July 13-23
Boryeong Mud Festival
The Korean government likes to credit this festival’s growth to the restorative properties of Boryeong’s mud flats and the natural beauty of this small town, located a couple hours south of Seoul. Well, with all due respect, we’ve been to the event and let’s just say that it isn’t quiet mud baths that have made this the peninsula’s most popular draw for expats and tourists alike. Convenience stores effortlessly fulfill their beer-selling quotas as the packed beach plays host to mud wrestling, mud sliding, mud swimming and even a mud marathon. For the mud lazy or mud drunk, a main stage hosts live bands all day and fireworks after dark. It’s raucous, filthy fun, but your washing machine (and liver) will hate you for it.
July 26-28
Ansan Valley Rock Festival
It’s growing. The rock-a-palooza formerly known as the Jisan Valley Rock Festival had their main stage rocked by headliners Radiohead and James Blake last summer, and while the line-up for this year’s event is still pending, expect similar caliber acts as the venue (or valley, rather) has been upgraded to accommodate more tents and concertgoers. Rock fans based in Seoul are spoiled with festivals in 2013, as it was recently announced that Super!Sonic Music Festival will be returning to Olympic Park in August this year, tasked with topping a stacked 2012 line-up that featured the Smashing Pumpkins, Gotye, Gym Class Heroes, Foster the People, New Order, and Tears for Fears.
More information: www.valleyrockfestival.com and www.supersonickorea.com.