The mudfest was incredible. We were supposed to go with a group of nine, but after all it turned out to be me, my co-worker John, and his girlfriend Houn. We didn't care though, they missed out on a great time. I was a little misinformed about the festival and its history, however, so let me set things straight. Mudfest has been going on for ten years now and was the brainchild of the tourism committee in Daechon (a small, sleepy coastal town about 70 miles from Seoul). They wanted to attract people to their town to boost the economy and decided to throw a festival with the town's only export: Facial Mud. Once a small company, 'Mud Rang' harvested their slurry near the town so it seemed only natural to involve their business with the festival. Ideas flowed, synapses fired, and the Mudfest was born. They truck 100 tons of mud down to the beach and set up a huge stage for bands, activities, booths, food huts, and mud dispensing stations. It's not the mud 'fight' that I had been told about, though, it's a more tranquil 'self-application' done with a paintbrush. People get really artistic about it...very cool to watch. The lack of craziness with which the application part is done is made up for in the mud slip n' slide, the pool, the wrestling arena (yes... mud wrestling), the concerts, and the general atmosphere created by 5000 drunken, muddy Koreans and foreigners mingling with each other in the sun for two days straight. The only real peace to be had outside of the confines of your own hotel room is in the ocean, washing away the grey earth and floating in the cool waters of the salty yellow sea. Okay, let the pictures begin:
On the way:
We arrive and it's crowded:
But where's the MUD?!!
Ahh, I found it!:
Apply mud to self:
mmm.... squishy
What's left to do but take a group photo:
Now let's walk around a little:
Maybe a little mud wrestling? Hmm, that's more of a spectator's sport if you ask me:
Let's go hear some music:
Go to Mud Jail, directly to Mud Jail, do not pass 'go', do not collect 200$:
Anyone for a refreshing swim... in mud?:
Then later that night, a really brilliant fireworks show choreographed to tunes from the likes of Queen and David Bowie:
"Bowies in Space"
And lastly, the result of too much Soju. This guy was down for the count at 11:30:
Anyway, it was a great time. After we got cleaned up we went to sing Karaoke at a "Norebang" (pronounced Nora bong). This is a Korean favorite where you get a private singing room for you and your friends without the embarrassment of having to crucify your favorite tunes in public. All in all a very fun trip and even though I have only been in Seoul for a month now, it was nice to get out of the city. So much so that when I got back on Sunday I decided to grab my jump balls and commit to leaving South Korea for my vacation in two weeks. After a little research I decided on Boracay, Philippines for a week on the beach. I am really looking forward to that. I hope you enjoyed mudfest as much as we did!!!
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