Participants in the Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival wade into the Naeseong River on Saturday to catch sweetfish using a traditional net called a bandu, creating summer memories. [Bonghwa-gun]
Participants in the Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival wade into the Naeseong River on Saturday to catch sweetfish using a traditional net called a bandu, creating summer memories. [Bonghwa-gun]

The 28th Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival, one of South Korea's signature summer festivals, opened along the Naeseong River in Bonghwa-eup.

According to Bonghwa-gun, the opening ceremony was held Saturday at 11 a.m. on a waterside stage, drawing about 1,000 attendees including Bonghwa-gun Mayor Choi Gi-yeong, heads of local institutions and organizations, residents and tourists.

As guests pressed a touch button to mark the official opening, colorful smoke filled the summer sky above the Naeseong River. Participants in the bandu net-fishing experience then entered the venue to cheers, signaling a lively start to the festival.

The festival grounds were bustling from 10 a.m. Saturday, as families and children flocked to try the bare-hands sweetfish catching experience. Participants chased and caught sweetfish swimming through the water, forgetting the summer heat.

A highlight came at 2 p.m. with the "Sweetfish Bare-Hands Catching Championship," which drew further excitement from the crowd.

This year, organizers introduced a new rule barring winners from the past three years from competing for prizes, giving more tourists a chance to win.

"This year's sweetfish festival is fully equipped with large indoor rest areas and air conditioning to help visitors escape the heat," a Bonghwa Festival Tourism Foundation official said. "We hope everyone will come and make cool, joyful summer memories amid Bonghwa's pristine nature before the festival wraps up on Aug. 2."


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