Pyeongchang
Korea's mountain roof — Olympic snow, temple forests and highland sheep
Pyeongchang is the high country that hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics, and it is far more than its ski runs. Spread across the Taebaek mountains in eastern Gangwon, it gathers Korea's best-known slopes, a great forest monastery reached by a path of towering firs, and the rolling sheep pastures of Daegwallyeong, a thousand metres up with the East Sea glinting beyond. This is where flatland Korea gives way to ridgelines and cool air — an alpine county of four distinct seasons rather than a single town.
It rewards a weekend, whether you come for snow, foliage or the high green quiet. This guide covers what to see, how to get here from Seoul, and how to spend a perfect day in the mountains.
A unique place
What sets Pyeongchang apart is altitude and space. It is a county, not a city — its sights lie scattered across mountain valleys, so the pleasure is the landscape between them: fir forests and temple bells at Odaesan, the wind turbines turning along the Daegwallyeong ridge, ski gondolas idle and green in summer, and buckwheat fields that turn a startling white each September. The Olympics left good roads and a fast train, but the character is older and slower — pilgrims on the forest path, herders on the high meadows, and the particular clarity of Korean mountain light. Come for the air and the space as much as any one sight.
Getting around Pyeongchang
Take the KTX from Seoul (Cheongnyangni or Seoul Station) along the Gyeonggang Olympic line to Jinbu Station, about an hour and thirty-five minutes and the handiest gateway for Odaesan, Woljeongsa and the Olympic sites; some services also reach Pyeongchang Station. From there, county buses and taxis reach the main sights, and resorts run their own ski-season shuttles — but because the temple, the ranches and the slopes sit far apart across the valleys, a hire car makes the whole county much easier to combine. For the wider picture, see Getting around South Korea.
Places you don't want to miss
Woljeongsa & the fir-forest path
A mountain monastery deep in Odaesan, approached along a kilometre of soaring fir trees — one of Korea's loveliest temple walks, often filmed. At its heart stands a graceful nine-storey octagonal stone pagoda. Cool, fragrant and unhurried; the walk is as much the point as the temple.
Odaesan National Park
A range of 1,500-metre peaks blanketed in pine and fir, laced with temple trails. Walk on to Sangwonsa and its famous bronze bell, or climb toward Birobong — best in early October, when the foliage turns the whole massif gold and russet.
Daegwallyeong Sky Ranch
Korea's most photographed grassland: rolling sheep pastures a thousand metres up, ridgelines of wind turbines, and the East Sea glinting far below. Ride the open tractor-cart to the top and walk the meadows — an unexpectedly Alpine corner of Korea.
Yongpyong & Alpensia
Korea's ski heartland: Yongpyong, the country's oldest resort and an Olympic alpine venue (and a Goblin filming location), and purpose-built Alpensia, with its ski jumps. In green season the gondolas and a mountain coaster keep the peaks in play.
The 2018 Olympic legacy
The Winter Games left their mark at Daegwallyeong: the Olympic Plaza and cauldron where the ceremonies were held, the sliding centre for bobsleigh and luge, and a small museum. A short, cheerful pilgrimage for anyone who watched the Games.
Bongpyeong & the buckwheat fields
The village of Lee Hyo-seok, whose story When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom made these hills famous. Each September the fields turn a sea of white blossom and the Hyoseok Cultural Festival fills the lanes — and buckwheat noodles are the local plate year-round.
Walk the fir path to Woljeongsa slowly, and let the forest do its work. The trees run straight and tall on either side, a hundred years old and more, so the light comes down green and filtered and the temperature drops a degree with every step. The air smells of resin and damp earth; the river keeps pace on your right; the city drains out of you. Koreans call a walk like this sallim-yok — a forest bath — and here it is literal. By the time the pagoda appears through the trunks, you have already arrived somewhere, long before you reach the temple gate.
A few myths (and realities)
Myth: The 2018 Olympics were in Pyongyang
Reality: They were in Pyeongchang, in South Korea's Gangwon province — not Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The confusion was common enough that the Games were officially styled "PyeongChang" to keep them apart.
Myth: It's only worth visiting for skiing
Reality: Pyeongchang is a four-season county — temple forests and hiking in autumn, highland meadows and cool air in summer, buckwheat blossom in September, snow in winter.
Myth: It's hard to reach
Reality: The Olympic KTX line put Jinbu about an hour and a half from Seoul. Once there, though, the sights are spread out, so plan for buses, taxis or a hire car.
Where to stay
In ski season, base yourself at the resorts — Alpensia or Yongpyong — for ski-in convenience and shuttles. Otherwise, the area around Jinbu and the Odaesan entrance suits temple and hiking days, and there are pensions and hanok-style stays scattered through the valleys. Neighbouring Gangneung, twenty minutes on by KTX, makes an easy coastal base to pair with the mountains. See Gangneung.
When to visit
Winter (roughly December to February) is the headline season, with reliable snow and the full run of resorts; autumn, especially early-to-mid October, brings superb foliage on Odaesan; and September adds the buckwheat blossom at Bongpyeong. Being high, Pyeongchang stays notably cooler than the lowlands — a genuine summer escape from Korea's heat, if wetter in the monsoon weeks. See Best time to visit South Korea.
Day trips from Pyeongchang
Pyeongchang sits at the heart of eastern Gangwon, within easy reach of the coast and its mountain neighbours:
- Gangneung — the east-coast city of beaches and famous coffee, about twenty minutes on by KTX — the natural pairing for a mountains-and-sea trip.
- Seoraksan & Sokcho — Korea's most dramatic national park and its seafood gateway, up the coast to the north.
- Jeongseon — a neighbouring mountain county known for its five-day market, a rail bike and steep valley scenery.
For where Pyeongchang fits in a longer trip, see our South Korea itinerary.
A final word
Pyeongchang is Korea at altitude — a county of forests, ridgelines and cool clear air where an Olympic winter, a forest temple and a thousand-metre sheep meadow sit within a short drive of one another. Come in winter for the snow, in October for the foliage, or in the green months for the space and the quiet; walk the fir path, stand on the Daegwallyeong ridge with the turbines turning, and eat the local beef, and the mountains reward the detour from the coast every time.
Visiting Pyeongchang: FAQs
How do I get to Pyeongchang from Seoul?
Take the KTX along the Gyeonggang Olympic line from Cheongnyangni or Seoul Station to Jinbu Station, about 1 hour 35 minutes. From there, local buses, taxis, resort shuttles or a hire car reach the temple, ranches and ski slopes.
Is Pyeongchang worth visiting outside ski season?
Yes. Odaesan's temple forests and hiking are superb in autumn, the Daegwallyeong sheep meadows and cool air make a fine summer escape, and Bongpyeong's buckwheat fields bloom white each September.
What is Pyeongchang famous for?
Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and is home to Korea's leading ski resorts at Yongpyong and Alpensia, the forest temple of Woljeongsa in Odaesan National Park, and the Daegwallyeong highland sheep ranches.
Is Pyeongchang the same as Pyongyang?
No. Pyeongchang is a mountain county in South Korea's Gangwon province and hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea. The Games were styled PyeongChang partly to avoid the confusion.
When is the best time to visit Pyeongchang?
Winter (about December to February) for snow and skiing, and autumn (early-to-mid October) for foliage on Odaesan. September adds the buckwheat blossom, and the highlands stay cool in summer.