Korean ski resorts stay open long after dark. Lifts at Vivaldi Park and Elysian Gangchon keep turning until 3am on peak nights, and the slopes fill with office workers and students who arrived from Seoul after dinner. The snow is mostly machine-made and firm, the runs are short by Alpine standards, and the whole operation is built for speed: rent everything at the base, ride a few hours, take the bus home.
Most of the skiing is in Gangwon, in the Taebaek Mountains east of the capital. Pyeongchang, host of the 2018 Winter Olympics, has the biggest resorts: Yongpyong, which opened in 1975 as Korea’s first modern ski area, Alpensia and Phoenix. High1 sits higher up in Jeongseon, and the far south has Muju Deogyusan, home to the country’s longest run.
Nobody flies to Korea just for powder. But if you are in Seoul between December and February, a day or two on the slopes is cheap, easy to arrange by train or shuttle bus, and a very different look at Korean winter.
At a Glance#
- Biggest resort: Yongpyong in Pyeongchang, with 28 slopes and the Olympic slalom runs, a short shuttle from Jinbu station on the KTX line to Gangneung.
- Olympic venues: Alpensia, beside the Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium, and Phoenix in Bongpyeong, which hosted the freestyle and snowboard events.
- Highest and longest: High1 in Jeongseon, topping out at about 1,340 m, and Muju Deogyusan in Deogyusan National Park, with the 6.1 km Silk Road run.
- Day trips from Seoul: Konjiam in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, Elysian Gangchon near Chuncheon and Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon.
- Smaller resorts: Oak Valley near Wonju, Welli Hilli in Hoengseong and O2 in Taebaek.
- Costs: about 80,000 to 100,000 won for a full-day lift ticket and 35,000 to 45,000 won for skis or a board.
- Season: late November or early December to mid-March, best in January and February.
Pyeongchang#
Yongpyong is the most complete resort in the country: 28 slopes, 14 lifts and a gondola that climbs to the summit of Balwangsan in about 18 minutes. Its Rainbow runs at the top hosted the slalom and giant slalom at the 2018 Games, and the lower mountain has long, wide beginner and intermediate slopes. It is the usual first choice for foreign skiers because it has the most terrain, a choice of hotels and condos on site, and a free shuttle from Jinbu station, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Seoul by KTX.
Alpensia, a few kilometres away, is a small ski area at about 700 m built around the Olympic jumping hills and the cross-country and biathlon centre. Its handful of slopes suit families and beginners, and it runs its own shuttle from Jinbu.
Phoenix, in Bongpyeong in the west of the county, is the snowboarders’ resort. It hosted the Olympic halfpipe, slopestyle and moguls, keeps a terrain park through the season, and its 2.4 km Panorama run gives beginners a long, gentle descent. Pyeongchang is the best base for a ski week: you can ride two or three resorts from one hotel and add a trip to Odaesan National Park or the coast at Gangneung.
Jeongseon and Taebaek#
High1, in Jeongseon county south of Pyeongchang, has the highest lift-served terrain in Korea, about 1,340 m at the top, with 17 runs, three gondolas and a long top-to-bottom descent through forest. It was built next to the Kangwon Land casino, which keeps the hotels busy all year. Free shuttles meet trains at Gohan and Sabuk stations, but the journey from Seoul takes longer than to Pyeongchang, so it suits a stay of two or three nights.
Nearby, the Olympic downhill course at Jeongseon Alpine Centre on Gariwangsan was cut for the 2018 Games and is not run as a regular ski area.
O2 Resort in Taebaek is a quieter, cheaper option with 12 slopes and a summit around 1,400 m. Taebaek’s high, cold valley also hosts the Taebaeksan snow festival in late January or early February, so the two make an easy weekend together.
Day trips from Seoul#
Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon is the busiest resort in the country, popular with students and young office workers, with night skiing until 3am, a sledding area and the Ocean World water park. Weekends are very crowded.
Elysian Gangchon near Chuncheon is the easiest to reach without a car: take the Gyeongchun Line from Seoul to Baegyang-ri station, about an hour, and a free shuttle to the base. Its 10 slopes are mostly gentle. Konjiam, in Gwangju in Gyeonggi province, is the largest resort close to the capital, a short taxi from Gonjiam station on the Gyeonggang Line, with many beginner slopes and an app for tickets and rentals. Jisan Forest in Icheon is smaller and cheaper still.
Further east in Gangwon, Oak Valley near Wonju has 11 slopes in an oak forest, and Welli Hilli in Hoengseong has 20 slopes, a halfpipe and a mogul course.
