By Honorary Reporter Theresia Kurniawan from Indonesia

Photos = Theresia Kurniawan

Under the slogan "Unfrozen Hearts, Unforgettable Memories," the annual Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival was opened on Jan. 7 in Hwacheon-gun County, Gangwon-do Province.

On Jan. 10, I visited the frozen Hwacheoncheon Stream, where the festival is being held through Jan. 29, after traveling two hours by bus from Seoul.

The sancheoneo is a fish that can live in clean water of under 20 degrees Celsius. The locals say the presence of the mountain trout is proof of no pollutants in the stream's water. As a dish, sancheoneo is well known for its health benefits such as lowering blood pressure.

When I arrived at the festival, I was welcomed by a fresh winter air colder than Seoul's. K-pop songs were playing in the background to create an exciting atmosphere and the venue was not as crowded since it was a weekday and just the fourth day of the festival.

I decided to try ice fishing at a fishing area for foreign visitors with English-speaking staff ready to help or answer questions. A fishing kit is included with an admission ticket and each person is limited to three fish. Expats, however, must return any fish they catch to the event staff.

Despite being a novice, I caught three sancheoneo in only 1 1/2 hours thanks to tips from staff, who taught me to properly move the fishing rod up and down frequently to lure fish.

I couldn't keep the fish I caught, but a ticket came with a complimentary grilled sancheoneo dish. It had a delicate and fresh taste and was tasty though it was marinated in soy sauce only. An extra fish portion cost KRW 2,000. Other food vendors in tents sold Korean snacks such as tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), eomuk (fish cake) and jeon (fried pancakes).

Next, I went ice and snow sledding but I didn't have time to try all of the festival's numerous activities like a bubble suit game on ice, curling and barehand fishing.

The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival was an unforgettable experience for me.

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.