Chuncheon

Chuncheon 춘천시
Municipal City
Korean transcription(s)
• Hangul	춘천시
• Hanja	春川市
• Revised Romanization	Chuncheon-si
• McCune–Reischauer	Ch'unch'ŏn-si
From the left: Legoland Korea, Chuncheon Songam Sports Town, Chuncheon Post Office, Chuncheon Weather Station, Lake, and City Hall
Flag Badge
Location in South Korea
Coordinates: 37°52′N 127°44′E
Country	South Korea
Region	Yeongseo, Gwandong
Administrative divisions	1 eup, 9 myeon, 15 dong
Government
• Mayor	Yuk Dong-han (육동한)
Area
• Total	1,116.41 km2 (431.05 sq mi)
Population  (September 2024)
• Total	286,124
• Density	225/km2 (580/sq mi)
• Dialect	Gangwon
Area code	+82-33-2xx
Climate	Dwa

Gangwon Provincial Office Annex in Chuncheon

Chuncheon (Korean: 춘천; Hanja: 春川市; Korean pronunciation: [tɕʰun.tɕʰʌn]; literally spring river), formerly romanized as Ch'unch'ŏn, is the capital of Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the north of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notably Soyang Lake and Uiam Lake (or Uiam Dam). The area has small river islands, such as Sangjungdo, Ha-Jungdo, Bungeodo, and Wido.

It is a popular destination among east Asian tourists as it was featured in the popular Korean drama Winter Sonata. It is where the resort island of Namiseom is located. Also, Gangwon Provincial Office is located in the city.

History

The area now occupied by the city was first settled several thousands of years ago, in prehistoric times, as demonstrated by stone-age archaeological evidence in the collections of Chuncheon National Museum and Hallym University Museum. In 637 AD the city was called Usooju. In 757 AD it was renamed Saku and again in 940 AD as Chunju (춘주; 春州) before receiving its current name in 1413. In 1896, Chuncheon became the capital city of Gangwon province. The city was largely destroyed during the Korean War in the Battle of Chuncheon.

Uiam Dam on the Bukhan River was completed in 1967. In 1995 Chuncheon city was merged with the government of the surrounding Chuncheon county.

Culture

In the spring, the Chuncheon International Mime Festival is held, as well as the Spring Season Art Festival. In the summer, the Chuncheon Puppet Festival takes place. There is also a Makguksu festival; a cold noodle dish that originated in Chuncheon. Also celebrated in the summer is the International Animation Festival. The city has had its own annual marathon race since 1946; the Chuncheon Marathon is held every October. In winter, snow and ice festivals are organized. Currently, MAC Architects-Consultants Group Ltd. (명승건축그룹) is building the Design and Arts Arcadia of Myungseung in Chuncheon.

According to the legend surrounding the temple Cheongpyeongsa in Chuncheon, a man loved a princess so much that he became a snake and would not leave her alone. When she begged leave to collect rice from the temple, the snake let her go but then went looking for her, only to be struck dead by lightning. The princess then buried him at the temple.

Food

The city was historically known as a chicken farming region, and is famous for "dak galbi", which translates as chicken ribs. It consists of chicken, sliced cabbage, sweet potatoes, tteok (rice cakes), and scallions, mixed with a spicy sauce heavy on gochujang. It is usually cooked in a big iron pan in the center of the table, but the original method is over charcoal. Despite the name, the dish is traditionally made from leg meat, not ribs. There is even a street in the city dedicated to restaurants serving the dish, with some 25 restaurants populating the area.

Also, the regional specialty Makguksu noodles are famed throughout the country.

Tourism

Festivities

Cultural festival

Gim Yujeong munhakje is a literature festival that takes place in April every year in memorial of the novelist Gim Yujeong. Uiam jae is another festival in April in which people worship Nongae who sacrificed herself for the country. In May, the Chuncheon International Mime Festival gathers troupes from places including Denmark, Taiwan, Germany etc., to give theatre and dance performance. Chuncheon art festival in July provides performers with opportunities to show off their talents and skills. Chuncheon International Early Music Festival also takes place in July with a wide range of classical traditional music of Korea. Chuncheon Puppet Festival showcases traditional puppet shows every August while traditional theatre plays are performed on Chuncheon International Theatre Festival in September Chuncheon International AniTown Festival in September is a free event that enables participants to learn more about animation production.

Local festivals

In August, visitors can enjoy traditional Chuncheon cuisines like Dak-galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) and Mak-guksu (buckwheat noodles) during the Chuncheon Dakgalbi & Makguksu Festival. The Soyang festival, which takes place in September, promotes the cultural history of the Soyang Dam.

