Korean Job Discussion Forums

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

180 students from 6 elementary schools in Boryeong came down with a skin disease after visiting the mud festival site on the 4th and 5th.

http://news.kbs.co.kr/article/local/200907/20090707/1806479.html

http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/07/hundreds-of-elementary-school-students.html

Another paper says 500 kids got a rash.

Missihippi · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Location: Gwangmyeong

Anyone with first hand knowledge? I plan on going to mudfest this weekend, should i be legitimately concerned?

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Sounds like these poor kids have been mixing with foreigners. Tut. Tut.
I wonder if this is true, or it's just another branch on the foreigner H1N1 scare tree.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

The festival doesn't open until this coming weekend, so unless there were foriegners also invited to the area pre-festival, it's doubtful.

I was surprised to see this story, because if news like this got out it could definitley jeopardize the festival. I'm curious if we'll see this story translated and put in the English-language papers, for the benefit of the thousands of foreigners who will attend.

NightSky · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

well..hundreds of people rolling around in mud doesn't seem like the cleanest/healthiest thing to be doing, but that's just me...(I also don't like eating out of communal pots)...but basically you are just taking a big dirty bath with a bunch of others, no? and without the chlorine of a pool to at least kill some bacteria.

deadhead09 · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Location: hwagok

cant beleive everything you read... especially in korea.
my advice: go to mud fest and have a good time.

Yesterday · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject:

Whats new?

Half of the Korean kids I know have skin diseases...

Maybe the mud just irritated their "already diseased skin"

Panda · Joined: 25 Oct 2008

Very unlikely, one or a few people with skin disease will spread his/her disease to so many students.

It might be the pollution (chemicals or some condensed pathogens).

seoulsucker · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:21 pm Post subject:

Glad I'm going on the 18th.

Have fun this weekend, my little lab rats.

diver · Joined: 16 Jun 2003

Well, I am sure that SOME disease will get spread at mudfest this weekend Wink

NightSky · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

just saw a news report saying there was no connection between those students' rashes and the mud. but these are K-doctors, remember, the ones who think that all ills can be cured by a packet of pills thrice daily for three days.

anyway still...not my thing...but it's probably okay to go for those who are worried about it.

irnbruha · Joined: 06 Nov 2008

Nightsky you got a link for it not being connected with the mud? I'm going regardless, but just curious...I figure if I rub kimchi on the rash it'll go away.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

I have never seen kids going to the restroom to take a pee break while swimming in the mud puddle. Have you? Laughing

seoulsucker · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:13 pm Post subject:

NightSky · Joined: 19 Apr 2005