Written by Kathy Pham
This article is mainly for those who are attending Hanyang University in the fall semester as this festival only happens once a year during the first week of October!
As you can see from the title, this is a festival revolving around fireworks! It may seem like it is not a big deal, but trust me, it is. I remember heading to the festival and once my friends and I got off the train, we immediately lost each other. It was packed! We were told to come early to the park as spots get taken up quickly, however, despite us coming around 3PM (when the festival began), all the good spots were already taken! Which left us roaming around, looking at the different foods and tents that were set up.
Here are some tips that I would recommend to those wanting to attend this festival. First, even if the weather is nice during the day, bring an extra scarf or sweater! The temperature may be high during the day when the sun is out, but once the sun is down, the temperatures drop drastically! You want to enjoy watching the fireworks, not be cold all night, right? Also, though many people came early to get spots to watch the fireworks, I believe that it is not necessary. When my group of friends and I were there, all we wanted to do was explore the park and when the nighttime show started, we were just like many others who stood and fought for a good view! When I say fought, I do not mean it literally. Yes, there was some pushing and etc., but we still managed to see the fireworks!
Initially, when I arrived at the park, I thought to myself “ugh, why am I here to just watch fireworks when I see them all the time at home,” however, once the nighttime fireworks show was over, I was left in awe. The show lasted for about an hour and the fireworks were amazing! There were fireworks that became heart or star shapes, and even smiley faces! Magnificent. They even had a skyscraper that was lit up with many colors and there was a light show on it! How cool is that? That skyscraper even lit up so that it had a Canadian flag which was awesome for me! And there was also music to go along with the fireworks! As for the foods and activities that were there, there were the typical things you would see at Hongdae or Myeong Dong such as corndogs, spicy rice cakes, grilled chicken, and even bugs (which I have never tried before)! There was also an activity where you could go around collecting post cards at various booths and in exchange get a “surprise” prize. There were prizes such as scented candles, various juices, pens, bags, and etc.
Overall, I believe that the festival is worth going to as you get to spend time with your friends beside a beautiful river, and there are beautiful fireworks to end the night off, or maybe even start the night! Oh, and not to mention, the ending of the firework show was awesome, it looked like something you would see in space! If you have doubts on how great the show is, you will just have to attend it to find out!
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