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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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 Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:47 pm Post subject: A question about the Mud Festival |
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| I just want to ask about the Mud Festival. It seems like almost a mandatory event. Is it worth going? Is it like a spring break kind of event? TIA |
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Underwaterbob
Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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My opinion of the Mud Festival is that it used to be an entertaining weekend getting muddy and a bit tipsy on the beach with a few friends. The last time I went - and I won't be going again - prices on just about everything had been jacked through the roof and there were drunk people of all nationalities lurching about making asses of themselves all over the place.
My advice: stay away from the Mud Festival and go to Daecheon some other time. It's really a beautiful place when it's not covered in reeking piles of soju-seafood vomit. |
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missty
Joined: 19 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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Not that I know much about Spring Breaks coming from a place where we don't really have those kind of things, but I'd go for ... yes? Lots of drinking in the streets, lots of drinking on the train on the way to the place and not much room to move.
I went a long time ago (about 4 years) and so it may have changed. I believe they have moved the mud slides etc... to the beach or something which seems like a good idea as before everyone was cramped in the streets. Someone did shove my face into a pool of mud though which was not appreciated. It also rained. A lot. And we were cold and wet and couldn't find a place to get warm for love nor money because everywhere was packed out.
That was just my experience though, maybe its gotten better since then? Either way, its a place to go to once, to appreciate the novelty of it all, and then to never go back again. Ever. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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| It's just that at orientation they made it sound like everyone does it yet it sounds stupid. I mean, rolling around in mud? |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not sure if it's gotten worse every year, if I've gotten older and more mature, or a combination of both, but I will never go back.
The first time I went in 2004 was amazing. Lots and lots of fun drinking IN THE RESTAURANTS and some late night partying on the beach. The second time I went in 2006 was fun as well. A bit more production on the beach in terms of performances and such, and quite a bit more street drinking. I do remember seeing someone in an SUV driving at ridiculous speeds ON THE BEACH at night towards crowds of people...but that was the worst of it.
2009 was shockingly bad. The train/bus ride was already swamped with people either still drunk from the previous night or who had started drinking as soon as they got up. That's not bad in and of itself, but by noon I saw guys pissing, puking, and washing the mud off their bodies in the fish tanks outside of restaurants, people brazenly stealing from local vendors, fights on the beach, etc.
I'm not sure what it is about this festival that brings out such rowdy behavior, but as mentioned above I won't be returning EVER. |
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Modernist
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Location: The 90s
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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| It's just that at orientation they made it sound like everyone does it yet it sounds stupid. I mean, rolling around in mud? |
You have to understand about Korea and festivals. If you haven't already noticed, you may find that damn near every little county and city in this country has some kind of festival, for something. Ginseng festivals. Azelea festivals. Melon festivals. Whatever. Since, as I have noted many times before, all Korean cities of any size are exactly the same as every other Korean city of a similar size, festivals are one of the only things they can do to differentiate themselves, and potentially draw some tourists who otherwise would never come to their small, dull, identical-in-every-way town. However, because they are Koreans, the festivals are typically all the same anyway [e.g., a stage with K-Pop, shows with people dressed as large cutesy animals, tents full of adjummas selling the same crap they sell every other day, fireworks, a demonstration and competition of some kind of 'traditional' Korean thing--tug-of-war, or dancing, or those ridiculous drummers].
Even the big cities aren't immune. Busan has their film festival which they shill to the high heavens. But the other metro-sized cities keep inventing new festivals trying to get one to stick. Daejeon's gone through like half a dozen ideas and all of them basically fizzle.
A few small places hit the jackpot in terms of the festival for whatever reason. Boryong is probably the main example of this. God knows where they got the idea, but it just works to draw people. So of course every Korean is going to flog it endlessly, whether it's worthy or not. 'It's very famous Korean festival! Only one in whole world! Many foreigners go! You must go! Very fun!' etc etc. They grasp on to anything they can. They're Koreans. |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| Modernist wrote: |
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| It's just that at orientation they made it sound like everyone does it yet it sounds stupid. I mean, rolling around in mud? |
You have to understand about Korea and festivals. If you haven't already noticed, you may find that damn near every little county and city in this country has some kind of festival, for something. Ginseng festivals. Azelea festivals. Melon festivals. Whatever. Since, as I have noted many times before, all Korean cities of any size are exactly the same as every other Korean city of a similar size, festivals are one of the only things they can do to differentiate themselves, and potentially draw some tourists who otherwise would never come to their small, dull, identical-in-every-way town. However, because they are Koreans, the festivals are typically all the same anyway [e.g., a stage with K-Pop, shows with people dressed as large cutesy animals, tents full of adjummas selling the same crap they sell every other day, fireworks, a demonstration and competition of some kind of 'traditional' Korean thing--tug-of-war, or dancing, or those ridiculous drummers].
Even the big cities aren't immune. Busan has their film festival which they shill to the high heavens. But the other metro-sized cities keep inventing new festivals trying to get one to stick. Daejeon's gone through like half a dozen ideas and all of them basically fizzle.