Leisure sports festival

There are three marathons in Chuncheon every year. The National inlineskate Chuncheon Marathon takes place in April while The Chosun Ilbo Chuncheon Marathon and the Lakeside Chuncheon Marathon Festival are both held in October. People participates in Chuncheon Open International Taekwondo Championships in June to compete for championship in the Korean martial arts Taekwondo. Gangchon national MTB Challenge Competition September is a mountain bike racing festival.

Legoland Korea Resort

Main article: Legoland Korea Resort

Legoland Korea

Legoland Korea Resort in Chuncheon covers 280,000 square meters, making it the 2nd largest in Asia behind Legoland Malaysia Resort.

Economy

Chuncheon is the market center for agricultural produce from the surrounding area. The main products are rice and soybeans. Since the 1960s light industry has become dominant in the city. After the huge success of the TV drama Winter Sonata, the city has also become a major "Korean Wave" (Han-ryu, 한류) tourist destination, attracting visitors from around East Asia.

Legoland Korea on Jungdo Island opened on May 5, 2022, featuring seven clusters with different themes and 40 attractions.

There are hydroelectric powerplants in the area around Chuncheon. The Soyang Dam is the largest sand gravel dam in East Asia.

Population

Per Korean census data, Chuncheon's population has grown steadily over the past half century.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1965	191,576	—
1970	209,821	+9.5%
1975	204,246	−2.7%
1980	210,985	+3.3%
1985	213,198	+1.0%
1990	217,869	+2.2%
1995	233,016	+7.0%
2000	251,991	+8.1%
2005	256,455	+1.8%
2010	272,739	+6.3%
2015	281,725	+3.3%
2020	284,645	+1.0%
Source: Statistics Korea (1965-2015), citypopulation.de (2020)

Education

National Universities

• Kangwon National University
• Chuncheon National University of Education
• Korea National Open University Gangwon Campus
• Korea Polytechnic 3 University

Private Universities

• Hallym University
• Hallym Sungsim University
• Songgok College

Transportation

Chuncheon station

As of June 2014, there are two train stations in the Chuncheon suburban area: the terminus of the Gyeongchun Line, Chuncheon station, and the busier Namchuncheon station. Gimyujeong, Baegyang-ri, Gulbongsan, and Gangchon stations, all located in rural Chuncheon, attract tourists. Gangchon is one of the most favorite recreational destinations for university students. The Gyeongchun Line is a double track rapid transit commuter train that connects to Yongsan, Cheongnyangni and Sangbong stations in Seoul. On 21 December 2010, a new realignment of the Gyeongchun Line was opened, and several new or transferable stations have since been opened to replace the existing stations outside Chuncheon, such as Cheonmasan, Sinnae, and Byeollae.

There is the Gyeongchun Line subway in Chuncheon. If you use the Gyeongchun Line, you can get to Chuncheon in an hour and a half from Seoul.

Chuncheon is the northern terminus of the publicly funded Jungang Expressway, and the main destination of the privately run Seoul-Chuncheon Expressway, as also known as Gyeongchun Expressway that connects to Seoul and Hongcheon-east. As of 2017, the expressway has been extended to east coast city of Yangyang, thus renamed to Seoul-Yangyang Expressway. Chuncheon Bus Terminal connects to all major cities in mainland South Korea.

On National roads-wise, Chuncheon is also the main strategic destination that connects between Changwon to Cheolwon of Route (Number) 5, Incheon to Goseong of 46, and Cheolwon to Yangyang of 56.

There are also river transport facilities in Soyangho (Lake Soyang), which connects to Cheongpyeongsa (청평사, Buddhist) temple.

Climate

Chuncheon has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen: Dwa) with cold, dry winters and hot, rainy summers. The lowest measured temperature was −27.9 °C (−18 °F) (6 February 1969), and the highest was 39.5 °C (103 °F) (1 August 2018). The annual precipitation is an average of 1347.3 mm.

