Gangwonland announced the K-HIT (Hi-One Integrated Tourism) master plan — a 3 trillion-won, long-term redevelopment aimed at revitalizing a former mining region and competing with upcoming global integrated resorts such as Osaka. The centerpiece is the 'Grand Core Zone' (large integrated entertainment area), with 71% of investment focused on a massive column-free Grand Dome (300m x 100m x 80m) housing 10 attractions including a media tower, indoor nature garden, music fountains, media-dome arena, K-culture studio/park (K-culture: Korean popular culture), kids’ theme park, entertainment center, retail/F&B, and a new grand casino. The plan expands into wellness, sports, and arts with forest wellness villas, meditation/onsen-style rooms (onsen: Japanese-style hot spring), mountain sports parks, all-season sledding, and a pet village, plus cultural hubs like a gate center and art center to link the resort to the local community. Transport upgrades include approved cable cars and large parking facilities, with targets to complete by 2035 and project annual visitors of 13.2 million and revenues of 3.6 trillion won. Gangwonland expects casino revenue to double and non-casino income to more than triple, positioning the project as a Korean-style integrated resort (IR) that combines nature, sports and cultural heritage to compete globally.