A few small places hit the jackpot in terms of the festival for whatever reason. Boryong is probably the main example of this. God knows where they got the idea, but it just works to draw people. So of course every Korean is going to flog it endlessly, whether it's worthy or not. 'It's very famous Korean festival! Only one in whole world! Many foreigners go! You must go! Very fun!' etc etc. They grasp on to anything they can. They're Koreans. |
What ever you do, don't stop posting on Dave's. With all that venting I'm afraid you'd simply explode if you ever stopped.
When you heading home anyway?
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:30 am Post subject: |
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The BIFF/PIFF is no joke...other than they can't seem to decide which way to spell Busan/Pusan. It has gotten bigger and better every year.
You're right about the other cities trying stuff...however, like many things here, if it isn't an instant smash they scrap the (sometimes great, but with poor execution) idea/plan and go back to the drawing board. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:46 am Post subject: |
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| Modernist wrote: |
| Quote: |
| It's just that at orientation they made it sound like everyone does it yet it sounds stupid. I mean, rolling around in mud? |
You have to understand about Korea and festivals. If you haven't already noticed, you may find that damn near every little county and city in this country has some kind of festival, for something. Ginseng festivals. Azelea festivals. Melon festivals. Whatever. Since, as I have noted many times before, all Korean cities of any size are exactly the same as every other Korean city of a similar size, festivals are one of the only things they can do to differentiate themselves, and potentially draw some tourists who otherwise would never come to their small, dull, identical-in-every-way town. However, because they are Koreans, the festivals are typically all the same anyway [e.g., a stage with K-Pop, shows with people dressed as large cutesy animals, tents full of adjummas selling the same crap they sell every other day, fireworks, a demonstration and competition of some kind of 'traditional' Korean thing--tug-of-war, or dancing, or those ridiculous drummers].
Even the big cities aren't immune. Busan has their film festival which they shill to the high heavens. But the other metro-sized cities keep inventing new festivals trying to get one to stick. Daejeon's gone through like half a dozen ideas and all of them basically fizzle.
A few small places hit the jackpot in terms of the festival for whatever reason. Boryong is probably the main example of this. God knows where they got the idea, but it just works to draw people. So of course every Korean is going to flog it endlessly, whether it's worthy or not. 'It's very famous Korean festival! Only one in whole world! Many foreigners go! You must go! Very fun!' etc etc. They grasp on to anything they can. They're Koreans. |
Boryeong has basically turned into a foreigner event, so this doesn't really make sense. |
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madoka
Joined: 27 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
Boryeong has basically turned into a foreigner event, so this doesn't really make sense. |
Imagine you're a whinging pom on a soapbox, then it completely makes sense. I'm half surprised he didn't bring in how disgusting Korean food is in his rant. |
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Airborne9
Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Modernist wrote: |
| Quote: |
| It's just that at orientation they made it sound like everyone does it yet it sounds stupid. I mean, rolling around in mud? |
You have to understand about Korea and festivals. If you haven't already noticed, you may find that damn near every little county and city in this country has some kind of festival, for something. Ginseng festivals. Azelea festivals. Melon festivals. Whatever. Since, as I have noted many times before, all Korean cities of any size are exactly the same as every other Korean city of a similar size, festivals are one of the only things they can do to differentiate themselves, and potentially draw some tourists who otherwise would never come to their small, dull, identical-in-every-way town. However, because they are Koreans, the festivals are typically all the same anyway [e.g., a stage with K-Pop, shows with people dressed as large cutesy animals, tents full of adjummas selling the same crap they sell every other day, fireworks, a demonstration and competition of some kind of 'traditional' Korean thing--tug-of-war, or dancing, or those ridiculous drummers].
Even the big cities aren't immune. Busan has their film festival which they shill to the high heavens. But the other metro-sized cities keep inventing new festivals trying to get one to stick. Daejeon's gone through like half a dozen ideas and all of them basically fizzle.
A few small places hit the jackpot in terms of the festival for whatever reason. Boryong is probably the main example of this. God knows where they got the idea, but it just works to draw people. So of course every Korean is going to flog it endlessly, whether it's worthy or not. 'It's very famous Korean festival! Only one in whole world! Many foreigners go! You must go! Very fun!' etc etc. They grasp on to anything they can. They're Koreans. |
Not to be an apologist, but In Ireland and England nearly every little town or small city has its own festival. Most of them usually ripped off the idea from another part of the country. Instead of having a few great festivals now they have a bunch or mediocre ones.
Back to the mud festival, I went a few years ago and didnt enjoy it that much. A few of my Korean friends who came with me had a blast and go back every year. Personally I'd rather spend the money going to a music festival like Jisan, Supersonic or Pentaport. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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| It's prominently featured on all tourism sites and I even once saw an entire subway with pictures from the mud festival painted on the cars. I'd like to hear from those who support this mud festival. What's so great about it? |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| seoulsucker wrote: |
2009 was shockingly bad. The train/bus ride was already swamped with people either still drunk from the previous night or who had started drinking as soon as they got up. That's not bad in and of itself, but by noon I saw guys pissing, puking, and washing the mud off their bodies in the fish tanks outside of restaurants, people brazenly stealing from local vendors, fights on the beach, etc.
