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| yna@yna.co.kr 2023-01-31 10:47:34
SEOUL January 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean winter festivals which successfully ended in Gangwon province, led to the economic boom among Gyonggi Province.
Heavy rain which has struck the winter festival site in December 13, brought up a lot of unfortunate memories from three years ago when the winter rain storm struck the scene of the winter festival. Despite of the concerns, winter festival has successfully come to an end.
Some of the critics address the success of the festival was possible due to the efforts put in by the committee which one track minded towards successfully hosting the festival in order to jumpstart the stagnated economy of the province.
“Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival” which was held in three years due to the wide spread of COVID 19 and unrespectable weather changes, successfully kicked off the event on January 7 and came to an end after 23 days of its successfully run on January 29.
According to the data collected throughout the festival, over 1.3 million people have visited the site, showcasing its fame and recognition despite of it being held in three years.
Due to the unexpected increase in temperature and COVID 19, the festival was held off in 2020, 2021, and 2022, with those years excluded, “Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival” successfully continued on with its title of “Million Festival.”
Over 198 various medias from 52 different nations have addressed about the “Hwacheon Sancheon Ice Festival” and over 100 thousand foreign visitors has known to have visited the site of the festival despite of the COVID 19.
Overall visitors had gone down, compared to the number of visitors of “Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival” in 2019, where it recorded 1.9 million visitors, with a day of pause due to weather condition, critics consider the outcome of “2023 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival” to have been a success.
The original South Korean winter festival “Injae Smelt Festival” successfully accumulated over 203 thousand visitors from January 20 to January 29.
Due to the tight security, and effort for providing visitors with safe festival site, none of the accidents regarding safety has been reported.
One of the winter festivals which kicked off the earliest “Pyeongchang Trout Festival,” accumulated over 400 thousand visitors, has successfully came to an end on January 29.
In order to get the taste of catching a trout, over 100 of the people visitor the site daily as if they were clocking in for work, and through word of mouth, visitors of the festival showed drastic increase.
“Hongcheongang Ggong Ggong Festival” which kicked off on January 13 and ended on January 24, recorded over 150 thousand visitors within 12 days of the duration.
Due to the weather condition “Hongcheongang Ggong Ggong Festival” could not open their attractions for three day of its full potential.
However, the indoor fishing site, bare hand trout caching event, and various other attractions successfully brought in the visitors.
During the weekends, tickets to the indoor programs were hard to reserve and within the first two days of the festival over 30 thousand people visited the festival.
Moreover, “Cheorwon Hantangang River Ice Trekking,” “Daegwallyeong Snow Festival” and more has successfully hosted their winter festival.
Especially winter festivals held within Cheorwon and Pyeongchang has brought in huge push on the provinces economy which was suffering from the stagnation caused by COVID 19.
Throughout the festival food parlors and restaurants were packed with visitors and the accommodations were fully booked.
“Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival” which hosted a night festival as well filled the nearby streets with number of visitors in between Friday and Saturday.
Farmers within the province successfully sold their products on site of the festival, and students and residing people were offered with job opportunities throughout the festival.
“Pyeongchang Trout Festival” created over six thousand new job positions, and the three thousand won gift voucher led to the rejuvenation of the local economic boom.
According to the Festival committee the festival is known to have brought in over two billion won worth of economic increase including the material costs and more.
“Taebaeksan Snow Festival” will be continuing on with the success of the winter festivals being held in South Korea until January 31.
The festival which kicked off on January 27, is showcasing grand, and flamboyant snow sculptures to its visitors since it is the first festival being held in three years.
According to the official from the department in charge of winter festival on Tuesday, “Due to the unexpected weather condition, the festivals were faced with unexpected roadblocks, however we have all came together to overcome the hardships and successfully host the festival,” adding “For the upcoming festivals, we will make an improvement on the programs to provide better experience to the visitors.”
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Joonha Yoo)
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