Fishing for Fun at the Gwangan Eobang Festival

This weekend, Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28, come down to Busan to enjoy some fishing festival fun! The Gwangan Eobang Festival or Fishers' Festival, is taking place on the scenic and conveniently located Gwangalli Beach.

Celebrating the traditional ceremonies and rites of Korean fishing towns, the Eobang Festival promises dancing, singing, games, snacks, and much more! Located in Suyeong-gu, or Suyeong District, the area is known as one of Busan's premier fishing regions. Festival-goers will enjoy traditional dance and song performances, originally composed to wish the fishers luck and safety. At night, you can also see the impressive physical feat that is the synchronized group swim, where 10 men swim in time to beach-side drums. They curve and wind their way single-file to the lighted fishing boats, re-enacting nighttime fishing tradtions before making their way back to the beach. All weekend long, enjoy tasty seafood treats, festival booths, games, face-painting and other family-friendly activities. Admission is free and most activities are free or available at a low cost. Don't forget to buy a souvenir fish hat!

To get there, take the subway to Gwangan Subway station, Metro line 2 (green line, stop #209). Take exit 5. Turn back on yourself and then turn right, walking straight for 800 metres (7-8 minutes) down the hill, crossing three crosswalks before reaching the beach. You can also get off at Geumnyeonsan Station, Metro line 2 (green line, stop #210). Take exit 3, and turn left walking 800 metres (7-8 minutes) straight down the cobbled street, crossing three crosswalks before reaching the beach. To get to Busan, take the train to Busan station or Gupo station, both located near the subway line. Several buses are also available, and the Haeundae terminal is only eight subway stops from Gwangan station.

Making the Most of Korean Festivals in 2012

The Eobang or Fishers' Festival on Gwangan Beach, Busan

The arrival of spring on the Korean peninsula marks a new season and a wonderful opportunity to try new and exciting things! This year, I suggest that you attend one of the hundreds of festivals taking place in Korea. I've been living and working in Korea for over two years now, and I never tire of the unique and interesting festivals and cultural activities that this beautiful little country has to offer. Even though I've attended my fair share of festivals, I still keep my eyes peeled for new ones that will entertain and introduce me to new aspects of Korea's scenery, life, and culture. Here are a few of my tips for enjoying yourself on the festival circuit this year.


1) Do something that's out of your comfort zone
Whether you are Korean or foreign, a resident of the area or just visiting, ask yourself, "When will I have the opportunity to try this again?" The answer may be, "Never!" in which case you should give that activity your best shot. Who knows? You just may like it. This is how I came to try barehanded fishing and eel-trapping, and to discover that I was good at both activities!

Korean boys trying out  널뛰기 (Nol Ttwigi), a traditional seesaw game
for Chuseok activities at Gyeongbukgong Palace, Seoul

Ice-fishing might not be for everyone,
but you won't know until you try!

2) Eat the local food, and try something unusual
Every time I attend a festival, I reserve my change and small bills exclusively for sampling the tasty local treats that are offered. It doesn't matter what it is, I've just got to try it! Every area in the country is known for a prized cuisine, and that's the one that you should spend your money on. It's easy to find the local specialty, since it's usually located in the tent, stand, or booth with the long line of hungry-looking Koreans in front of it! Without experimenting at festival food tents,  I never would have discovered the deliciousness that is barbecued eel, fried ginger, or bokbunja, a kind of black raspberry wine.

계란빵 (Gye-ran Bbang) or egg bread, a tasty winter treat

Barbecued squid, served hot off the grill in the summer

Tasty grilled fish, caught fresh at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival

Makkeolli, beer and Bokbunja wine, flavoured with black raspberries

3) Celebrate each of the four seasons with vigour!
Korea is lucky enough to have four seasons, and with each change of season comes new rituals, rites, activities, and treats to eat! I've seen nine changes of season so far, and I still feel like I have some catching up to do. Each season I discover something to learn about, something new to try, or something tasty to eat. Open your mind, your heart, and your belly - learning, loving, and eating are on the agenda in 2012!

