K-MTB?

Discovering South Korea’s emerging mountain bike scene with Sascha Kim.

When you think of South Korea, mountain biking isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. So when it was announced that the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup would begin in Mona Yongpyong in May, it left many people scratching their heads.

South Korea is known for setting global trends such as K-Pop, K-Drama, K-Food and K-Beauty. Each has grown from something local into a worldwide movement. But when it comes to action sports, especially mountain biking, South Korea rarely enters the conversation. At least, not yet.

Sascha Kim riding his bike down a busy South Korean street.

Could the World Cup be the start of something big from this emerging scene? I had to find out for myself.

View at the top of a mountain overlooking Seoul.

Looking over Seoul, South Korea’s capital city, home to nearly 10 million people.

As a Giant ambassador, I’m in a position where storytelling, travel, and riding naturally intersect. But this trip felt personal in a different way. I’m half Korean, and despite that, I’d never properly spent time in South Korea or felt deeply connected to the culture. Experiencing the country through mountain biking felt like a no-brainer. With the World Cup on the horizon, it seemed like the perfect moment to see what the scene was like and to connect with the riders building it from the ground up.

From the moment I arrived, I wasn’t travelling alone. By connecting with local riders through social media, I was immediately looked after, and before I knew it I was sharing their daily lives. I had the chance to explore Seoul, tasting the local food, and street riding through a landscape where history and modern life exist side by side.

Sascha heading into a Giant retail store in South Korea.

South Korea blends deep cultural history with a futuristic way of life.

Even before exploring the trails, the fact that we had a shared passion of riding bikes created an instant connection with the local riders. Bikes really can be that bridge between different languages and cultures. The familiarity of riding breaks through the unknowns of being in a foreign country.

It was finally time to see the trails and meet the riding community.

Before arriving in South Korea, I put together an open-invite ride day. I didn’t have any real reach within the Korean mountain-bike scene, but with the help of other riders we organized a ride at Tarzan MTB Park, near Incheon. I wasn’t sure if anyone would turn up, but it seemed like the best way to meet riders and connect with the scene. To my surprise, riders turned up in numbers, with all ages, backgrounds and experience levels. It was my first real inside view of the Korean mountain bike scene.

Group photo at Tarzan MTB Park.

I ran a short coaching session as a way to give back, although it quickly became obvious everyone already knew how to ride.

The Korean mountain-bike scene might be relatively small, but it’s tightly connected. People look after each other. And that closeness is part of what’s driving its growth.

After only just getting my first taste of the trails and meeting the local riders, I heard about a local mountain-bike festival taking place the following day in Baekbong, around an hour’s drive from Seoul.

The annual Baekbong Bike Festival.

From the moment I arrived, the welcome was warm and the atmosphere was infectious in the best possible way.

Sascha walking through a mountain bike festival.

Riders queuing for lunch in between laps.

I was treated to some seriously good flow trails and even got to join in on their chainless race. The late autumn colors and weather made it the perfect time to ride in Korea. The hero dirt here was unreal!

Following local riders down one of the several trails.

After the race podium ceremony was held, riders gathered for free giveaways. Prizes ranged from local produce like onions to big gallons of cooking oil.

After attending these back-to-back riding events I headed south to Gochang Bike Park to chase some downhill riding. Gochang Bike Park was the first bike park dedicated to downhill riding in South Korea. Originally funded by the local government, these purpose-built trails were no joke.

With an elevation drop of over 500 vertical meters, it’s the perfect spot for riders chasing gravity. While there are trails for all levels, this is a bike park for intermediate riders and up.

Mountain biker riding a wallride feature.

Fun fact: South Korea is predominantly mountainous, with over 70 percent of its land being covered by mountains.

Bukhansan mountain range.

As I travelled, I kept crossing paths with riders from all over the country, often through unplanned ride meetups. Even with winter closing in and darkness falling early, it didn’t stop people from riding.

Mountain bikers doing a suicide no-hander out of grass bank.

Kim Si-Joon doing a suicide no-hander out of grass bank.

I also got the chance to ride with Sikss Lee, one of the most influential riders and content creators in the Korean mountain bike scene. Even on his days off, he’s out helping riders and bringing new people into the sport. Like many others I met, he’s hopeful the World Cup will be the catalyst that helps the scene grow even further.

Before the riding season came to a close, I attended the final race of the year in Chilgok. It was my first look at the local race scene, and it quickly became clear that Korean riders are fast. I ended up finishing second, behind Park Jong-yun, a very fast local rider.

After getting a taste of the racing scene it was time for me to visit the World Cup venue in Yongpyong, Pyeongchang, close to where the 2018 Winter Olympics were held.

Start of the ski season at Mona Yongpyong, Pyeongchang.

The Yongpyong ski resort sure ticks all the boxes for hosting a World Cup. I wasn’t able to ride at the bike park, as the ski season had already started, but I did get a sneak peek at the downhill track and it was looking good.

I spoke with Beck Woon-Kwang, one of the key people behind bringing the World Cup to Korea. He summed it up simply: Without the passion of Korean riders, none of this would have been possible.

Interview with kep person behind bringing the World Cup to South Korea.

It’s easy to see how strong the passion for riding is in South Korea, and with the World Cup approaching, the scene feels ready to take off. For local riders, it’s a huge opportunity, and for riders from overseas, it’s the perfect time to visit and experience mountain biking in a completely different culture.