While neighboring countries were battered by typhoons, South Koreans endured a punishing heat wave that kept many from enjoying the outdoors.
The powerful heat dome that had smothered Manchuria, the Liaodong Peninsula and the Korean Peninsula finally broke — weakened by a typhoon from Japan that rapidly lost strength as it approached the East Sea coast — and the back half of summer has now arrived, bringing ideal conditions for outdoor leisure.
Gangneung, a hub international tourism city on the East Sea coast in Gangwon Province, is staging a series of festivals around the Liberation Day holiday to cap off the summer season.
The city will hold the "Beer! Bieobiweo Festival" at the Wolhwa Street Night Market from Friday through Saturday, and the "One Bite Snack Festival" at Jumunjin General Market from Saturday through Sunday.
Organized by the city of Gangneung and run by the Seongnam Market Merchants' Association, the Beer! Bieobiweo Festival is a Wolhwa Street Night Market event held under the slogan "Empty your stress, fill up on beer." This year marks its second edition.
The main stage will feature a lineup of live performances including saxophone, classical vocals, bands, busking and musical acts, along with DJ parties. A draft beer sales zone will also operate on the festival grounds.
At 8 p.m. each evening, visitors will take part in a "Beer Time Toast Performance," raising their glasses together. Additional attractions include a game zone and a popcorn giveaway event.
The One Bite Snack Festival at Jumunjin General Market is part of a government-backed initiative to develop culturally and tourism-oriented traditional markets. The Jumunjin General Market Merchants' Association hosts it, and the market's cultural tourism development team organizes it.
Led by the market's own vendors, the festival will offer a stamp tour rewarding customers who visit shops or join hands-on programs with prizes, along with a "One Bite" gangjeong-making experience, a "One Shot" photo zone and other interactive activities. Busking performances and magic shows will round out the program, making it an outing for the whole family.
Kim Hyeon-gyeong, head of Gangneung's small business division, said she hopes the weekend festivals at the traditional markets will bring joy to residents and tourists alike while giving merchants a much-needed boost. "We will continue to push forward with various projects so that traditional markets can establish themselves as the heart of the local economy," she added.
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