Sledding Down the Hill
By Shim Hyun-chul
Staff Reporter
The biting cold spell is dying down and families are enjoying all kinds of outdoor winter fun.
Ice skating and sledding are popular winter activities. They can be easily enjoyed by people of all ages and even the uncoordinated, since they require less technical skills than skiing and snowboarding.
Moreover, skating rinks and sledding venues around town make these seasonal activities accessible even without having to travel outside of Seoul.
Chae Man-sik, 77, and his six-year-old grandson were among the visitors to Supia Park, Ttukseom. ``At first, my grandson was afraid but now he's loving the sledding. I'm so happy to see him enjoying himself.''
Kim Sang-jun, a sixth-grade student at Samcheon Elementary School was also beaming with joy. ``It's winter break so I often come here with my family. I like sledding the best. I ride my bike here, and I want to come back again before school starts,'' he said.
Since opening last year, Supia Park welcomes about 1,500 visitors per weekday and over 4,000 on weekends.
It is conveniently located near Ttukseom Resort Station on subway line 7. It is open through Feb. 21, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit www.supiapark.com or call (02) 452-5955 for more information.
Another great venue for sledding is Neung-dong Children's Center, Neung-dong, Gwangjin-gu. It also offers visitors a chance to fish for ``bingeo'' (smelt) and participate in traditional folk games.
Visit www.sselmaejang.com or call (02)2204-6094 for more information.
Skaters can also head to the popular rinks at Gwanghwamun Square, downtown Seoul. Admission is 1,000 won for one hour per visit.
Visit www.seoulskate.or.kr or call (02)3210-1267~8 for more information.