[International i Journal = Reporter Ma Hyeseong from Yeoui Peak, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea] Yeongdeok-gun (County) held '20th Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival' from March 23 to 26 where we could enjoy various sights and foods in Haepalang Park at Ganggu Port.

▲ Come! Taste! Enjoy! Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival is being held ⓒIIJ

Yeongdeok-gun made great efforts to upgrade the level of this 20 year old Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival, which started in 1998. Another change was to move the festival hall from the narrow streets of Ganggu Harbor to 'Haeparang Park', which was completed last year, to enhance tourist convenience and space efficiency.


It is much easier for tourists to enjoy the festival at a glance. The traffic system was also transformed in favor of vehicle drivers by allowing them to circulate the Ganggu Port rather than shutting down the whole port area. The Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival shuttle bus departs from Pohang KTX Station (in Heunghae-eup) for train visitors.


You can also enjoy a variety of foods made with Yongdeok snow crabs such as Yongdeok Snow Crab Noodle, Yongdeok Soy Sauce Marinated Snow Crab Bibimbap, Yongdeok Snow Crab Ramen, Yongdeok Snow Crab Bread, and Yeongdeok Snow Crab Rice Cake as much as you want but at a reasonable price.


There are also performances such as 'Snow Crab Goblin', a festival theme performance in which 'Doggaei (goblin)' that was recently taken off the air is interfaced with Yeongdeok snow crabs, 'Lead Swinger on Vacation', a Yeongdeok’s intrinsic original play, and ‘Wolwolicheongcheong and Byeolsingut’, old and traditional intangible cultural assets, In the evening of the first day of Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival (March 23), it is expected that the festive mood will reach its high pitch when MBC Folk Song Best, a popular TV program is recorded at Haeparang Park.


There are many other experience programs that various age groups can enjoy from children to adults, for example, ‘Let’s Catch Snow Crabs, a mobile augmented reality game’, ‘Let’s Run with Snow Crabs, a speed game’, and ‘Let’s Hook Snow Crabs & Gold in which you will hook luxurious Bakdal snow crabs having golden rings on their legs’.


Baek Seung-jin, a new general director of Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival revealed his strong ambitions, saying “We are going to make Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival the truly representative festival of Korea by strengthening existing good programs and introducing new and fresh programs, aiming at only a festival with stable festival operation, sustainability, creative program, and identity,” This year, Yeongdeok-gun has commissioned Mr. Shin Gu (a star of Gentlemen at ‘Wolgyesu Tailor’s Shop) as an honorary ambassador for 2 consecutive years and is using various media such as broadcasting, newspapers, and social media to promote omnidirectional PR for the festival.


An official of Yeongdeok-gun said, "To break the prejudice that it is hard to eat Yeongdeok snow crabs because they are expensive, we have prepared cheap and delicious snow crab foods such as Snow Crab Ramen and Soy Sauce Marinated Snow Crab Bibimbap, and prepared a festival for people to relax themselves well while enjoying exciting performances and experience programs. Family, lovers, friends, and others, please come and enjoy the festival.”

여의봉, 마혜성/번역 : 이진  yeu3030@naver.com

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