Winter's last stand, caught on a wave

By Yoo Na-hyun Posted : February 2, 2026, 17:20 Updated : February 2, 2026, 17:20
A surfer enjoys the winter sea at Yonghan-ri Beach in Heunghae-eup Buk-gu Pohang North Gyeongsang Province on Feb 1 2026 Yonhap
A surfer enjoys the winter sea at Yonghan-ri Beach in Heunghae-eup, Buk-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Feb. 1. 2026. Yonhap
SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) -With just two days left until Ipchun, the traditional marker of spring, winter is refusing a quiet exit.

Along the coast, biting winds rake the shoreline and whip the sea into whitecaps, turning the water steel-blue and restless. The cold sharpens everything — the air, the waves, the resolve of those who come to watch and those who come to dive in.

Some stand bundled at the water’s edge, hands in pockets, eyes fixed on the surf as it crashes and retreats. Others choose immersion over observation, paddling out into the frigid sea to catch winter’s final, defiant waves. Black wetsuits cut through the foam; boards rise and fall against the swell.

It is a familiar seasonal ritual: winter showing its teeth just before loosening its grip. In the roar of the surf and the sting of cold spray, spring feels close — but not close enough to stop the sea from having the last word.
 
A surfer enjoys the winter sea at Yonghan-ri Beach in Heunghae-eup Buk-gu Pohang North Gyeongsang Province on Feb 1 2026 Yonhap
A surfer enjoys the winter sea at Yonghan-ri Beach in Heunghae-eup, Buk-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Feb. 1. 2026. Yonhap
 
Prolonged cold weather continues as visitors watch the sea at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung Gangwon Province on Jan 25 2026 Yonhap
Prolonged cold weather continues as visitors watch the sea at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Jan. 25. 2026. Yonhap

 

Prolonged cold weather continues as visitors watch the sea at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung Gangwon Province on Jan 25 2026 Yonhap
Prolonged cold weather continues as visitors watch the sea at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Jan. 25. 2026. Yonhap

 

rolonged cold weather continues as visitors watch the sea at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung Gangwon Province on Jan 25 2026 Yonhap
rolonged cold weather continues as visitors watch the sea at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Jan. 25. 2026. Yonhap


입춘을 이틀 앞두고 겨울 추위가 이어지는 가운데, 강한 바람에 해안의 파도가 높게 일었다. 시민들은 해변에 머물며 파도를 지켜보거나 바다에 뛰어들어 서핑을 즐기는 등 겨울 바다를 즐기고 있다.


 
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