I'm not sure what it is about this festival that brings out such rowdy behavior, but as mentioned above I won't be returning EVER. |
And we wonder why they hate us.
Normally when it comes to drunken shenanigans, we're just acting the same as the locals. However stuff like this goes a step beyond. I mean, can you imagine being a Korean parent and bringing your child to something like this? What are you going to say to them?
| Quote: |
You have to understand about Korea and festivals. If you haven't already noticed, you may find that damn near every little county and city in this country has some kind of festival, for something. Ginseng festivals. Azelea festivals. Melon festivals. Whatever. Since, as I have noted many times before, all Korean cities of any size are exactly the same as every other Korean city of a similar size, festivals are one of the only things they can do to differentiate themselves, and potentially draw some tourists who otherwise would never come to their small, dull, identical-in-every-way town. However, because they are Koreans, the festivals are typically all the same anyway [e.g., a stage with K-Pop, shows with people dressed as large cutesy animals, tents full of adjummas selling the same crap they sell every other day, fireworks, a demonstration and competition of some kind of 'traditional' Korean thing--tug-of-war, or dancing, or those ridiculous drummers].
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I'm actually going to agree with Modernist on this. Every year the newbies, and even some of the veterans make a big deal about the Azalea-Cherry Blossom-Apple-Ginseng-Drum festival. Every time I explain that its the same crap, different place. Same crappy, overpriced tent food. Same crappy carnival games. Same 3rd rate musical acts. The only redeeming factor is that you get to try a new restaurant in a new town, but that's only if people don't get suckered into the tent food.
The film festivals in Cheonju and Busan are different, as is the Jazz fest or something like Jisan. Bands actually worth listening to. Stuff actually worth watching. But even big stuff like The Fireworks festival is the same lame crap.
And btw, am I the only one who thinks fireworks kinda suck? I mean its fun when you're setting them off or shooting roman candles at each other, but most fireworks are the same old, same old. I don't get it. By about the age of 10 I realized that 99% of fireworks shows are all the same. Unless you have some crazy design or make it louder than Pickett's Charge, don't bother. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| Modernist wrote: |
| Quote: |
| It's just that at orientation they made it sound like everyone does it yet it sounds stupid. I mean, rolling around in mud? |
You have to understand about Korea and festivals. If you haven't already noticed, you may find that damn near every little county and city in this country has some kind of festival, for something. Ginseng festivals. Azelea festivals. Melon festivals. Whatever. Since, as I have noted many times before, all Korean cities of any size are exactly the same as every other Korean city of a similar size, festivals are one of the only things they can do to differentiate themselves, and potentially draw some tourists who otherwise would never come to their small, dull, identical-in-every-way town. However, because they are Koreans, the festivals are typically all the same anyway [e.g., a stage with K-Pop, shows with people dressed as large cutesy animals, tents full of adjummas selling the same crap they sell every other day, fireworks, a demonstration and competition of some kind of 'traditional' Korean thing--tug-of-war, or dancing, or those ridiculous drummers].
Even the big cities aren't immune. Busan has their film festival which they shill to the high heavens. But the other metro-sized cities keep inventing new festivals trying to get one to stick. Daejeon's gone through like half a dozen ideas and all of them basically fizzle.
A few small places hit the jackpot in terms of the festival for whatever reason. Boryong is probably the main example of this. God knows where they got the idea, but it just works to draw people. So of course every Korean is going to flog it endlessly, whether it's worthy or not. 'It's very famous Korean festival! Only one in whole world! Many foreigners go! You must go! Very fun!' etc etc. They grasp on to anything they can. They're Koreans. |
Boryeong has basically turned into a foreigner event, so this doesn't really make sense. |
almost everything that guy ever says makes no sense.
that said, paying money to go get hepatitis with a bunch of drunk foreigners? uh... no thanks. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
| And btw, am I the only one who thinks fireworks kinda suck? I mean its fun when you're setting them off or shooting roman candles at each other, but most fireworks are the same old, same old. I don't get it. By about the age of 10 I realized that 99% of fireworks shows are all the same. Unless you have some crazy design or make it louder than Pickett's Charge, don't bother. |
| Quote: |
| There is a very limited window of time when seeing a fireworks display is even remotely interesting. That window spans approximately from the moment you first learn that fireworks are a real thing to the moment you've finally finished watching your first fireworks display. Beyond that, you're literally just watching the same thing over and over and somehow expecting to be entertained by it each time. But fireworks aren't Arrested Development. There aren't going to be extra layers of jokes and interesting shit worked into the minute details that you missed the first time. They're just colors in the sky. |
http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-supposedly-fun-activities-nobody-actually-enjoys_p2/ |
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