Korea is a lover of festivals and one can be found somewhere in the country most weekends. Festivals here range from the traditional and spiritual to the loud and outrageous (Seoul's progressive and vibrant Gay Pride Parade is a must); from the arts scene to the techie exhibitions. Korea has it all. Regardless of what your 'cup of tea' is (yes, they do have numerous tea festivals too), there is a festival to suit everyone.
This festival takes place on and around Busan's world famous Haeundae Beach. Professionally designed and carefully crafted sand sculptures dot the beach and are the main focus of the event. However, there is also an area of the beach that allows us mere mortals to attempt a creation. In fact, for 10,000won, which can be spread between team members, you can enter the amateur competition and you could see yourself walking away from the event in profit. 
The events let comic book fanatics: meet the designers and artists, buy limited editions, purchase merchandise, see performances based on comic strips AND... live out their fantasies (in the form of role plays) whilst dressed as their favourite characters. The atmosphere is very light hearted, welcoming and friendly... one that welcomes first timers.
The must see festivals:
Busan Sand Festival
This festival takes place on and around Busan's world famous Haeundae Beach. Professionally designed and carefully crafted sand sculptures dot the beach and are the main focus of the event. However, there is also an area of the beach that allows us mere mortals to attempt a creation. In fact, for 10,000won, which can be spread between team members, you can enter the amateur competition and you could see yourself walking away from the event in profit. 
In addition to the sculptures, there are:
- Music performances
- Comedy performances
- Celebration parades
- Traditional parades
- Chicken Fighting contests (this isn't a cruel sport... it's us humans fighting each other whilst holding one leg and trying to knock the opponent over)
- Volleyball/beachball/soccer/boom racket/sand wrestling/extreme frisbee competitions
- Treasure hunts
The event has a well designed English website that details all events in advance, allowing you to plan your trip and maximise your experience. Busan San Festival Website
Dates: First weekend of June, that coincides with Korea's Memorial day, meaning you should have Monday off work. It makes for an awesome three day weekend.
Sun, Sea, Sand, Sculptures, Specticals, stage shows, sunsets, sunrises ....
For those of you living in or around Seoul and wishing to head to Busan for the festival you have a few options:
- Book a seat on the VERY fast and convenient KTX bullet train (which takes two and a half hours and costs approximately 100,000won return) book online
- Take the slow train (which takes five and a half hours and costs approximately 50,000 won return)
- Get a bus (taking four and a half to five hours and costing approximately 60,000 won return)
- Book a ticket for the FREE shuttle bus from Seoul to Busan (taking five hours, leaving once a day only) book online
Accommodation:
- Pension - a place where you will sleep communcally on the floor with other travellers. Cheap and easy.
- JimJilBang (described in 'Seoul on a Weekend') - highly recommended. Get naked, get hot, get cold, get massaged, get some sleep. Also cheap and ubiquitous in Busan
- Motel, or 'love motel'. Great fun, especially when you're in a group.
- Hotel. swanky.
- Tent - also highly recommended. There are signs that state that people shouldn't camp on the beach but, rules are made to be broken. Especially in festival season.
Sand Festival Rating:
Energy: 10
Fun: 9
Culture experience: 4 - this is a great event but, the majority of the people at the Sand Festival are Westeners and many of the performances are designed for an International audience.
Education: 3
Hi Seoul Festival
The week long festival, that is held four times a year (once at the beginning of each season), has a variety of performers that will provide you with pleasure hour after hour. Ah.. and for you non-Korean speakers (which includes me) the organisers of the event have designed the Festival with an international audience in mind, meaning the majority of the shows are either non-verbal or in English.
The entertainers are from all four corners of the globe and provide the whole festival with an artistic and creative atmosphere. All of the performances are world class and take place in different tents that are situated along the Han River (which makes for an picturesque backdrop to the performances that are done outside).
Whilst at the festival, if you have any questions then you can go to the Information tent (where all of the volunteers tend to speak very good English) or catch one of the many volunteers that mill around the event (easily spottable in their vibrant uniforms - I would tell you what colour they wear but, they change the uniform design with every festival). Some of the shows that you can experience are:
- Contortionists
- Singers
- Acrobatics
- Comedy performance
- Horror shows
- Traditional performances
- NANTA (Korea's world famous non-verbal performance that entails 'chefs' that chop food to rhythm and beat, whilst integrating comedy and audience participation).
- Opening and closing ceremonies, which usually include an array of different spectacles AND a mind boggling display of FIREWORKS.
