Many think of beautiful beaches and fresh seafood dishes when they think of Gangwondo.

But Hoengseong, a picturesque inland city, is another worthy Gangwondo destination that offers many things to do and eat. It is a county well-known among Koreans.

In this blog, we'll introduce you to the city of Hoengseong, along with amazing things to eat, do and see.

Why Is Hoengseong Well-known Among Koreans?

The wide daily temperature range and clean waters of Namhan River and Seomgang River, along with its inland location surrounded by Mt. Chiak and Mt. Baegoon, make Hoengseong the best place for breeding Korean beef.

Consequently, Hoengseong's hanwoo, or Korean beef, is renowned nationwide and Korean travellers open their wallets for this delectable premium beef when in town.

Another specialty worth trying in Hoengseong is Anheung jjimbbang, or steamed buns.

Before Yeongdong Expressway was opened, the jjimbbang from the Anheung region started spreading by word of mouth from patrons who stopped by on their ways to and from Seoul to Gangneung, making this fluffy delicacy another must-eat.

The delicious local food, quaint nature scenes and fun activities like skiing and golfing are what keep Korean travellers coming back to the county to spend leisurely vacations.

Transportation

How To Get To Hoengseong From Seoul

The easiest way is to take the KTX train from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni Station, which takes less than an hour and a half to reach Hoengseong (around 13,000 won).

If you take a bus from Dong Seoul Station, it takes about 2 hours to get to Hoengseong Intercity Terminal and costs 9,000 won and up.

Websites To Book Tickets: Kobus, TxBus, BusTago, Korail

How To Get Around Hoengseong

Because buses come sparsely and public transit is not the most convenient, we recommend you rent a car or travel by taxi.

Going from a place to the next should take around 20 minutes on average by car so it's definitely the easiest option!

Recommended Itinerary

횡성호수길5코스
Hoengseong Lake Trail Track #5

Address: 강원 횡성군 갑천면 구방리 산164

Hours: 9:00-18:00

Ticket: 2,000 won

Getting There: 20-minute drive from Hoengseong Train Station

The trail that surrounds this artificial lake is 31.5km long and offers 6 different tracks.

We chose track #5 because it seemed like the one that most Korean travellers opted for. Upon arrival, a Heongseong local said that we made the right decision because this track boasts the most whimsical view out of the 6!

From the parking lot, you'll find a trail with the map of track #5 that leads down towards the lake.

Walk along and you'll find the ticket booth.

The ticket is 2,000 won each, but you get a voucher worth the same amount that you can use at participating restaurants and attractions in Hoengseong!

Although it was slightly raining on our visit, the walk along the track with a gorgeous nature backdrop was very relaxing.

마옥논가운데집
Maok Nongaeundaejip

Address: 강원 횡성군 횡성읍 성동로 544-12

Hours: 10:00-20:00
Closed on first and third Mondays of each month

Gettting There: 15-minute drive from Hoengseong Lake Trail

This restaurant, whose name in Korean means "A restaurant in the middle of the field", is situated in the green countryside of Hoengseong full of rice fields.

Many YouTubers and bloggers in the country have raved about this rustic old restaurant, so we decided to check it out!

The courtyard takes us back in time, or perhaps to a K-drama scene showing the house of the main character's grandparents.

Maybe it's that sense of nostalgia that keeps Koreans coming back to this place along with the authentic food.

Nongaundaejip has a couple of dining rooms, all of which have one or two sitting tables and cushions to sit on.

Small warning, the water kettle is super hot so let it cool for a couple of minutes before touching it to pour water!

The go-to order at this place is makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles / 7,000 won) and pyeonyuk (slices of boiled beef / 12,000~).

The general size guide for pyeonyuk is small (12,000 won) for 1-2 persons, medium (18,000 won) for 3-4 persons and large (25,000 won) for 4-6 persons.

The order also comes with another Gangwondo delicacy, maemil jeon (buckwheat crepe).

When you're halfway through the noodle, pour the meat stock into the bowl for a change of flavours.

Overall, Gangwondo's makguksu and maemil jeon suited our Seoul palates!

미술관자작나무숲
Jajaknamusoup Art Museum

Address: 강원 횡성군 우천면 한우로두곡5길 186

Hours: 10:00-17:00
Wed: Closed
Thu: Open only if it falls on a statutory holiday

Entrance: 20,000 won (Includes a drink and snack)

Transportation: 15-minute drive from Maok Nongaundaejip

This museum, as its Korean name suggests, is situated in the middle of a birch forest.

