Wolf Pack members enjoy a piece of Korea at Mud Fest

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Savannah
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Wolf Pack Airmen boarded a bus July 25 bound for the last day of mud, music and merriment during the 13th annual Boryeong Mud Festival in Boryeong, South Korea.

The trip was one of two tours to the festival the community activity center here has offered each year since the festival began in 1998.

"The Mud Festival trips are the most popular of all our tours, next to the (annual) Eunpa Park Cherry Blossom Festival," said Choe Man-Ho, CAC tour director.

This is not surprising, considering the many activities available during the festival, including concerts, parades, contests and various other mud-related events.

The events are not as messy as most might think, however. The mud is actually brought in from a nearby plain to Daecheon Beach, where the festival is held, and is contained within several stations spread along the beach, such as mud wrestling pits, inflatable mud slides, self mud-massage basins, and more.

Festival participants can still play and stay clean, for a cost, at the make-it-yourself mud soap, mud pottery, mud figurine and mud handprint souvenir stations. The beach itself also invites regular beachgoers as well as people looking to rinse off the mud.

Staff Sgt. Cynthia Morley, 8th Maintenance Operations Squadron unit training manager, attended this year's event.

"I wanted to get out and experience Korea and its culture," she said. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I didn't want to miss it."

Senior Airman Kathryn Peterson, 8th Maintenance Squadron precision guided munitions crew chief, also said she enjoyed the festival.

"I definitely enjoyed the trip," she said. "My favorite part was getting to play in the mud, but it was nice to just be on the beach, off base, and enjoying some down time."

Although the Mud Festival is over for this year, the CAC has scheduled another trip to Daecheon Beach Aug. 7, where Airmen can still visit the Boryeong Mud Skincare Center or simply enjoy eating and shopping in the beach atmosphere. Also coming soon is another popular CAC tour, the Labor Day weekend trip to Jeju Island, South Korea.

Mr. Choe said he is happy to offer all of the different CAC tours to the Wolf Pack.

"I like making the Airmen happy," he said. "I also like that I can introduce people from the United States to Korea. I like to let them see and give them knowledge about Korea and its traditions."