Gwangyang has cancelled its annual Barbecue Festival (광양전통숯불구이축제), known also as the Charcoal-broiled Meat Festival, amid concerns over swine flu. As a friend pointed out to me on Facebook, though, regarding some of the other smaller cancellations, perhaps it could be to simply cut losses for festivals that may not have been expected to be profitable. I can't imagine too many people from outside eastern Jeollanam-do make the trip, for example, and I doubt it gets more crowded or flu-infested than the local department store.
When I did my fall festival preview last year, which I skipped this time both because I was back home earlier this month and because there were festival cancellations coming every day, this one was always hardest to pin down in advance. Organizers seemed to take their time getting word out about the date, and even now the city website has information about the 2007 one. Nonetheless, there is some English information on that page. The local "English" Village also has some more information:
w : I'm hungry.
m : Me, too.
w : Do you like bulgogi?
m : Yes, I do.
w : Gwangyang Sut-bulbogi festival opens in Seocheon.
m : Sut-bulgogi?
w : Yeah, Sut-bulgogi. The main food is beef.
The beef is roasted on a charcoal fire.
It's very delicious and sweet.
m : And then, how much is it?
w : It is about 12,000won.
m : Are there any events there?
w : Yes, there are many events.
m : I see. Let's go there. Hurry up!
(m : man w : woman)
Gwangyang is known for its bulgogi and barbecued meat, and there are plenty of good restaurants there should you wish to visit. I've been to a few of the bigger ones near the girls' high school (광양여교), a short distance from Gwangyang Station and from the riverside park---that's the "Seocheon" mentioned in that dialogue---that usually serves as the festival site. Restaurant names, unfortunately, escape me, but if you're in the area I'm sure a co-teacher, taxi driver, or person at a tourism information booth can point you in the right direction.
2 comments:
Wasn't kimchi going to be served with the meals? I thought kimchi could ward off anything.
This hysteria is getting ridiculous.
I strongly believe that pandemics and such is nature's way to make sure that population doesn't get too big. We cull other species to prevent them from starving themselves, who says that we are no less?
This is the hard, undeniable truth: We all have to go someday whether it be by reasons as simple as old age or catching the swine flu.
All the government can do is teach people how to be more hygienic and provide the necessary items to achieve that goal. Instructing the Korean people how to put their hands over their mouth when sneezing or coughing is one way.(We need Kathleen Sebelius, US Health Secretary, here in Korea to demonstrate to the Korean people how to cover one's mouth when sneezing and coughing.) Making it ok to stay home if they feel the slightest sick is another. Providing all the schools with soap and warm water (as well as hand sanitizer gel) is another.
One more thing. I think there are far greater health risks Korea should focus on like deaths and injuries caused by careless driving and disregard of traffic laws. Also, they should also figure out ways to curtail the number of people offing themselves (oh,I mean, "passing themselves away".)
But all this, I am afraid, would involve courage to confront societal ills which the authorities have little will to do. Yes, they can focus on easy targets like "big bad" foreigners but when it comes to its own people they are nothing but toothless tigers.
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