A “Santa Village” media set up is proven on 150-meter LED screens at Encourage Leisure Resort in Incheon on this supplied picture. Courtesy of Encourage Leisure Resort
YEONGJONG ISLAND, Incheon — Encourage Leisure Resort on Incheon’s Yeongjong Island has emerged as one in all Korea’s most talked-about resort locations for a winter trip, drawing home and worldwide guests to an all-indoor Christmas playground branded as a “Winter Wonderland.”
The built-in resort’s structure — linking accommodations, media artwork, area reveals, procuring and eating below one roof — means a single in a single day keep can really feel too brief, as seasonal packages, picture zones and events spill seamlessly from morning by way of late evening.
The guts of this 12 months’s program is the Rotunda, an unlimited round corridor on the resort’s middle that has been remodeled into the Winter Wonderland Reward Manufacturing facility, a large-scale Christmas set up constructed round animatronic bears busily getting ready presents. Six themed zones, from a present registry reception to baking, toy-making and gift-wrapping stations, create a story journey as completed presents glide alongside conveyor belts earlier than departing for Santa Village.
A Christmas set up stands below the Rotunda’s big kinetic LED chandelier at Encourage Leisure Resort in Incheon, Dec. 4. Korea Occasions picture by Lee Hae-rin
Close by, the 150-meter digital leisure avenue Aurora immerses guests in media artwork sequences themed round Santa Village and the northern lights, with sleighs and Santa flying overhead throughout mega LED screens and prepare sounds turning a easy passageway right into a winter spectacle.
Subsequent to the Rotunda, Le House presents a contrasting, contemplative cease in an in any other case kinetic circuit by way of the resort. The roughly 6,611-square-meter artwork exhibition corridor connects 18 rooms themed round galaxies and planets, utilizing interactive know-how and kinetic artwork.
Throughout the property, reward box-shaped picture spots, a towering Christmas tree and coordinated decorations prolong the Winter Wonderland temper, turning informal strolls into self-guided picture walks.
Guests pose at a Christmas-themed picture zone at Encourage Leisure Resort in Incheon, Dec. 4. Korea Occasions picture by Lee Hae-rin
Encourage describes itself as Korea’s first full-scale “playcation” resort, the place lodging, a 15,000-seat area, indoor water park, media artwork, household leisure, round 40 eating and cafe choices, procuring and wellness services are woven right into a single, weatherproof expertise.
Lee Han-na, senior vice chairman of resort gross sales and advertising and marketing at Encourage, mentioned throughout a press briefing on the resort on Dec. 4 that the property is evolving into a worldwide playcation vacation spot that goes past Korea, China and Japan, calling it “Korea’s first built-in resort the place company can expertise a variety of enjoyment and premium providers in a single house.”
She then summed up its core identification as a resort “the place you’ll be able to play whereas taking a real vacation.”
The property appeals strongly to overseas guests, with resort company presently cut up roughly 50-50 between home and worldwide vacationers, with comparable shares amongst Japanese and Chinese language company alongside rising numbers from Southeast Asia, Lee defined.
Guests take pleasure in drinks at Aurora Bar whereas viewing the “Santa Village” media set up on 150-meter LED screens at Encourage Leisure Resort in Incheon, Dec. 4. Korea Occasions picture by Lee Hae-rin
Since its tender opening in December 2023, Encourage has welcomed some 9 million guests, together with round 920,000 area spectators drawn by musical acts reminiscent of Twice, NCT Doyoung, JJ Lin and Yoasobi, with abroad audiences accounting for roughly 60 % of area guests in 2024.
To have fun Christmas festivities, from Dec. 20 to 25 the resort will layer participatory occasions on prime of its visible staging, together with a day by day nutcracker doll parade that winds by way of the property at 5:30 p.m. and eight p.m. Households can meet Santa at a devoted picture zone contained in the shopping center space, whereas a mini carol live performance at Aurora Bar that includes artists from Cheongdam Get All Proper provides reside music to the festive combine.
Restricted-time promotions goal each households and {couples}. A Christmas cake assortment features a tree-shaped signature cake adorned with purple, purple and gold chocolate ornaments, whereas Michael Jordan’s Steak Home is providing a Winter Wonderland Romantic Bundle that pairs a dinner course with a flower bouquet.
Restricted-edition Christmas muffins offered at Encourage Leisure Resort in Incheon / Courtesy of Encourage Leisure Resort
Because the calendar turns, Encourage is including year-end and New Yr’s Eve festivities to its winter marketing campaign. On Dec. 31, Aurora Bar will stage the “Cheers to 2026: Drop the Beat & Balloons” countdown occasion, beginning with a reside live performance and culminating in a midnight balloon drop, when 1000’s of balloons will cascade from the ceiling amid a large-screen LED countdown and a fortunate draw for prizes reminiscent of lodging vouchers.
On the similar time, Le House will morph right into a New Yr’s social gathering venue for the “2026 New Yr Midnight Social gathering,” that includes performances by Dayoung, Bang Yedam, Moon Sujin and Junhee from boy group A.C.E, adopted by DJ units from Reverse Prime and Luna Kim.
On Dec. 20, the “Tropical Fever in Splash Bay” indoor pool social gathering will convey a summer-in-winter really feel below a glass dome that mimics a galaxy-filled sky, with prime DJs, efficiency groups, neon gate portray, and tunnel and bubble zones fueling the late-night environment.
With WeChat Mini Program help for Chinese language company, a foreigners-only on line casino, a brand new strategic partnership with Hilton Honors and a rising portfolio of medical and wellness providers, Encourage is positioning its Winter Wonderland occasion as only one chapter in a broader bid to change into a year-round world tourism hub anchored in Incheon.
