Boryeong mud festival, South Korea

Photo © Shawn Perez

Unleash your inner swamp monster while ironing out some wrinkles at one of South Korea’s biggest festivals.

Boryeong’s mineral-rich muck is the city’s most esteemed export – its health-giving qualities attract tourists from all over the world but most important is its propensity to get absolutely everywhere. Staying clean is not an option.

The festival was originally conceived to promote use of the regional mud in cosmetics and skin care products but organisers soon realised that slinging it at each other was much more fun.

Now over 2 million people descend on Daecheon beach each July to mud wrestle, rodeo ride, slither down a hundred-foot mud slide and even partake in mud-based boot camps.

Written by - Photo by Shawn Perez

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