You'll find 2 exhibition halls, Studio Gallery and a guesthouse situated throughout the beautiful gardens perfect for healing and relaxing.

Studio Gallery is where you can sit down and relax with a cup of tea and a snack.

You show the postcard you get at the entrance to the cafe counter and pick a drink you'd like.

Once your order goes through, the staff will stamp your postcard on the back.

We got hot chrysanthemum tea and plum tea to warm up from the rain. The fresh boiled eggs are from the chickens they grow on site.

On one wall of Studio Gallery, you'll find photos of celebrities and idols who visited for filming.

Many Park Hae-jin and Cho Bo-ah fans have noticed already, the Studio Gallery building is where the drama Forest was filmed and the two main characters lived together!

The popular variety show 2 Days & 1 Night also filmed an episode here.

BTS Winter Package 2021 was also shot at the guesthouse!

Whether it's to re-trace the trail of your favourite idol or actor, or simply to escape to art and nature, Jajaknamusoup Art Museum is the perfect destination.

호수길133
Lake Road 133

Address: 강원 횡성군 우천면 전재호수길 133

Hours: 10:00-20:00
Garden Closes at 20:30

Getting There: 20-minute drive from Jajaknamusoup Art Museum

There are a couple of picturesque cafes in the city of Hoengseong many travellers stop by, one of them being Lake Road 133.

Americano (Iced / 7,500 won), Cafe Latte (Iced / 8,500 won) & Croffle (7,500 won)

The prices are definitely steep, a range even uncommon in the busiest areas of Seoul.

The coffee was certainly not worth the price and the croffle (croissant made in a waffle machine) tasted like the fridge.

What (kind of) justified its prices was the garden featuring a stream on the left and the waterfalls on the right.

We would recommend Lake Road 133 if you're looking to sit by the stream and enjoy the sounds of water with a beverage on a nice sunny day.

횡성한우마을
Hoengseong Hanwoo Village

Address: 강원 횡성군 우천면 수남로 348

Getting There: 10-minute drive from Lake Road 133

As mentioned in the beginning of the blog, Hoeongseong takes pride in being the home of hanwoo, or Korean beef.

Although very expensive for beef, its tender texture and delectable aroma make it worth the price.

In the famous hanwoo village, you'll find arrays of restaurants serving up locally produced, fresh hanwoo along with tasty banchans (side dishes) as well as butcher shops.

You'll also see packed boxes of hanwoo in restaurants as well as lots of trucks in the village, delivering and completing large volumes of orders all over the country.

하나로마트 동횡성농협
Hanaro Mart

Address: 강원 횡성군 우천면 수남로 356

Hours: 8:00-21:00

If you're keen on grilling the beef yourself, you can stop by Hanaro Mart and grab some for a half to a third of the price you would pay at restaurants in the village.

Remember that you would have to prepare the side dishes yourself if you go with this option!

Another option is to buy the beef at the mart and bringing it upstairs to self-grilling restaurants where you'll pay around 5,000 won per person for side dishes and grill (closed temporarily due to COVID-19).

횡성한우백화점
Hoengseong Hanwoo Baekhwajeom

Address: 강원 횡성군 우천면 수남로 346

Hours: 9:00-21:00

There are so many delicious restaurants in the village and we went with Hoengseong Hanwook Baekhwajeom because it had the best reviews on local review platforms.

As soon as you walk in, the fun part starts! You choose your own beef parts to be grilled.

Feel free to ask questions as the staff at the restaurant know their hanwoo meats really well.

After you've finished picking your meats, you'll be shown to your table.

The wall at this restaurant was filled with autographs. Good to know this place is celebrity-approved!

꽃등심 (Ribeye) 1+
29,000 won / 100g

The price is around 25,000 won and up for 100g, depending on the type of meat you get.

Roughly, there are 6 levels to hanwoo and 1+ is the second-most prestigious level after 1++, so we knew the hanwoo we got was quality beef!

The side dishes were set up when we picked a table.

된장찌개 (Doenjang Jjigae)
2,000 won

Locals love to have doenjang jjigae, or soybean stew, with ther barbeque. It's the perfect comfort food that washes down the meat in between bites.

The price is very reasonable at 2,000 won so we highly recommend it!

