A forest wellness boom is heating up competition for reservations at recreational forests and wellness facilities, particularly among women in their 30s and 50s.
A group of seven middle-class women in their 50s from Seoul divided up the task of securing spots at a forest therapy facility — a booking so competitive it has been compared to registering for a popular university course. Each member took on a different site, logging on the moment reservations opened and clicking as fast as possible.
One homemaker, doubting her own speed, turned to her college-age daughter for help. "You've done tons of course registrations — can you book Mom's forest stay?" she said.
The group ultimately came away empty-handed and is now scouring public forest facilities nationwide for any available opening, with sites in Gangwon Province among the most sought-after.
Visitor numbers at facilities run by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Forest Science Research Institute jumped 172 percent in the two months since opening on June 10, compared with the same period last year.
More than 7,300 people have visited this year — about 2.7 times the 2,682 who came during the same period last year.
Maebongsan Cheongsang Forest in Taebaek is a forest recreation facility in a pristine alpine zone above 1,000 meters, operating a woodland campsite and a dedicated forest therapy area.
Beyond camping and overnight stays, the facility offers a range of forest welfare services including guided forest interpretation, forest therapy and nature-craft workshops.
A forest therapy program launched June 10 has drawn particularly strong interest, offering tailored courses designed around the needs of individual visitors, workplace groups and organizations. Activities include a five-senses forest trail experience combined with guided interpretation, meditation, aromatherapy, cypress foot baths and tea sessions.
About 4,800 people took part in forest therapy and experience programs that included guided interpretation — among them more than 200 who attended woodland concerts. Roughly two-thirds of all visitors tried at least one therapy or wellness program.
Every Saturday through Aug. 15, the institute holds a healing music concert at 3 p.m. on the forest meditation deck, led by specialists in therapeutic music. Each session draws around 50 attendees.
Park Myung-hee, director of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Forest Science Research Institute, said visitor numbers have surged thanks to the outstanding natural scenery of the high-altitude Maebongsan site and its diverse therapy and experience programs. "We will continue to provide differentiated forest welfare services to develop this into a nationally representative forest therapy destination, and to help revitalize tourism in the former mining region," Park said.
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