가장 많은 외국인이 방문하는 한국의 대표 여름 축제.. 22회 보령머드축제 개장

One of Korea's most beloved summer festivals - The Boryeong Mud Festival is back for its 22nd installment.
Our Lee Min-sun was there and files this report. From head to toe,... it's time to get all muddy to beat the summer heat. It's the only place you can throw mud at a stranger and still have fun together.
The 22nd Boryeong Mud Festival, one of the most beloved summer festivals in Korea kicked off on Friday on Daecheon Beach in Chungcheongnam-do Province.
This year's festival features some 70 different programs,... including K-Pop concerts and a Mud Beauty Festival.
"Everything mud-related is on offer at this festival. It's got mudslides, mud wrestling and even a mudflat marathon... a test of endurance unlike any other."
At giant mud pools, visitors can get completely soaked in mud waters and enjoy swimming and splashing.
If you want to experience something more wild,... you can challenge yourself by participating at a Mud Run-Mud Monster Championship to cross over 10 obstacles.
This year, the mud experience zone will open at night for the first time, extending its hours of operation to 9 pm.
The Boryeong Mud Festival started off in 1998 as a local festival to promote the region's mud, which is well-known for its rich minerals that provides health benefits and is good for the skin.
The event is now recognized as an international festival drawing visitors from around the world for it's unique theme of mud.
"We are from Russia. We are dance team and we enjoy this festival. We love the mud and the place. We most like the music and atmosphere. It s very cool for us."
"It's my first time at Boryeong Mud Festival and I'm having a really good time. It's fun. The most fun part I had so far was a wrestling. Mud wrestling. We wrestled each other. I won."
Last year, one-point-eight million people came to the festival and 16% of them,... or some two-hundred-ninety thousand were foreigners.
This year's Boryeong Mud Festival will run until July 28th,... so there's plenty of time left to get your own mud experience and create some unforgettable memories.
Lee Min-sun Arirang News, Boryeong.