Chuncheon (Korean: 춘천; Hanja: 春川市; Korean pronunciation: [tɕʰun.tɕʰʌn]; literally spring river), formerly romanized as Ch'unch'ŏn, is the capital of Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the north of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notably Soyang Lake and Uiam Lake (or Uiam Dam). The area has small river islands, such as Sangjungdo, Ha-Jungdo, Bungeodo, and Wido.

It is a popular destination among East Asian tourists as it was featured in the popular Korean drama Winter Sonata. It is where the resort island of Namiseom is located. Also, Gangwon Provincial Office is located in the city.

The area now occupied by the city was first settled several thousands of years ago, in prehistoric times, as demonstrated by stone-age archaeological evidence in the collections of Chuncheon National Museum and Hallym University Museum. In 637 AD the city was called Usooju. In 757 AD it was renamed Saku and again in 940 AD as Chunju (춘주; 春州) before receiving its current name in 1413. In 1896, Chuncheon became the capital city of Gangwon province. The city was largely destroyed during the Korean War in the Battle of Chuncheon.

Uiam Dam on the Bukhan River was completed in 1967. In 1995 Chuncheon city was merged with the government of the surrounding Chuncheon county.

In the spring, the Chuncheon International Mime Festival is held, as well as the Spring Season Art Festival. In the summer, the Chuncheon Puppet Festival takes place. There is also a Makguksu festival; a cold noodle dish that originated in Chuncheon. Also celebrated in the summer is the International Animation Festival. The city has had its own annual marathon race since 1946; the Chuncheon Marathon is held every October. In winter, snow and ice festivals are organized. Currently, MAC Architects-Consultants Group Ltd. (명승건축그룹) is building the Design and Arts Arcadia of Myungseung in Chuncheon.

According to the legend surrounding the temple Cheongpyeongsa in Chuncheon, a man loved a princess so much that he became a snake and would not leave her alone. When she begged leave to collect rice from the temple, the snake let her go but then went looking for her, only to be struck dead by lightning. The princess then buried him at the temple.

The city was historically known as a chicken farming region, and is famous for "dak galbi", which translates as chicken ribs. It consists of chicken, sliced cabbage, sweet potatoes, tteok (rice cakes), and scallions, mixed with a spicy sauce heavy on gochujang. It is usually cooked in a big iron pan in the center of the table, but the original method is over charcoal. Despite the name, the dish is traditionally made from leg meat, not ribs. There is even a street in the city dedicated to restaurants serving the dish, with some 25 restaurants populating the area.

Also, the regional specialty Makguksu noodles are famed throughout the country.