Because the festival is a week long, you can carefully plan the shows that you will see and, as most acts will present more than once within the week, you should be able to see all of the ones that interest you. Timetables of the events are published well in advance meaning that you can plan (and book) in advance (HiSeoul website).
ah... and what makes this world class festival even better is that all events are FREE. So, you can spend your days being entertained, taking in world class performances, without having to worry about your bank balance. The only costs you will have are for your food and drink and there are copious amounts of food available from different vendors across the site, allowing new comers to Korea to sample some of this countries many signature dishes (see Dog Ain't That Crazy).
Hi Seoul Festival Ratings:
Energy: 9
Fun: 9
Culture experience: 8.
Education: 9
Comic Book Convention
'When in Rome', or rather 'When in Korea', do as the locals do. And in Korea, comic books are a big deal. More so than in western cultures, where comic book collectors have the stereotype of being geeky. Visiting one of Korea's many comic book conventions will certainly be an eye-opening experience and one that will most probably smash the stereotype embossed in most westerners heads.
The events let comic book fanatics: meet the designers and artists, buy limited editions, purchase merchandise, see performances based on comic strips AND... live out their fantasies (in the form of role plays) whilst dressed as their favourite characters. The atmosphere is very light hearted, welcoming and friendly... one that welcomes first timers. These events are held on a regular basis and throughout the country. If you work with or are friends with a Korean speaker then you can visit 'this website' and get them to translate it for you, letting you know when the next event will be held in your area.
Comic Book Convention Ratings:
Energy: 8
Fun: 8
Culture experience: 6.
Education: 7
Boryeong Mud Festival
Get down and dirty. The Boryeong Mud festival is a celebration of things affiliated with mud. The mud from the area is said to be beneficial for health and so people (mainly Westeners) ascend on the town in their droves for the festival weekend (usually held on the third weekend of the month).
You can expect everything from mud wrestling and mud sliding to therapeutic mud massages and yoga on the beach (in mud). On the evening you can sit back and enjoy the live music, fireworks, bars, beach and sea (skinny dipping seems to be mandatory). Other events:
Getting there: There are many organised trips for this event (found on Facebook). The Seoul Hiking Group (link here) organises a great trip to the festival and also includes a group BBQ - Seoul hiking group always has friendly people and the organiser is well known for being a character.
Alternatively, you can take pubic transport:
1.Take the direct bus towards Daecheon Beach from Central City Bus Terminal (6:00am- 9:50pm, departs every 30-60min/travel time 2hr 10min)
2.Take the train from Yeongdeungpo (5:48am - 8:47pm, departs every 50min - 1hr 10min/ travel time 2hr 30min).
At the bus stop across from the Daecheon station, take a local bus for Daecheon Beach. It should take about 20 minutes.
Accommodation: You will need to book any accommodation well in advance of the festival, due to the popularity of the event. Once again, this can be organised for you if booking through an organised group such as Seoul Hiking group. If you decide to attend last minute then, take a tent or plan on finding a nice group who'll let you share their room.
Boryeong Mud Festival
Get down and dirty. The Boryeong Mud festival is a celebration of things affiliated with mud. The mud from the area is said to be beneficial for health and so people (mainly Westeners) ascend on the town in their droves for the festival weekend (usually held on the third weekend of the month).
 |
| As you can see, we got a bit muddy. |
- Street Parade
- Yacht Parade
- Mud Showroom
- Mud Wrestling Competition
- Mud Marathon
- Mud Painting
Getting there: There are many organised trips for this event (found on Facebook). The Seoul Hiking Group (link here) organises a great trip to the festival and also includes a group BBQ - Seoul hiking group always has friendly people and the organiser is well known for being a character.
Alternatively, you can take pubic transport:
1.Take the direct bus towards Daecheon Beach from Central City Bus Terminal (6:00am- 9:50pm, departs every 30-60min/travel time 2hr 10min)
2.Take the train from Yeongdeungpo (5:48am - 8:47pm, departs every 50min - 1hr 10min/ travel time 2hr 30min).
At the bus stop across from the Daecheon station, take a local bus for Daecheon Beach. It should take about 20 minutes.
Accommodation: You will need to book any accommodation well in advance of the festival, due to the popularity of the event. Once again, this can be organised for you if booking through an organised group such as Seoul Hiking group. If you decide to attend last minute then, take a tent or plan on finding a nice group who'll let you share their room.
Boryeon Mud Festival Ratings:
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