Muju Deogyusan#
Muju Deogyusan Resort, in North Jeolla, is the only big resort outside Gangwon and sits inside Deogyusan National Park. A gondola climbs to about 1,520 m near Seolcheonbong, and from the top the Silk Road run winds 6.1 km back to the base, the longest in Korea. Raiders is the steepest slope in the country. Rime-coated trees along the ridge make the gondola ride a winter sight in itself, and our national parks guide covers the summit walk to Hyangjeokbong. Muju is about three hours from Seoul and closer to Daegu and Busan than any Gangwon resort.
When to go#
Resorts open from late November, as soon as temperatures allow snowmaking; in 2025 Yongpyong opened on 21 November and High1 a week later. Most close by mid-March, Muju and the high Gangwon resorts sometimes later. January and February are the most reliable months, with the coldest temperatures, the best snow cover and dry, sunny days. Expect -10°C (14°F) or colder at the top, with a hard wind.
Avoid weekends and the Seollal (Lunar New Year) holiday if you can. Weekday lift lines are short almost everywhere. See our best time to visit South Korea guide for the rest of the winter calendar.
Costs and booking#
| What | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Lift ticket, full day (7 hours), big Gangwon resort | about 80,000 to 100,000 won (about $60 to $70) |
| Vivaldi Park 7-hour ticket, 2025/26 | 83,000 won weekdays, 99,000 won weekends |
| Ski or snowboard rental, about 6 hours | about 34,000 to 43,000 won |
| Private lesson | from about 140,000 won |
Tickets are sold by the hour (4 hours, 7 hours, night sessions) rather than by the day, so pick the block that matches your plans. Online prices, Korean booking apps and package deals usually beat the window rate, and hotel packages at Yongpyong and High1 often bundle lifts. Clothing rental is standard at every resort, so you can arrive from Seoul in city clothes. Lessons in English are offered at the larger resorts; ask for an English-speaking instructor when you book.
Foreign-friendly tour operators run day trips from Seoul to Vivaldi Park, Elysian Gangchon and Yongpyong that bundle the bus, lift ticket, rental and clothing. For one day on the slopes, this is usually cheaper and simpler than arranging each part yourself.
Getting there#
The KTX from Seoul to Gangneung stops at Pyeongchang and Jinbu, about 1.5 hours from Seoul station, and Yongpyong and Alpensia run free shuttles from Jinbu. Resorts also run paid seasonal shuttle buses from pickup points in Seoul, which need a reservation. Driving is possible but the expressways east of Seoul jam on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and chains or winter tyres are wise in snow. Our getting around South Korea guide has train booking details.
Safety and etiquette#
Slopes are crowded, beginners are everywhere and many runs are narrow, so ride defensively and keep to your level. Snow is often hard or icy by afternoon, so rent a helmet with your skis. Check that your travel insurance covers skiing and snowboarding. For skiing elsewhere in the region, see our East Asia skiing guide and the world’s best ski resorts.
Best places to ski in South Korea#
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More Things to Do#
South Korea skiing FAQs#
What is the best ski resort in South Korea?
Yongpyong in Pyeongchang has the most terrain and the Olympic slalom runs, and it is easy to reach by KTX. High1 in Jeongseon has the highest and longest top-to-bottom skiing in Gangwon, and Phoenix is the best for snowboarders.
When is the ski season in South Korea?
From late November or early December to mid-March. January and February have the coldest weather and the best snow, and weekdays are far quieter than weekends.
How much does it cost to ski in South Korea?
A full-day lift ticket at a big resort costs about 80,000 to 100,000 won (about $60 to $70), and ski or board rental about 35,000 to 45,000 won. Online deals and Seoul day-trip packages are usually cheaper than buying at the window.
Can you ski in South Korea on a day trip from Seoul?
Yes. Elysian Gangchon is about an hour by train plus a free shuttle, Konjiam is a short taxi from Gonjiam station, and tour operators run day buses to Vivaldi Park and Yongpyong with rentals included.
Is the snow good in South Korea?
It is mostly machine-made and groomed, firm in the morning and often icy by afternoon. Natural powder days are rare, so Korea suits a short ski break more than a dedicated powder trip; Japan’s resorts get far more snow.
Can you ski at night in South Korea?
Yes, almost every resort runs night sessions, and Vivaldi Park and Elysian Gangchon keep some lifts open until 3am on busy nights. Night tickets are cheaper than day tickets.