As someone who grew up in a tropical country, experiencing winter and seeing snow has always felt like a dream. I first experienced winter in South Korea in 2023, but it wasn’t quite complete. I didn’t get to take photos fully surrounded by snow. If you’re wondering, Busan rarely gets snow, and when it does, it lasts for only about 20 minutes!

Now that my friends from the Philippines are visiting Korea this winter, I made sure to plan a trip to the best winter destinations where we could enjoy the snow to the fullest.

Eobi Ice Valley is a hidden winter wonderland where waterfalls freeze into breathtaking ice formations. It's a peaceful spot for hiking, photography, and even ice climbing. If you love stunning winter landscapes, this place is definitely worth visiting!

I had never heard of this place before, but it was included in our tour and I was amazed by how beautiful it looked in photos! The viewing area where we took pictures was a bit small, but the frozen waterfalls still made for an incredible backdrop. Just keep in mind that you can only see this icy scenery during the peak of winter!

I've been to Nami Island three times now - once in mid-fall, once in late fall, and now, in late winter. But this was the first time I saw it completely covered in snow! Luckily, it had snowed the day before our visit, making everything look even more magical.

Nami Island is a must-visit spot all year round - it’s stunning in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. I can’t wait to return in another season and see how different it looks!

I had known about Garden of the Morning Calm for a while, but this was my first time visiting. It was the last stop on our tour, and since we arrived at night, we got to experience its winter illumination festival. Seeing the gardens covered in snow and glowing with colorful lights made the experience feel even more magical.

I honestly thought this place was small at first, but as we walked around, I realized it was much bigger than I expected! One hour didn’t feel like enough time to explore everything.

I don’t have a lot of photos of the places from this trip because my hands were freezing, and I didn’t want to hold my phone. Thankfully, my amazing friends were there to take pictures of me!

If you’ve experienced winter in Korea, what are your favorite places to visit? Let me know where I should go next!