Visitors immerse themselves in mud on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors filled the mud pools at Daecheon Beach on Friday afternoon as the 29th Boryeong Mud Festival opened with a heat wave advisory in force over the city.
The festival runs through Aug. 9 at Daecheon Beach and Boryeong Mud Expo Plaza in Boryeong, South Chungcheong. Around 2 million people turn up every year, a large share of them from overseas, which makes it one of the few Korean festivals with a substantial foreign following.
New this year are 20 self-massage mud tubs, installed to give visitors a less crowded place to coat themselves, and a mud infinity pool that looks out over the sea. The main zone at the expo plaza is divided into a general activity area, a family zone and a water park zone for children.
Boryeong launched the festival in 1998 to sell cosmetics made from the mineral-rich mud dug out of its coastal flats. That side of the business is still running. The city expects 2 billion won ($1.4 million) in sales of mud soap, shampoo, masks and cosmetics this year, three decades after it started selling them.
After dark, the beach hands over to drone shows and concerts.
Visitors get drenched on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.YONHAP
Visitors watch a performance on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors immerse themselves in mud on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors immerse themselves in mud on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors go on a ride on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors immerse themselves in mud on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors pose for the camera at the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors immerse themselves in mud on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
Visitors immerse themselves in mud on the opening day of the Boryeong Mud Festival on Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, on July 24.NEWS1
BY WOO SANG-JO [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
