Chuncheon

Chuncheon(Korean:춘천;Hanja:春川市;Korean pronunciation:[tɕʰun.tɕʰʌn]; literallyspring river), formerly romanized asCh'unch'ŏn, is the capital ofGangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the north of the country, located in a basin formed by theSoyang RiverandHan River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notablySoyang LakeandUiam 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 dramaWinter Sonata. It is where the resort island ofNamiseomis located. Also, Gangwon Provincial Office is located in the city.
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 ofChuncheon National MuseumandHallym UniversityMuseum.  In 637 AD the city was calledUsooju. In 757 AD it was renamedSakuand again in 940 AD asChunju(춘주;春州) before receiving its current name in 1413. In 1896, Chuncheon became the capital city ofGangwonprovince. The city was largely destroyed during theKorean Warin theBattle of Chuncheon.
Uiam Damon the Bukhan River was completed in 1967.In 1995 Chuncheon city was merged with the government of the surrounding Chuncheon county.
In the spring, the Chuncheon International Mime Festival is held, as well as the Spring Season Art Festival. In the summer, theChuncheon Puppet Festivaltakes place. There is also aMakguksufestival; a cold noodle dish that originated in Chuncheon. Also celebrated in the summer is the International Animation Festival. The city has had its own annualmarathonrace since 1946; theChuncheon Marathonis held every October. In winter, snow and ice festivals are organized. Currently, MAC Architects-Consultants Group Ltd. (명승건축그룹) is building theDesign and Arts Arcadia of Myungseungin Chuncheon.
According to the legend surrounding the templeCheongpyeongsain 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.
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, slicedcabbage,sweet potatoes,tteok(rice cakes), andscallions, mixed with a spicy sauce heavy ongochujang. 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 specialtyMakguksunoodles are famed throughout the country.
Gim Yujeongmunhakje is a literature festival that takes place in April every year in memorial of the novelistGim Yujeong.Uiam jae is another festival in April in which people worshipNongaewho 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 classicaltraditional music of Korea.Chuncheon Puppet Festivalshowcases traditional puppet shows every August while traditional theatre plays are performed on Chuncheon International Theatre Festival in SeptemberChuncheon International AniTown Festival in September is a free event that enables participants to learn more about animation production.
In August, visitors can enjoy traditional Chuncheon cuisines likeDak-galbi(spicy stir-fried chicken) andMak-guksu(buckwheat noodles) during theChuncheonDakgalbi & Makguksu Festival.The Soyang festival, which takes place in September, promotes the cultural history of theSoyang Dam.
There are three marathons in Chuncheon every year. The National inlineskate Chuncheon Marathon takes place in April while The Chosun Ilbo Chuncheon Marathonand the Lakeside Chuncheon Marathon Festivalare both held in October.People participates in Chuncheon Open International Taekwondo Championships in June to compete for championship in theKorean martial artsTaekwondo.Gangchon national MTB Challenge Competition September is amountain bike racingfestival.
Legoland Korea Resort in Chuncheon covers 280,000 square meters, making it the 2nd largest in Asia behindLegoland Malaysia Resort.
Chuncheon is the market center for agricultural produce from the surrounding area. The main products are rice andsoybeans. Since the 1960slight industryhas become dominant in the city. After the huge success of the TV dramaWinter 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 arehydroelectric powerplantsin the area around Chuncheon. TheSoyang Damis the largest sand gravel dam in East Asia.
Per Korean census data, Chuncheon's population has grown steadily over the past half century.
As of June 2014, there are two train stations in the Chuncheon suburban area: the terminus of theGyeongchun Line,Chuncheon station, and the busierNamchuncheon station.Gimyujeong,Baegyang-ri,Gulbongsan, andGangchonstations, all located in rural Chuncheon, attract tourists. Gangchon is one of the most favorite recreational destinations for university students. TheGyeongchun Lineis adouble trackrapid transitcommuter train that connects toYongsan,CheongnyangniandSangbongstations inSeoul. 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 asCheonmasan,Sinnae, andByeollae.
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 thepublicly fundedJungang Expressway, and the main destination of the privately runSeoul-Chuncheon Expressway, as also known as Gyeongchun Expressway that connects toSeoulandHongcheon-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.
OnNational roads-wise, Chuncheon is also the main strategic destination that connects betweenChangwontoCheolwonof Route (Number) 5,IncheontoGoseongof46, andCheolwontoYangyangof 56.
There are also river transport facilities in Soyangho (Lake Soyang), which connects to Cheongpyeongsa (청평사, Buddhist) temple.
Chuncheon has a monsoon-influencedhumid 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.
High1(하이원) is an ice hockey team based in Chuncheon. The club was a member of theAsia League Ice Hockeybetween 2005 and 2019.
Chuncheon's association football club,Chuncheon FC, is a member of theK4 League, a semi-professional football competition and the fourth tier of theSouth Korean football league system. The club was founded on 27 February 2010 with its home at theChuncheon Stadium.
Chuncheon protested against the enactment of "Day ofTakeshima" ordinance ofShimane Prefecture, which expressed dispute over theDokdoIslands, and announced suspension of its sisterhood relationship withKakamigaharain March 2005.