Carving Korea: a guide to skiing and snowboarding in South Korea

Though South Korea may not spring immediately to mind as a winter sports destination, its well-developed resorts and abundance of snow make it a worthwhile choice for keen skiers and snowboarders. It’s also one of the few places in the world where you can hit the slopes by day and party in a major metropolis – Seoul – by night.
Pyeongchang county is set to host the Winter Olympics in 2018, and South Korea has ramped up development of its winter zones, including building a new high-speed KTX rail line from Seoul to the Olympic resorts, which are nestled in the Taebaek Mountains (sometimes called the Korean Alps) in Gangwon-do.
You can get a jump start enjoying South Korea’s pistes before the Olympic crowds descend. Here’s our how-to guide for discovering Korea’s best slopes and fluffiest powder.

Korea's mountains and resorts

Korea is bisected by the Taebaek Mountains, a range that stretches along the eastern side of the Korean peninsula, from Wonsan in North Korea all the way down to Busan in southern South Korea. At their highest, the Taebaks reach 1708m in a pinnacle at Seoraksan in Gangwon-do.
For this reason, Gangwon-do is the best province in South Korea for snow sports, as its altitude allows for the greatest snowfall. Plenty of powder falls here to delight downhill skiers, and snowboarders will find the sport a craze among Koreans, who are often seen whizzing down slopes kitted out in the newest gear.
To boot, the 2018 Winter Olympics will be hosted in Pyeongchang county, at Alpensia and Yongpyong, two resorts right in the heart of Gangwon-do.
But snow delights can be found further afield in Korea, with many popular resorts dotting the lower hills that surround Seoul, as well as further south in Jeollabuk-do. Many of South Korea's resorts also offer night skiing on lit slopes.

Choosing a resort

You have a lot of options when it comes to picking a ski resort in South Korea, depending on your time, skill level and how much you want to spend. Most resorts have ski schools with instructors that speak English, so even if you’re new to the sport you will be accomodated for. Korean resorts are generally very modern, many offering automated digital lift pass scanners at chairlifts. Most resorts also have a range of eating options in a ski lodge-style base at the bottom of the hill. Lifts range from basic two-seaters to four-seat fast Pomas and enclosed gondolas.

Top resorts

High1 Ski Resort is tucked away in the heights of the Taebaek Mountains and sees a lot of powder. It’s also one of the largest resorts in South Korea and offers enough diversity and wide slopes to satisfy skiers used to the delights of the Rocky Mountains. There are also a variety of hotels here and a casino to keep non-snowheads occupied.
Yongpyong Ski Resort is consistently touted as South Korea’s favourite ski resort, and indeed, it is the largest and most well-served in the country. It also tends to be the most crowded, but with 15 lifts and 31 pistes, you never feel boxed in.
Together with Yongpyong, Alpensia Ski Resort will host the 2018 Winter Olympics snow events. Alpensia is a tiny resort well-served by a purpose-built village, though the snow on its smaller hills isn’t as good. With an indoor water park onsite and numerous food outlets, it’s a great option for an inclusive stay or for families who don’t want to wander too far from the slopes.

Close to Seoul

A huge number of ski resorts are clustered close to Seoul and can be reached in a day trip on dedicated shuttle buses, though they tend to be more crowded than resorts a bit further away.
Bears Town Ski Resort is one of the best and most popular in the area and is less than an hour from Seoul. It is one of the largest with 11 lifts, and it offers a decent spread of difficulty levels and has a ski and snowboard school.
Elysian Gangchon Ski Resort is also a great bet, mainly because it can be reached via public transport from Seoul (subway line 7 goes here in about an hour).