Skiing has become Korea's biggest winter craze. New resorts are opening every year, apres ski attractions are improving all the time and artificial snow technology ensures that conditions are always perfect at most resorts whether it has been snowing or not.
Koreans, in the meantime, have established a reputation for embracing the sport with a free-wheeling fun-loving approach.
Most of the 12 resorts opened so far are within a four- hour drive of Seoul and four - Bears Town, Chonmasan, Yangji and Seoul - are less than 90 minutes away.
Korea's most famous resort is Muju in Mt Togyusan National Park. At 1,215 metres, it has nine lifts and a giant hotel complex of more than 1,000 rooms.
Trails are designed for all levels of skier from beginner to expert. Newly opened Peak-2 is the star attraction. Running 6.2 kilometres, the championship downhill course is breathtaking.
Muju was chosen for this year's Winter Universiade '97, the winter Olympics for students from 50 countries.
Powder is the best from the middle of January to the middle of February and crowds are heaviest at Christmas and Lunar New Year. After Muju, Korea's next most famous ski destination is its highest - Dragon Valley (Yong Pyeong) in the Alps.