Jeonju Ice Rink Review 2026: Cheap Indoor Date Spot

Living in Jeonju, I finally made my first visit to the Hwasan Gymnasium!

I remember it being used as a COVID-19 testing center back in the day...

I had always told myself, 'I need to go ice skating there sometime,'

but the perfect opportunity never quite came up...

Until now! I finally made it happen.

(The last time I set foot in an ice rink was years ago in Ulsan!)

They are open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

The snow on the ground outside hadn't melted yet,

and I saw a tiny kid dressed up in a professional figure skating outfit

resting outside. She looked exactly like a mini Yuna Kim! It was absolutely adorable...

We headed inside to rent our skates.

Since this facility is run by the Jeonju Facilities Corporation, you use a self-service kiosk to buy tickets!

Even with both the admission fee and skate rental combined,

it only costs ~$3 per person... What an absolute steal!

Helmets are also available to rent completely free of charge.

*Make sure to bring your own gloves!

They offer school break intensive classes and private lessons as well.

The instructors' profiles are proudly displayed on the wall,

so if you've ever dreamed of channelizing your inner Yuna Kim,

definitely give it a shot!

They accept lesson registrations on a rolling basis.

They even have a live feed of the rink on a monitor!

Just keep in mind that when they resurface the ice (Zamboni time),

you won't be able to skate for about 20 minutes.

The sanitized and dried helmets

are neatly sorted by size, so just grab one that fits you.

Then head over to the rental counter to pick up your skates.

Once you tell them your shoe size, they'll hand you your skates right away...

Pro tip: I highly recommend sizing up by one size and wearing thick socks!

(I usually wear a Korean size 230 or 235—about a US women's 6 or 6.5—but I rented a 230 and my feet hurt so bad I thought I wouldn't survive...)

Gloves are strictly mandatory to step onto the ice.

If you forgot to bring yours,

don't worry! You can buy a pair at the snack bar.

Because this is a municipal facility,

the prices at the snack bar are incredibly reasonable too!

They only cost around ~$1 to ~$2.

The smell of hot ramen wafting through the air is absolutely heavenly.

I highly recommend skating for about 2 hours and wrapping up with a hot bowl of ramen!

Here are the general rules, safety guidelines,

and the ice resurfacing schedule for your reference.

The center of the rink is reserved for students taking lessons,

while general visitors skate along the outer lanes.

It was quite crowded, so I couldn't take too many indoor photos.

Besides, you really shouldn't be using your phone while skating anyway, right?

Out of everyone in our group, this friend was by far the best skater...

As for me, my only goal from the start was to finish just one single lap.

So after one lap, I called it quits (GG!).

(My skates were too tight and painful, and since my athletic skills

are practically nonexistent, I couldn't let go of the handrail for even a second, haha.)

At this age, a hard fall means a broken bone, so I was definitely playing it safe!

Once the Zamboni came out to clean the ice,

our fun skating session came to an end.

(My friends managed to skate for about an hour!)

Leaving the rink feels like walking past a giant walk-in freezer air curtain...

Unlike the plain wooden benches,

these seats actually have built-in heating elements,

keeping your butt nice and toasty! It felt amazing.

If you are looking for a fun indoor activity in Jeonju to escape the weather,

I highly recommend this spot!

It's especially fun if you have at least one pro skater in your group

who can hold your hand and pull you along!