Tradition or Dirty Novelty? A visit to South Korea’s Boryeong Mud Festival

What to expect

This year, Mudfest will run from July 21 to 30, but to experience it in all its glory, be sure to schedule your visit during a weekend, when the most noteworthy events and activities take place.

Spread throughout Daecheon Beach and downtown Boryeong, the festivities generally begin in the morning, when tourists are ferried in by the busload and are dropped off at the beach, which is carefully prepared with loads of mud trucked in from the region’s mud flats.

Various areas – some free, some requiring admission fees – are equipped with mud pits, mud fountains, mud pools, mud massage zones and even a mud prison, all of which are guaranteed to have you looking like a mud monster by the day’s end. A one-day pass will get you in to all the ticketed events and areas, such as the inflatable playgrounds, obstacle courses, mud slides and races. Regular tickets are 10,000 Won for adults during the week, and 12,000 won on the weekend, and can be purchased at the festival or in advance online.

In addition to muddy merriment, there are also plenty of squeaky clean events to partake in, like fireworks displays and live performances during the festival’s opening and closing ceremonies. This year, K-pop superstars Psy – singer of the 2012 smash hit “Gangnam Style” – and IU will host free stand-alone concerts on July 25 and July 28, respectively.

Other highlights include the festival’s Black Eagles Show with the Korean Air Force and a slew of parades. Those in the mood for a friendly sports match can partake in the Beach Mud Football Competition at the Citizen Tower Sandy beach site on July 29. Boryeong is also home to a number of nightlife venues ranging from Korean BBQ joints and seafood restaurants to bars and noraebang, so it’s highly recommended that you stay overnight to get the full Mudfest experience.