Look at how fresh the meat looks!

Don't forget to wrap your hanwoo the Korean way.

Grab your ssam (wrap) vegetable and place a good piece of hanwoo along with the sauces and other small sides like sliced garlic to your liking.

Wrap everything tightly together for a bite full of flavours!

웰리힐리파크
Welli Hilli Park

Address: 강원 횡성군 둔내면 고원로 451

Welli Hilli Park is a one-stop destination in Hoengseong for those who want lots of active fun.

The resort offers a variety of things to do including skiing, golfing, hiking, sauna, karaoke, luge and many more!

Accommodation

Price: 70,000 won and up per night

The resort is over 30 years old, so the rooms are not fancy or luxurious but clean enough for you to relax for a couple of days.

We stayed at Standard A, which is large enough to sleep 2-3 people. There's extra bedding in the closet for those who are cool with sleeping on the floor.

The kitchen is equipped with an electric kettle, rice cooker, basic utensils, dishes, cups and etc. The room doesn't have a microwave, but the CU convenience store on the basement floor has some.

The room also doesn't come with bathroom essentials like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and body wash, so be sure to bring your own!

Gondola Lift

Hours:
Sun-Fri: 09:00-17:00
Sat: 09:00-19:00
Tue: Closed

Price:
Adults: 10,000 won
Children (ages 3-12): 8,000 won

The gondola lift up to the top of the hill at the park is a great way to get a full top view of the resort.

Not only that, you'll be greeted by this whimsical flower garden when you reach the top.

Take a photo in front of the heart to commemorate your Hoengseong trip.

The stairway to heaven in the flower garden is also a very popular photo spot on social media!

Luge

Hours:
Sun-Fri: 10:00-17:00
Sat: 10:00-19:00
Tue: Closed

Price: 14,000 won and up

You can get a wide view of the park while riding speedily down the hills, the perfect way to enjoy something active and fun at the resort!

The prices vary depending on the number of times you go on the luge as well as your visitor status (member, overnight guest and visitor), starting at 14,000 won per person.

청태산막국수
Cheongtaesan Makguksu

Address: 강원 횡성군 둔내면 둔내로 68

Getting There: 5-minute drive from Welli Hilli Park

In the quiet neighbourhood of Dunnae in Hoengseong, you'll find this local eatery serving up delicious Gangwondo delicacies in huge portions.

Makguksu (막국수)
6,000 won

We had this cold buckwheat noodles the day before at Maok Nongaundaejip too, but we have to say this restaurant's makguksu tasted a lot more aromatic and delectable!

Gamjajeon (감자전)
6,000 won

This potato pancake was a lot bigger than what we're used to getting in Seoul.

Take a big bite of the pancake with your noodles for a great combination of flavours.

Gamja Ongsimi (감자옹심이)
6,000 won

If you're craving something hearty, try this potato dough soup.

The chewy potato dough cooked in flavourful soup was just what we needed in between our Gangwondo itinerary and a must-try when in the region! 

Other Things Worth Trying In Hoengseong

할매안흥쌀찐빵
Halmae Anheung Ssaljjinbbang

Address: 강원 횡성군 안흥면 서동로 1088

Price: 3,000 won for 6
5,000 won for 10
12,000 won for 30

The Anheung region of Hoengseong is famous for its jjinbbang, or steamed buns with red bean paste inside.

The fluffy steamed buns come in 4 different flavours: Black rice, barley, sweet potato and plain.

We tried the black rice flavour and it tasted super good although it didn't have a strong black rice flavour.

If you want to warm it up before eating, pan fry it over heated cooking oil or pop it in a steamer for 10 minutes.

We highly recommended this local snack and you'll find many jjinbbang stores in Hoengseong!

하누 & 카누
Hanu & Kanu

Address: 강원 횡성군 횡성읍 삼일로 10

Hours: 10:00-21:00
Closed on first and third Sundays of each month

Price: 1,000 won and up

If you have some time to spare around Hoengseong Intercity Bus Terminal, stop by this bakery selling hanwoo bbang, or unique cow-shaped pastries, just a 10-minute walk away.

Choose from a wide range of flavours from savoury bulgogi to sweet red bean and dark chocolate!

What did you think of our trip to Hoengseong?

Gangwondo offers local experiences that are completely different from what you'll find in Seoul, so we hope you'll take some time out of your itinerary to visit its breathtaking places!