Summer fun at the Haeundae Sand Festival, Busan

Autumn discovery during the Chuseok holiday at Bulguksa,
a temple in Gyeongju

Welcoming Spring at the Eobang or Fishers' Festival in Busan

A boy enjoying his traditional ice sleigh at the Dongjangkun Festival
in Baekwon Valley, Gangwon-do

 4) Talk to the Locals
I've never attended a festival in Korea where I haven't met a kind Korean with something interesting to say. If you're foreign, the stresses of living in or visiting a foreign country, can make it difficult to make local friends sometimes. Koreans especially are a very busy, hard-working people with a social code that can sometimes be difficult to decipher. At a festival or event, it's a different story. People have come from all over the country to relax and have a good time, and they are in a much more social mood. Whenever I've attended festivals, Koreans have offered assistance, translation, recommendations, and sometimes they just want to share a plain old chat. Their kindness makes you feel welcome, and by talking to them you may make a friend or learn something new! Talking to locals  provides a wonderful chance to share something about your culture, and to learn more about the Land of Morning Calm and her fascinating inhabitants.

Making friends at the Hwacheon Ice Festival, Gangwon-do

Military men enjoying their day off at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival

I met these lovely women competing at the Geoje Penguin Swim Festival

5) Take photos, take time, take it in
Even if you ignore my first four tips for festival fun, then heed this last snippet of advice. Take your time, take everything in, and, if you can, take photos - lots of 'em.  Take pictures of the sights, the scenery, the food, and most importantly, the people. Like I said before, when will you ever see this sight or meet these people again? Enjoy the moment while it lasts.

The Seoul Lantern Festival, celebrating Buddha's Birthday

Andong Mask Festival

The Busan International Fireworks Festival

I hope you've found my tips helpful, and I sincerely hope that everyone makes it out to a festival or two this year. Big or small, near or far, Korea's festivals are frequent, fun, and unforgettable.

An Icy Adventure at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

South's Korea's northernmost province Gangwon-do is home to the city of Hwacheon and one of winter's most exciting events: The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, or Mountain Trout Festival.

I traveled with a our group to reach Hwacheon. Arriving, we saw that the festival "grounds" weren't really on ground at all, rather the festival takes place on a long stretch of the Hwacheoncheon, "cheon" meaning "stream." Exiting the bus, we could see hundreds of people already engaging in the festivities. The most popular activities are traditional ice fishing and barehanded ice fishing. 

Ice fishers, hard at work

My friends and I decided to give ice fishing a try, and after receiving our poles we then sought out a fishing hole in the special foreigners' fishing area and settled in for some good, chilly fun. We let the line out until it touched the bottom and alternated pulling the fishing line at slow or quick speeds, as instructed. We spent more than a few minutes peering into the fishing hole to make sure that there were fish, and indeed there were. We just weren't catching any. Across the way, in the Koreans' fishing area, we could see what successful fishing looked like, as Koreans young and old (and serious!) caught their lunch.

My model for fishing success!

I worked hard, checking for fish, but my line still came up empty  :(

Following our failed attempt at ice-fishing, two of us decided to join the bare-handed fishing competition for foreigners. We suited up in some orange festival shirts and shorts before walking barefoot to the basin. At -15°C, we were feeling frozen before we even jumped in the water! 

Ooooh, it's chilly!

We were given just five minutes in the water, and believe me, you wouldn't want to stay any longer! We could catch a limit of three fish each. For my first minute, I was cold and miserable, but a little boy on the sidelines looked at me and whispered, "Fighting," a Korean expression meaning, "You can do it." I smiled and then, along with his family, they cheered for me, "Fighting!" After that, I managed to trap my three trout, making sure to show my cheerleaders each one.

How to Catch a Trout Barehanded
1) Grab the fish, 2) Wrestle it out of the water,
3) Stuff it it your shirt, and 4) Pose! You've done it!

I caught my trout just in time, and after a hot dip in the tub and a towel-off, we took my catch to the barbecues for the next step: Eating! Nothing washes down victory quite like buttered trout, soju, and beer!

