli Hilli Park Ski Resort, located about 20 minutes from Phoenix Park, is a nice resort but with much shorter runs than what you will find at Muju or Phoenix. It does, however, have a great freestyle terrain park and nice, modern facilities. If you are a beginner, chances are you’ll be spending most of your first day on the bunny hill anyhow.

Pro: Good freestyle park, possibly cheaper prices.
Con: Shorter runs.

As I mentioned, this is only a handful of resorts South Korea has to offer. Bottom line is, it is really not all that difficult to go snowboarding or skiing in South Korea. Most resorts have staff who can speak some English and have relatively reasonable prices. Though snowboarding and skiing are expensive sports, you can potentially save some won by using your bank card and renting equipment from ski shops outside the resort. Lastly, if you are planning a trip with friends and any one of you has an international driver’s license, consider renting a car and splitting the cost as you can save a lot of travel time that way. For the best experience, I recommend trying to go up to the ski resort the night before you want to ride, picking up ski equipment, and staying in a pension overnight. Then you can hit the slopes right away the next morning and beat the afternoon crowds.

Search Facebook for skiing and snowboarding groups and you will find a large community posting regular updates about upcoming ski trips and even selling used gear.

THE AUTHOR
Eden is an English teacher and musician who has been living in Korea since 2014. Before Korea, she was on her university’s freestyle snowboarding team and worked as a snowboard and ski instructor. Her favorite thing to do in winter is snowboard with friends.