Summer Festivals in July   

• Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival is a summer regional festival held annually using sweetfish as an overarching theme. This year, it will be held from July 29 to Aug. 6 at Bonghwa in Bonghwa County, in Gyeongsangbuk Province. Festival activities include catching sweetfish with bare hands or a fish net and grilling them on the spot. There are also musical and band performances and opportunities to learn about sweetfish and other freshwater fish. Boryeong Mud Festival is held every year in July for Koreans and foreigners alike. This year, it will stay open from July 21 to Aug. 6 at Daecheon Beach in Chungcheongnam Province. Activities include taking a mud massage and bath and partaking in the “Mud Night Mob Scene.” Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival is held every year in late July or early August to celebrate the pristine water of the Tamjingang River and Jangheung Lake in Jeollanam Province. This year, it takes place from July 29 to Aug. 6 at the Tamjingang River and Cypress Forest Woodland. Exclusive to the festival are the activities that participants get to experience firsthand, including a water fight, bare-handed fish-catching, and a pool party. There are also numerous water play facilities for water sports, such as water biking and boat riding. Korea Traditional Performing Arts Festival will commence from July 12 to 16 at the National Gugak Center in Seoul. The festival aims to advocate the succession and development of “Yeonhui,” the Korean traditional performing arts. As such, visitors may encounter all sorts of Yeonhui, from “nongak” (a traditional Korean music performance by farmers) and shamanic music to tightrope walking and “talchum” (Korean mask dance). Hangang River Festival, which takes place every season at the Hangang River, is held this summer from July 28 to Aug. 13. The highlight of the summer festival are the water leisure activities, including a boat race tournament and an opportunity to ride on a king canoe to view the nightscape. Other festivities include compelling performances and exhibitions. Korean Folk Village will open at night on weekends and public holidays, from Apr. 7 to Nov. 12, in the city of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The village introduces aspects of Korean traditional culture, and this year it showcases Yeonbun, a large-scale multimedia performance expressing the sorrowful love of a couple in the Joseon Dynasty. Yeonbun combines state-of-the-art LEDs and shadow art, creating a sight to behold. Aside from Yeonbun, people may also participate in hands-on activities and take photos at specially-themed photo zones. Serena Park Staff Reporter teen/1688431890/1613367750