Tasty trout, sun, and soju: A perfect festival day

Refreshed, warmed, and re-energized we dedicated the rest of our day to festival fun. You could choose from a myriad of activities, including ice sledding, go-karts, ATV rides, bumper cars, ice soccer, trampolines, and a snow maze. We opted for sledding and and ATV ride, and both were wild fun!

Fun on ice with an ATV

Tired but happy, my friends are I made one last dash through the snow maze before heading back to our hotel, our heads swimming with our day's icy adventures.

The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival takes places annually for the month of January. Activities range from 3,000 to 15,000 won and include coupons for use at the festival. Hwacheon is accessible by bus from Seoul and Changwon, and the festival is open from 9 AM until 6 PM. Refreshments are available on site, as are fishing outfits and equipment. Its well worth the trip, and it is one of my favourite festivals to date.

Taking a Winter Dip at the Deokpo Penguin Swim Festival

On January 7th, I took part in the 8th Annual Geoje Penguin Swim Festival. This festival was just so much fun, and definitely one of my favourite experiences in Korea thus far!

I rose early to join a tour group and travel to Deokpo (덕포) on Geoje-do, or Geoje Island (거제도), a tiny area known for its beautiful beach. The festival grounds offered such services as complimentary snacks and beverages for participants, face-painting, and games. 

The opening ceremonies were a wonderful mix of traditional meets modern. First we were entertained with some traditional Korean drum music before watching some edgily-dressed women performing upbeat dance routines to modern K-Pop songs.

Small ones admiring the traditional drum music...

...And playing it too!

Dance troupe CHK showcase some stylish moves

After the show and official greeting, we were ready to swim. The fact that it was such a beautiful sunny day made it easier to take off our street clothes and change into our swim gear, but it was definitely still cold! The shock didn't last long, because we had other things to think about, namely the even colder swim that awaited us, and the camera crews!

The group loving a moment of fame

The festival crowd was quite large. Camera crews circled. It was a surreal feeling, but not an unwelcome one! After countless photos and camera interviews, we began a group warm-up session led by a far too energetic emcee.

Getting limber...

We're ready!

Limbs loose and hearts pounding, the competitors let out a few cheers before the whistle sounded. We ran forward into the ocean. Any thoughts of pain or shock due to the cold were cast aside because the needs of the group demanded that you push ahead. We had to swim a 50-metre round-trip. It was challenging to move in the cold with so many people, but we persevered and we made it. 

The swim didn't take very long, and once we reached dry land again, our cold but happy bodies plodded our way past the cameras, smiling and waving to retrieve our winners' medals. 

Victorious, we smile for the cameras. 
Fighting! 화이팅!

After a few minutes rest with some complimentary snacks, we continued our fun by joining the live flatfish catching contest. About 700 flatfish were released into a netted area in the sea, and we were all instructed to go catch them - by hand! Successful fishers could have their catch filleted and served raw for a small donation.

Our group caught a three-flatfish lunch 

We then took advantage of the free hot shower service and got bundled up again. We participated in some of the other activities, including an eel relay race, treasure hunt, and a three-legged race. One of our team members won an endurance contest, outlasting all the others as he balanced barefoot on a block of ice. 


As our feet thawed, we sat to our meal of delicious raw flatfish or gwang-eo (광어), and many others were doing the same!

The tour group enjoys lunch together 

With all of the festivities completed, we decided to take advantage of the local zip-line that stretched 450 metres from one end of the beach to the other. The view was gorgeous, it was comfortable, and not at all scary once you got off the platform.

Our second adventure of the day, zip-lining!

Mid zip-trip!

Landing intact, our thrill-seeking troupe decided it was time head back. After taking a few parting shots, we drove out of Deokpo, admiring the beautiful sunset and chatting about our adventure-filled day.

Good-bye, Geoje-do.

The 2012 swimming contest cost 10,000 won, and included a souvenir shirt & towel. Many of the other services available were free, or by donation and the event was well-organized. The zip-line costs 20,000 won for a round-trip, and is open year-round. Geoje-do is accessible via the Busan-Geoje Fixed-Link, and trips from Busan take about an hour. I highly recommend the trip! See Geoje-do tourist information: http://english.geoje.go.kr/index.sko.