Danjong Cultural Festival and Wangsa-nam Draw 340,000 Visitors to Yeongwol; Sokcho’s Cheongchoho Blooms and Food Stalls Keep Crowds Coming
A clear, warm spring weekend sent visitors flocking to major tourist spots across Gangwon Province. From Yeongwol—buoyed by a hit movie and local festivals—to tulip-filled Sokcho, the whole region absorbed the spring surge and came alive. Yeongwol County says roughly 340,000 people visited Cheongnyeongpo and Jangneung through the 24th of this year. Cheongnyeongpo, the exile site of Joseon's sixth king Danjong, and the nearby royal tomb Jangneung have emerged as key spring destinations. The box-office success of the film Wangsa-nam and the Danjong Cultural Festival together drove a notable jump in visitors.
The festival grounds were crowded again on the second day, the 25th. When the ceremonial procession passed, spectators lined the route, and families and groups filled the areas around Jangneung and the Donggang riverside for spring outings. The movie’s location-driven tourism effect coinciding with the festival schedule created a short, intense surge in visitors to Yeongwol.
On the East Coast, Sokcho has become a spring hotspot. Tulips in full bloom at the Cheongchoho recreational area and Sokcho Plaza filled the square with visitors. Children darted through the colorful beds, while tourists queued to take photos with Sokcho’s mascots, 'Jjani' and 'Raeyo.' Couples strolled the Cheongchoho promenade hand in hand, families pushed strollers, and benches were dotted with people soaking up the spring sun.
Sokcho Tourist and Fishery Market stayed lively as well. Visitors holding local favorites like sweet-and-spicy fried chicken wove through market alleys on informal food crawls. The mix of flowers, mascots, and street food encouraged longer stays and more spending, a positive sign for Sokcho’s downtown businesses as the tourism season kicks off.
Meanwhile, as of 1:30 p.m. that day, traffic was slow on the Seoul–Yangyang Expressway heading toward Yangyang, especially between Gangil and Hwado and between Seorak and Namchuncheon. An accident on the Seochang–Maseong section of the Yeongdong Expressway caused congestion, and vehicles were also moving slowly on parts of the Maseong–Yeoju stretch.
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