When it comes to classic winter activities, skiing in Japan or Korea is definitely a top choice, right? In fact, in recent years, many people have been heading to Korea for skiing. It’s not just because the prices are lower—there are also many added services that make Korea skiing great value for money, even more appealing than Japan skiing！
KoreaSkiing5Top 5 Reasons to Go
KoreaReasons to Ski #1?Affordable Prices
▲ Korea Skiing VS. Japan Skiing. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Experts)
Generally, skiing in Japan during winter costs around3000~5000New Taiwan Dollars/per day. Plus, most ski resorts in Japan are located in more remote suburban areas, so you may also need to factor in other extra expenses like costly transportation. But in Korea, you can usually join a professional ski tour for3000just New Taiwan Dollars/per day and have a blast！?
KoreaReasons to Ski #2?Convenient City Pickup
As mentioned earlier, because ski resorts cover a large area, both Japanese and Korean ski resorts are located some distance from city centers, often taking1~3hours to reach. If you're just trying out skiing for the first time and don’t want to splurge on staying at a ski village, arranging how to get to the resort yourself can be quite a hassle.
Unlike Japan ski tours, most one-day Korea ski tours now offer super convenient city pickup. Just head to major transport hubs like Myeongdong or Hongdae, and you can hop on the ski tour bus. Not only does this save time and trouble, but you can even catch up on some sleep on the way without worrying about missing your stop. Just relax and sleep—you’ll be woken up when you arrive at the resort！
KoreaReasons to Ski #3?Chinese-Speaking Instructors
▲ Korea Skiing Experience – Professional Instruction. (Photo / High One Official Website)
For skiing beginners, aside from cost and transportation, learning how to ski is a key consideration. Needless to say, having professional instructors and lessons is essential, but having Chinese-speaking instructors who you can easily communicate with will definitely help reduce the anxiety and mistakes of a beginner skier. You won’t have to worry about not understanding English ski instructions and not enjoying your time at the resort after traveling all that way.?
KoreaReasons to Ski #4?On-Tour Photography Service
Once you’ve covered those essentials, you’re pretty much ready to hit the slopes！ But for beginners, just learning how to use the gear, figuring out how to ski, and getting back up after every fall takes a lot of effort. Want to take amazing photos on top of that? That really requires some serious determination. Wouldn’t it be great if the ski tour offered an on-tour photographer？
So if you're planning to join a one-day skiing tour, you might also want to take this into consideration and calculate which skiing tourCPoffers better value!
South KoreaReasons to Ski #5?Resort Accommodation
For travelers who have a bit of a budget and prefer a more laid-back experience, you might actually consider staying directly at a resort within a South Korean ski field. Compared to Japan, many ski resorts in South Korea aren’t very expensive, and because they’re closer, you can spend more time skiing. When you do the math, theCPvalue is quite high and it’s much more relaxing too~
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South KoreaHow to Choose a Ski Resort?
After going through the reasons to ski in South Korea mentioned above, I’ll now tell you how to choose a ski resort in Korea. Basically, you can select based on travel time, slope levels, and overall experience:?
South KoreaSkiing Choice #1?Short Travel Time
ElysianSki Resorts, Oak Valley Ski Resort, and Jisan Forest Resort
If you don’t want to join any skiing tours in Korea and just want to play in the snow at a ski resort near Seoul, consider those that are only1~1.5hour(s) away. These nearby ski resorts allow you to spend more time skiing, and some, likeElysianSki Resort, can even be reached by taking the subway and then transferring to a ski resort shuttle.
All three of these South Korean ski resorts have multiple beginner slopes, making them very beginner-friendly — definitely great choices if you want to save time and still have fun.
South KoreaSkiing Choice #2?Popular Option for Beginners
▲Skiing in Korea – Experience at Hongcheon Daemyung Ski Resort. (Photo / High One Official Website)
Hongcheon Daemyung Ski Resort
Hongcheon Daemyung Ski Resort is arguably one of the most popular skiing options in South Korea, as it’s only1.5hour(s) away from central Seoul. If you join a one-day ski tour to Hongcheon Daemyung, there’s even a pick-up service from central Seoul. Moreover, the resort features several beginner slopes, ensuring even first-time skiers can have a great time!
And don’t forget, Hongcheon Daemyung Ski Resort was also a filming location for the popular Korean drama “Legend of the Blue Sea.” If you’re in Korea to ski, why not take the chance to visit such a beloved ski destination!
You Might Be Interested In:Ski Season in Korea Is Here！ Winter-Only Selection of Korean Ski Resorts — Compose Your Own Winter Love Story in Korea
South KoreaSkiing Options #3?Family Fun Together
▲ Korean Ski Experience – High One Ski Resort. (Photo / Tripbaa, Asia’s Free Travel Experts)
High OneSki Resort
High OneThe ski slopes are categorized by difficulty into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and feature the longest4.2beginner slope in all of South Korea, making it easier for beginners to get the hang of skiing. Moreover,High Onethe resort offers not only a variety of ski runs and sledding areas, but also hot springs, hiking trails, and panoramic views of Jijang Mountain and the Taebaek Mountain Range from the mountaintop, making it perfect for families to ski and enjoy a holiday together.
You Might Be Interested In:Ultimate Japan & Korea Ski Guide: A Lazy-Person's Guide for Beginners and Families to Have Fun~
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South KoreaWhat’s the Difference Between Skiing and Snowboarding?
