It’s winter

> ’Tis the season for snowmen, ice sledding

IF YOU are a hankering for a change of scenery and are longing to frolic in the snow, grab one of the many affordable AirAsia promotional airfares to South Korea.

You don’t need to go far to enjoy a winter holiday as South Korea has much to offer with its seasonal rituals, food and special activities that locals and visitors alike can all take part.

Every year, Koreans eagerly await the arrival of the first snow. At the sight of the first snow of the year, they often send out mass text messages to friends and family announcing it.

Koreans believe that if you make a wish when the first snow comes, your wish will come true.

When the Soyangho Lake freezes, that signals the beginning of the Inje Icefish Festival where anglers try to catch the silver icefish that swim below the ice. Now, that is something to text home about.

You can also emulate some of the characters in those immensely-popular K-dramas and make ‘snow angels’ on the snow by lying down and moving your arms and legs about.

Or be like Elsa and Anna in Frozen and spend some fun, quality family time together building a snowman.

If you are a fan of the Running Man winter races, you can even try your hand at ice sledding the traditional Korean way.

This involves kneeling on top a small wooden board with metal blades attached to it and propelling yourself along using pointed wooden sticks.

Of course, what is winter without skiing, and South Korea boasts a number of first-class ski resorts. Many of them are located in the mountainous region of Gangwondo, like Alpensia Resort.

Getting there is easy via shuttle buses from the capital city Seoul or other regions throughout the country.

Gangwon-do is brimming with clean air, mountain view and crystal clear water. It’s no wonder it is called the ‘Lungs of Korea’. After weeks of enduring the haze, this will seem like paradise for many Malaysians.

For retail therapy, check out the Gyeonggi-do metropolitan area that has everything from cultural activities to all-in-one department stores featuring fashion, appliances and everyday goods, as well as large premium outlets with world-class brands at discounted prices.

Winter street snacks are also a must-try. For many Koreans, the sight of freshly-baked bungeoppang is a signal that winter has truly arrived.

Bungeoppang is made by pouring flour dough into the bungeo (carp)-shaped black cast iron mould and filling it with red bean paste.

You can also try hoppang, a pre-cooked pasty treat that is traditionally filled with red bean paste, or the hotteok, a traditional winter fried snack that is made with glutinous (sticky) rice flour and filled with a mixture made from sugar, peanuts and cinnamon.

For something spicy, try tteokbokki, a widely-popular dish in Korea that has a very distinctive spicy, yet sweet, flavour.

Its main ingredient is garaetteok (rice cake formed into a long, white cylinder shape), which is mixed with eomuk (fish cake) and various vegetables like onions, cabbage and carrots, and red pepper paste.

It is served with a hot cup of broth that the eomuk has been cooked in.

For a less spicy option, there is kkochi eomuk (fish cake skewers). Eomuk is prepared on skewers then boiled in a broth flavoured with radishes and kelp.

For independent travellers, the Korea Tourism Organisation is currently having the Discover Korea Your Way campaign.

Go to www.visitkorea. com.my. You can also redeem a limited edition Korea Tourism Organization T-Money Card and coupon booklet.