Climate data for Chuncheon (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1966–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	12.7 (54.9)	19.9 (67.8)	23.5 (74.3)	32.0 (89.6)	34.0 (93.2)	36.4 (97.5)	37.2 (99.0)	39.5 (103.1)	34.7 (94.5)	28.5 (83.3)	24.8 (76.6)	16.6 (61.9)	39.5 (103.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	1.9 (35.4)	5.4 (41.7)	11.6 (52.9)	18.9 (66.0)	24.3 (75.7)	28.1 (82.6)	29.3 (84.7)	29.9 (85.8)	25.6 (78.1)	19.6 (67.3)	11.2 (52.2)	3.5 (38.3)	17.4 (63.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−4.1 (24.6)	−1.0 (30.2)	5.0 (41.0)	11.7 (53.1)	17.6 (63.7)	22.2 (72.0)	24.9 (76.8)	25.0 (77.0)	19.8 (67.6)	12.7 (54.9)	5.3 (41.5)	−2.0 (28.4)	11.4 (52.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−9.3 (15.3)	−6.7 (19.9)	−1.1 (30.0)	4.7 (40.5)	11.3 (52.3)	17.0 (62.6)	21.3 (70.3)	21.3 (70.3)	15.3 (59.5)	7.5 (45.5)	0.4 (32.7)	−6.6 (20.1)	6.3 (43.3)
Record low °C (°F)	−25.6 (−14.1)	−27.9 (−18.2)	−16.2 (2.8)	−6.4 (20.5)	1.6 (34.9)	5.6 (42.1)	11.7 (53.1)	11.3 (52.3)	1.9 (35.4)	−5.4 (22.3)	−15.8 (3.6)	−21.7 (−7.1)	−27.9 (−18.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	18.6 (0.73)	27.6 (1.09)	33.5 (1.32)	71.5 (2.81)	99.4 (3.91)	122.9 (4.84)	398.2 (15.68)	319.9 (12.59)	128.1 (5.04)	49.3 (1.94)	48.3 (1.90)	24.2 (0.95)	1,341.5 (52.81)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	6.2	5.9	7.3	8.3	9.1	9.9	15.6	14.0	8.3	6.0	8.0	7.5	106.1
Average snowy days	8.8	6.3	3.9	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.8	6.7	27.7
Average relative humidity (%)	68.0	63.2	60.6	58.8	65.0	70.6	80.0	80.5	78.2	76.2	73.3	71.5	70.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours	170.0	174.3	199.9	210.1	227.5	205.0	144.2	166.3	173.3	178.9	141.8	148.4	2,139.7
Percent possible sunshine	54.1	56.6	53.3	54.5	50.2	45.3	32.1	40.1	46.6	50.0	46.4	50.0	47.7
Source: Korea Meteorological Administration (snow and percent sunshine 1981–2010)

Sports

• Chuncheon Songam Sports Town

International competitions

High1 (하이원) is an ice hockey team based in Chuncheon. The club was a member of the Asia League Ice Hockey between 2005 and 2019.

Domestic competitions

Chuncheon's association football club, Chuncheon FC, is a member of the K4 League, a semi-professional football competition and the fourth tier of the South Korean football league system. The club was founded on 27 February 2010 with its home at the Chuncheon Stadium.

Notable people

• Son Heung-Min (손흥민), South Korean professional footballer
• Hwang Hee-chan (황희찬), South Korean professional footballer
• Hur Jae (허재), South Korean basketball coach and former basketball player
• Kim Jun-hyun (김준현), South Korean comedian
• Park Bo-ram (박보람), South Korean singer-songwriter
• Seunghee (Real Name: Hyun Seung-hee, 현승희), singer, dancer, actress and K-pop idol, member of K-pop girl group Oh My Girl
• Yebin (Real Name: Baek Ye-bin, 백예빈), singer-songwriter, dancer, composer and K-pop idol, former member of K-pop girl groups DIA and Uni.T.
• Changjo (Real Name: Choi Jong-hyun, 최종현), singer-songwriter, rapper, dancer, model, actor and K-pop idol, member of K-pop boy group Teen Top
• Gim Yu-jeong (김유정), one of the novelists of Korea
• Jin Jong-oh (진종오), a South Korean sports shooter who competed at the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics
• Han Seung-soo (한승수), the 39th prime minister of Rep. of Korea, tenure 2008–2009
• Minji (Real Name: Kim Min-ji, 김민지), singer-songwriter, dancer, and K-pop idol, member of K-pop girl group NewJeans

Sister cities

Chuncheon protested against the enactment of "Day of Takeshima" ordinance of Shimane Prefecture, which expressed dispute over the Dokdo Islands, and announced suspension of its sisterhood relationship with Kakamigahara in March 2005.

City	State	Country	Year launched	Year terminated
Higashichikuma District	Nagano Prefecture	Japan	8 June 1984
Hōfu	Yamaguchi Prefecture	Japan	29 October 1991
Dongdaemun District	Seoul	South Korea	2003
Ansan	Gyeonggi Province	South Korea	2011
Kakamigahara	Gifu Prefecture	Japan	31 October 2003	25 June 2005
Addis Ababa	Addis Ababa (State)	Ethiopia	2 May 2004
Chicago	Illinois	United States	1998
Nanyang	Henan	China	15 September 2012

See also

• List of cities in South Korea

External links

• Chuncheon travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Official Homepage of Chuncheon (in English)