After checking out the list of ski resorts in South Korea, many of you might be wondering how exactly to enjoy skiing there. It can be confusing trying to figure out the difference between skiing and snowboarding—no matter how many times you look, it’s still not clear how it works. Actually, it’s quite simple once you understand the English terms. Come learn about it with us right now！?
Skiing (Single Board)Snowboard
▲ Skiing Experience at a Single Board Ski Resort in South Korea. (Photo / High One Official Website)
The English term for single board skiing isSBisSnowboard, which means standing directly on a single ski board with both feet, without any additional aids. It feels a bit like surfing on snow and requires using your body’s balance to glide.
Snowboarding (Dual Board)Skiing
▲ Skiing Experience at a Dual Board Ski Resort in South Korea. (Photo / High One Official Website)
The English term for dual board skiing isSKI, which is the more common style most people are familiar with. It typically involves using two ski boards and a pair of ski poles, where you use both poles in your hands along with coordinated leg movements on the boards to move forward. It feels more like rollerblading or ice skating, and is suitable for those with lighter body weight and children.Skiingan abbreviation, and it’s also a relatively common way to ski. It typically involves using two skis and a pair of ski poles, moving forward by coordinating the actions of your feet on the skis and your hands gripping the poles. It feels similar to inline skating or ice skating, and is suitable for those with lighter body weight and children.?
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South KoreaSkiing for BeginnersQamp;A
Q:1:South KoreaWhat ski equipment is available?
▲Skiing in Korea - Hongcheon Daemyung Ski Equipment Rental and Sales Area. (Photo / High One official website)▲Skiing in Korea#8211;Hongcheon Daemyung Ski Equipment Rental and Sales Area. (Photo /High Oneofficial website)
Ski equipment in Korea can be divided into rentals of gear and clothing. If you rent on your own, the typical rental fees are calculated by time, with options for hourly or full-day rentals. The gear includes skis2~4, ski poles, snowboards ((ski)Ski poles, ski boards (snowboard), and ski boots, while the clothing category consists of ski jackets and snow pants.
Most current one-day ski packages in Korea already include round-trip transportation, a professional instructor, one hour of beginner lessons, and lift tickets. In addition, ski gear can be divided into equipment and apparel, usually covering the rental of skis, ski poles, ski jackets, and ski boots. Items such as sleds and other snow play equipment would need to be rented separately.1~1.5Q?
:2What should beginners in Korea prepare on their own?KoreaWhat should beginners prepare on their own??
Apart from the ski jackets and snow pants provided at Korean ski resorts, for hygiene and skiing considerations, it is recommended that you wear warm, flexible tops for the upper body, and snug long pants with thick socks for the lower body. Once you arrive at the ski resort, you can then put on the rented ski jacket and snow pants.
In addition, make sure to prepare three essential items: a hat, waterproof gloves, and goggles. Otherwise, spending the whole day in the vast outdoor ski resort will definitely be freezing cold. Moreover, besides offering windproofing and warmth, waterproof gloves also help prevent abrasions from falls onto rocks or trees, and goggles protect your eyes from sun and UV rays, ensuring good visibility in the snowy white landscape.
Q3:Do beginner skiers in Korea need to buy lift or escalator tickets? ▲Ski Experience in Korea - High One Ski Resort Lift. (Photo / High One official website)
Beginner skiers might think they’re just going to try out skiing in Korea and may not be sure whether they need to buy a lift package. In fact, with proper guidance from an instructor and a few practice runs, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to ski down smoothly. So unless you only plan to stay on the beginner slope to play in the snow and take photos, but actually want to ski multiple runs, it’s recommended to purchase a lift package. Otherwise, carrying your skis or poles back and forth will be more tiring than skiing itself.Also, some Korean ski resorts offer two ways to go up the mountain: lifts and escalators. If you just want to reduce the burden of carrying your ski gear uphill, it’s advisable to buy an escalator package. But if you’re a bit confident in your skills and want to fully experience the ski slopes, then you should opt for a package that includes the lift.
Q
:4What else should I pay attention to when skiing in Korea?KoreaIs there anything else to pay attention to when skiing?
In addition to wearing goggles to protect against sun and UV rays as mentioned earlier, it’s important to note that skiing is also a highly physically demanding activity. Therefore, be sure to stay hydrated regularly, and it’s recommended to drink water every half hour to avoid discomfort such as dry mouth, dizziness, and other symptoms.200~300mlwater to avoid discomforts such as dry mouth and dizziness.
Ｑ5：South KoreaWhat’s the best day to schedule a skiing trip in South Korea?
Since skiing is also a physically demanding activity—requiring prolonged and intense use of both hands and feet—it is recommended to place it in the middle days of your overseas trip. Try not to schedule anything too tiring or involving long walks on the days just before or after. It’s advisable to stay directly at a Korean ski resort after skiing, or go for an onsen (hot spring) soak to relax your muscles, reduce continuous physical exertion, and avoid ruining the rest of your itinerary.
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More travel tips:
New ways to ski in Seoul, South Korea｜Ice experiences:Ice fishing, snow tubing fun!
Japan & Korea ski DIY recommendations｜With private instructorsv.s Budget-friendly pick
Japan ski resort DIY guide｜4Even beginners can enjoy skiing
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