Gangwon plays host to Korea's Global Wellness Day

Poster for Oak Valley resort's Global Wellness Day programs [OAK VALLEY]

If you’re seeking to refresh yourself both physically and spiritually, then Global Wellness Day (GWD) is the retreat for you.

This year, Gangwon is the main host for GWD Korea starting Saturday. One particular venue is the Oak Valley resort in Wonju, Gangwon, which has organized a series of events that will run across two weekends.

GWD Korea also coincides with 2023 Global Gangwon Wellness Week, which is held to celebrate Gangwon’s upcoming elevation in municipal status to a “state” from “province.” From June 9 to 18 there will be wellness-related activities scattered across nine counties in Gangwon, like Wonju, Gangneung, Yangyang and Pyeongchang.

Held under the slogan “One day can change your whole life!” Oak Valley’s programs include Zumba and Pilates classes, singing bowl therapy sessions, and walks in the forests. There are a handful of hour-long sessions per day each for around 20 to 30 participants, all of which are free.

Reservations for each time slot can be made in advance both online or on-site.

GWD, a not-for-profit international day, began in Turkey in 2012 dedicated to “living well.” Since then, GWD is held annually on the second Saturday of June and is now celebrated across the globe in 110 nations including Israel, Italy, Kenya, New Zealand and Korea.

In Korea, GWD has been celebrated every year since 2018.

Oak Valley is also holding a social media event, which requires visitors to take a “confident” photograph of themselves while doing yoga or meditating at the GWD photo op spots and posting them to Instagram with the following hashtags in Korean: #OakValley, #GlobalWellnessDay and #OakValleyGlobalWellnessDay. Eight people will be chosen and given vouchers to use at Oak Valley. The winners will be announced on the resort’s Instagram on June 29.

Other venues that are taking part in 2023 Global Gangwon Wellness Week include the Healing Life Forest in Samcheok with a yoga session on June 13 and the Romyzian Garden in Jeongseon with singing bowl therapy sessions on June 16 and 17.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]