Four-legged family members join Lunar New Year festivities

Pet-friendly treats made during Kinock’s cooking class [KYOWON]

Dogs have become family for one in four households in Korea, and during the Lunar New Year, the hospitality and leisure industries are making sure four-legged companions don't feel left out of the holiday celebrations.
 
Pet-friendly hotel Kinock in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, rolled out a pet food cooking class package for the Lunar New Year holiday, running from Saturday to Feb. 18. 
 

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Hotel guests can make dog-friendly snacks like bottle cakes, rice cakes and even fried chicken alongside their pets during the class, which is led by Moon Hae-dam, CEO of Pet Food Academy.
 
The hotel also offers free training programs at Café Sniff starting at 10 a.m., followed by activities and competitions for dogs. Guests also gain access to the hotel's indoor and outdoor pet parks — ensuring plenty of space to run off all those holiday calories. 
 

Kinock's outdoor pet park [KINOCK]

Pet owners appear enthusiastic about taking part alongside their companions. Kinock said its room occupancy rate from Sunday to Feb. 18 has already exceeded 80 percent — a notably high figure for a pet-friendly hotel.
 
"They are also staying longer during the holiday than on typical weekends," a hotel official said.
 
Sono Pet Clubs & Resorts VivaldiPark in Hongcheon, Gangwon, also reported an average occupancy rate of over 90 percent from Saturday to Feb. 18. Cooking classes offered at the resort are also expected to sell out, according to a hotel official.
 
Hotels are also offering wellness- and spa-focused packages for pets during the holiday, extending a trend already seen in programs for adult guests.
 

A dog walks on a pet treadmil, which is provided as paratk of Pet Masion package at Conrad Seoul. [CONRAD SEOUL]

Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel has renewed its pet staycation package, featuring dog-only spa stations equipped with hinoki-wood bathtubs, air showers and drying rooms in its dog-friendly rooms. Conrad Seoul has taken the concept a step further with its 2026 Pet Maison package, offering exercise equipment like pet treadmills and gym balls inside rooms so dogs can stay active even indoors.
 
The latest change comes as the hotel prioritizes pets' comfort, activities and rest rather than focusing on owner convenience — based on the idea that owners can only truly relax when their pets are at ease.  
 
Beyond hotels, pet-focused leisure spaces are also joining in to make the holiday special for pets.
 
At d.forest, a culture and leisure complex for pets in Chuncheon, Gangwon, the complex is hosting a Lunar New Year event from Saturday to Feb. 18, excluding the holiday itself on Tuesday.  
  

d.forest holds a special lunar new year event [D.FOREST]

The event features traditional folk games such as jegichagi (a game using a shuttlecock and your feet), biseokchigi (a rock throwing game) and gonggi (traditional Korean version of jacks) that pets and owners can enjoy together. Visitors wearing hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) with their dogs are admitted free of charge, and a New Year photo zone has also been set up.
 

Dogs ride on a snow sled. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

At Daegwallyeong Winter Belly in Gangwon, dogs can hop on snow sleds with their humans. The activity costs 15,000 won ($10) for adults and 5,000 won for each dog. Dogs must remain on leashes and wear diapers. They can also enjoy walks across the snow-covered Daegwallyeong fields.
 
To fully relax and warm up together, head to Huildo, a jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) facility. All heated rooms inside the jjimjilbang are accessible to dogs, with personal dome saunas designed for one person available, as well as a restaurant inside. Outside, there is a large grassy field for pets to run around, along with a shower room for dogs afterward. 
 
The facility charges 10,000 won per dog and is open to dogs weighing under 19 kilograms (41 pounds). Its two branches, located in Icheon and Busan, operate throughout the holiday season.
 
For those hoping to explore with their pets during the holiday, head to Nami Island in Chuncheon. Easing the weight limit for dogs under 15 kilograms to under 20 kilograms last year, the island is pet-friendly, with even an off-leash playground, Together Park.
 
Pets are also allowed to accompany their owners into on-site venues such as Hoban Gallery, Pyeonghwarang Gallary and the Nami Concours Gallery in strollers or carriers.
 
When traveling long distances by car with pets, make sure to stop by rest areas with outdoor pet zones so they can get fresh air and time to relieve themselves. Thirty-two highway rest areas nationwide have pet parks, including seven along the Gyeongbu Expressway, according to a map curated by pet travel app Banlife.
 

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]