with the beginning of Spring
By Feature Editor Kim Hyung-dae, Reporters Lee Sam-sun, Kim Soo-bin
The 44th Jindo Mysterious Sea Road Festival will be held from March 11 to March 13 with a rich 3-day program under the theme of "The Beginning of Spring, in the Mysterious Sea!
In order to ensure the success of the festival, the Jindo County has begun systematic preparations for the festival, such as discovering a stay-type night program that contributes to the increase of civilian income. In particular, the strategy is to strengthen the nighttime content by developing a new beach torchlight and multi-media laser show, while expanding folk culture attractions and experience corners unique to the region to make it a representative festival of Korea.
In addition, the opening ceremony on March 11 will feature a special appearance by a national singer from Jindo, Song Ga-in, and a national singing contest and recording broadcast will be held on a special stage in a family home that is part of the festival venue, creating a place where all Koreans and tourists can participate and enjoy the festival together,
The festival plans to diversify tourist participation programs by running Korea’s famed love story, Gyeonu Wa Jiknyeo (“A Cow Boy and A Weaving Woman”), and the "Mulberry Grandma" contest, and create a pleasant festival environment by lighting the beach at night and creating picnic zones such as air domes on the beach at Gyugye Beach.
An official from Jindo-gun said, "We will organize a fuller and more diverse program than before to contribute to civilian revenue and increase satisfaction." He added, "We plan to prepare for the festival in a sound manner, including strengthening safety management so that tourists can, “See, feel, enjoy, and stay--before going back home.”
(For further details of the event, visit: https://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=31862)
About Jindo:
The world-famous Magical sea way is only the phenomenon exposes 2.8km-long sea way between Hoedong-ri, Gogun-myeon and Modo-ri, Uisin-myeon when water is lowered because of tides. However, it is still mysterious in its regular width of about 40m under the water. The tides come in and out 2 times a day.
Though there are the differences of tide’s speed and wave such as Typhoon, this risen pit has formed. Every year, about a million Korean and foreign tourists rush to see this miracle, a fully exposed sea way for 1 hour. It is known as worldwide spot where the most people gather to see a temporary happening.
This magical Sea Way, called as the modern ‘Mose’s Miracle,’ have become world-famous when French ambassador in Korea, H.E. Pierre Randi, visited Jindo in 1975 and wrote about this phenomenon in the French media.
In 1996, a Japanese pop singer, Yoshimi Dendo, recorded a big hit with the song, “Jindo Story," based on this ‘Sea Road.’ Numbers of Japanese tourists have increased sharply thereafter.
The portrait of Grandma Ppong (Mulberry Fruit) in the beach shrine was painted by the Oriental Painter Okjeon Kang Ji-ju who was born in Jindo. The portrait is placed to see the miracle site when doors opened, there is a statue of Grandma Ppong in the approach of sea way, and the shape was completed in April 2000.