Chuncheon (Korean: 춘천; Hanja: 春川市; Korean pronunciation: [tsʰun.tsʰʌn]; formerly romanized as Chunchŏn; literally spring river) is the capital of Gangwon Province in South Korea. The city lies in the north of the county, 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 (겨울연가). It is where the resort island of Namiseom is located.
Chuncheon has various districts that are rich in restaurants. One such area is Dakgalbi Street, which is packed with restaurants that specialize in the dish. Dakgalbi (Hangul: 닭갈비) is a delicious grilled chicken dish with vegetables and topped off with a spicy Gochujang sauce. Most restaurants will offer both tables with chairs and tables with floor seating. Chicken, rice cakes vegetables are grilled before you on the table's skillet. Near Kangwon National University's back gate there are a number of places for both Korean and foreign cuisines. Starting a block east of the bus terminal, you will find dozens of restaurants serving a wide variety of Korean dishes. The downtown market has a number of inexpensive food stalls serving all kinds of Korean food. Also get fresh fruits here, sweets, rice cake, meat as well as gaegogi (dogmeat) in season. A five-day market near the main post office also has tasty dishes as well as produce, fish, etc.
Chuncheon has plenty of bars and small, local establishments that serve beer and coffee and a limited selection of food. These small establishments are called "Hof's".
Koreans rely heavily on small, individual stores to provide goods and services for specific things. The idea of a mega store that sells everything is more recent, but growing in popularity. There are a few of these type of "mega" stores in Chuncheon, making it easy for a foreigner to find most of the grocery and general household items they need.
Motels can be found in many places throughout Chuncheon. While they vary in price, they tend to be around ₩40,000.
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For travelers weary of Seoul's crowds and big city atmosphere, Chuncheon can be an ideal place to spend several days. The area, surrounded by rivers and hills, offers a variety of relaxing outdoor activities and small town pace.
It was featured in the popular Korean drama, Winter Sonata, and so it is now a popular destination for tourists from around East Asia.
