"Of Skis and Soap Operas" Kangnung by bpacker

Kangnung Travel Guide: 17 reviews and 38 photos

Yong Pyong Ski Resort

What do skis and soap operas have in common? A lot if you consider that a romantic soapie was filmed right in this ski resort. Never mind if only one leading actor can snowboard decently ( Bae Yong Jin!!), the romantic tear-jerker had a huge following in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong etc. Yes, thousands, including me, wept over the ludicrous plot that over-stretched itself. The only saving grace was the beautiful backdrop of Yong Pyong. The shizophrenic lovers frolicked in this place and tempted many others to follow suit. But so much for frolicking, this place is intended for those to do serious skiing. Afterall, wasn't this the site of the winter Olympic games? Another site that was used for the Olympics is Muju Ski Resort but that's further away from Seoul and has reputedly less snowfall.
I did 3 intense days of skiing and despite my challenged psychomotor skills, I managed to zig zag my way down the slope by the second day . I'm proud to say that I didn't return with a leg cast or cause a major Korean avalanche over there. Maybe I'll return some day....

Giant Snow Sculptures@ Hwenggye

That's a Singaporean, not an Innuit

There was a snow festival of some sort in the little snowy town near Yong Pyong. Lovely place, lots of good food and Korean igloos. Hmm?

Winter Sonata Filming Sites

This is strictly for fans of W.S and for those who wish to challenge their supply of grey cells. Check out my travelogue and read more about it...

Pros and Cons

Pros:Lots of snow for you to frolick or ski on ...
Cons:Too many darn skiers over here! Inconsiderate snow boarders, so-so accomodations
In a nutshell:More of a ski place for the younger crowd

Last visit to Kangnung: Jan 2004
Intro Updated Aug 24, 2006
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (17)

Savouring Herbal Tea on a Cold Winter's Day - Kangnung

YongPyong:A restaurant at the top of the... Off The Beaten Path (5)

Fancy dining at more than 1400m above sea level? There is a beautiful Western restaurant that's situated at the peak of... more travel advice

YongPyong:Take a cruise on the gondola Off The Beaten Path (5)

This cable car ride is quite comparable to the one in Langkawi (Malaysia) as it is a whopping 3.7km long joyride. You'll... more travel advice

YongPyong:Taking a Snowy Walk in the... Off The Beaten Path (5)

Yong Pyong can be quite scenic so why not take a walk during the day time while the rest of the people are on the... more travel advice

Korean igloo + Opportunistic tourist+Grin - Kangnung

Snow Festivals: Hwengye and Yong Pyong Off The Beaten Path (5)

There's a couple of snow festivals here, the more notable one being the Fun, Snow and Ski Festival and a smaller scale... more travel advice

Travelogues (2)

1 - 2 of 2

Comments (5)

Reply
- Report abuse
doreeny Mar 1, 2006 at 1:39 AM

Serioudly, skiing in Japan is not as expensive as most people think :) There are really great deals available -- though mostly in Japanese :P
Reply
- Report abuse
i-s-a Jan 9, 2006 at 12:11 AM

Aha! A Winter Sonata Fan hahaha. Nice photos Glen. Seems we're looking at each others pages at the same time. I'm always thinking about Korea these past few days...hmmm longing for another visit ;0)
Reply
- Report abuse
robertgaz Dec 14, 2005 at 11:41 PM

Isn't snowboarding for people who do not feel that skiing is lethal enough?
Reply
- Report abuse
BluBluBlu Sep 6, 2005 at 2:17 AM

Great tips & photo's Glenda! Blu
Reply
- Report abuse
kenmerk Feb 3, 2004 at 12:55 AM

Enjoyed seeing the latest on Kangnung/Sorak, Glenda, I used to spend alot of time up there long ago. (especially the "combat skiing" at Yong Pyong.) If you want to try more civilized skiing in Asia, try Hokkaido, its a bit more orderly than Korea. Cheers.