[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival

The 24th Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival is set to be held at gym park and areas around Naeseongcheon Stream in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province.

The nine-day event will start from July 30 to Aug. 7.

The festival offers the opportunity to catch sweetfish, either with their bare hands or a scoop net.

Visitors can also enjoy outdoor concerts, featuring artists like trot singer Jeong Dong-won, rock band Gukkasten, girl group Weeekly and more. The tourists can cook and taste the grilled fish as well.

The admission fees cost 5,000 won.

More information can be found at www.bonghwafestival.or.kr.

Boryeong Mud Festival

The 25th edition of Boryeong Mud Festival takes place at various areas of Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. This year’s festival, which started July 16, runs through Aug. 15.

Ranging from a mud train, body painting, a mud water park to beach parties and a K-pop concert featuring boy band Treasure, girl group WJSN, Billlie and more, the festival promises a fun-filled time.

Boryeong Sea Mud Exhibition’s admission costs 12,000 won and 9,000 won for adults and teenagers, respectively. Tickets cost 6,000 for children.

The Boryeong Mud Festival exhibition is fee.

Additional information can be found at www.mudfestival.or.kr.

Vacation in Snoopy Garden

The Vacation in Snoopy Garden is scheduled to run through Aug. 31 on Jeju Island.

Held at Snoopy Garden in Songdang-ri, Gujwa-eup of Jeju City, on the western side of the island, the festival allows the visitors to stroll through Peanuts comics-themed gardens, featuring the major characters, including Snoopy and Charlie Brown.

Ranging from a garden to a cafe and souvenir store, various sites in Snoopy Garden will entertain cartoon-lovers of all ages.

Tickets cost 18,000 won and 15,000 won for adults and teenagers under 19, respectively. For those under 13, the admission fee is 12,000 won.

Updated information can be found at www.snoopygarden.com.

The Summer of the Year

The Summer of the Year is a summer festival at the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

The event is set to run through Aug. 21 in various parts of the Korean Folk Village.

Various programs water gun fights, singing classes and meeting fortune tellers are set to entertain the visitors. More hands-on experiences like decorating straw hats, rubber shoes and making watermelon fans are offered as well.

Special performances are held every weekend at 4 p.m. on the special stage of the amusement village.

Tickets cost 32,000 won for adults and teenagers and 26,000 won for those under 13.

Visit www.koreanfolk.co.kr for more information in Korean and English.

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival

The Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival is to be held at the Donam Tourist Complex in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, from Aug. 5-14.

The festival commemorates the Great Battle of Hansan of 1592, the best-known naval battle in Korean history.

Visitors can watch a reenactment of the battle and experience hands-on programs at Yi Sun-sin Waterpark offered by the city and the Great Battle of Hansan Memorial Foundation.

Admission is free, and people of all ages are welcome. Additional information can be found at www.hansanf.org.

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)