[International i Journal = Reporter Yeo ui-bong and Seo Yeon-ji from Gyeongsangbuk-do] The Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival was held in Naeseongcheon Area of Bongwha-eup from July 28 to August 4 with a slogan of 'The Summer we have been looking forward to! With the Return of Bonghwa Sweetfish!".

The tourists participated in an experience program of this year’s sweetfish festival, Sweetfish Catching (with a scoop net or bare hands), crayfishing, and watermelon theft, and look around major sightseeing spots using the tour bus.

At the National King Fisherman Contest, Mr. Kwon Suk-kyung, who has caught 25 sweetfish for a limited time, has been selected as the king fisherman. Winning the prize of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the prize money of 1 million Korean won. Mr. Kwon Suk-kyung said, “Catching sweetfish remained an unforgettable memory for me as it gave me not only joy but also sense of achievement and prize money."

This festival receive fervent responses as it operated cooling centers, deulmaru, and rest café, and many linked events such as National Song Contest, a creative musical, ‘Lee Mong-ryong’ cafeteria, Family Health Walk Competition, Orakgarak Song Festival, and National Kendo Competition contributed a lot to the improved taste of this sweet festival.

Especially, the 2018 Naeseongcheon Dungdung Concert which heated up the summer nights, allowed people to enjoy various performances and experiences along with water play at River Naeseongcheon with the nightly colorful lighting, exciting songs, and Dungdung Concert of large tubes,

Popular singers including Park Sang-min, April, and Wiki Mickey added the heat of hot summer nights at the opening ceremony and Merit, Euyeoni, and Aurora added to the amusement of the closing ceremony. In the end, the 20^th Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival came to a finale with a video sketch showing the 8 day long run, the lottery of a prize car which has kept the waterside stage all the time, a declaration of closing ceremony, and fireworks while promising to meet again next year.

여의봉, 서연지 기자/번역:이진  iij@iij.co.kr

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