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Korea's water-soaked festivals offer splashy escape from summer heat, reality
PSY, left, and surprise guest Rosé of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK perform her viral megahit "APT." during PSY's "Summer Swag 2025" opening tour concert at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in Incheon, June 28. AFP-Yonhap
By Pyo Kyung-min
Concerns over etiquette, sustainability remain
In the blistering heat of a Korean summer, few things offer relief like getting drenched in water — and if it’s while singing along to your favorite artist, even better. That’s the appeal behind Korea’s booming summer water festivals, which continue to draw massive crowds with their combination of high-octane performances, celebrity appearances and plenty of splash.
Among those who can’t forget the experience is an office worker surnamed Lee, who marked the end of her 20s with a wet and wild day at Seoul's WATERBOMB festival in June 2022. Even now, she says, the memory resurfaces every summer.
"It was so hot and humid and then it started raining," she recalled. "Everyone was dragging their feet, but maybe that's why we were all more willing to embrace the streams of water at the festival. I probably couldn't do it again now, but ending my 20s with something that intense made that summer really unforgettable."
These events are built on exactly that kind of intensity. Taking place at the height of Korea’s monsoon season, water festivals embrace the heat, replacing sweat with cooling jets of water blasted from the stage and adrenaline from shirtless performers or bikini-clad stars. This messy but smart summer survival tactic has now become a full-fledged cultural phenomenon here.
Singer PSY performs during his "Summer Swag 2025" opening tour concert at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in Incheon, June 28. AFP-Yonhap
"Gangnam Style" singer and producer PSY's signature summer concert tour, "Summer Swag 2025," kicked off in Incheon last weekend, launching another season of splashy entertainment.
Known for its torrential water blasts and celebrity cameos, the show opened with BLACKPINK’s Rose and BIGBANG’s G-Dragon joining PSY onstage. Back in 2022, BTS’ Suga also shared the stage with PSY at Jamsil Olympic Stadium to perform their collaborative track “That That.”
Another staple of the season is WATERBOMB, a water-themed music festival that debuted in 2015, pausing only during the pandemic.
The event draws thousands with its genre-spanning lineup and a promise of escape from the heat. Artists wield water guns, drench the crowd and embrace summer with bold stage outfits. Footage from the festival is a guaranteed hit online, where short clips rack up millions of views across social media platforms.
That visibility can be a career changer. Solo artist Kwon Eun-bi and K-pop girl group Cignature, previously little-known to the general public, became breakout stars after their WATERBOMB performances went viral.
Singer Jay Park performs at WATERBOMB festival held at the outdoor stages of KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in this 2024 file photo. Captured from WATERBOMB's official Instagram
In addition, unlike many major concerts held only in Seoul, WATERBOMB and Summer Swag reach audiences in cities outside of Seoul, including Incheon, Daejeon and Busan, helping boost local economies and tourism.
In August 2024, Hanwha Hotels & Resorts estimated the WATERBOMB event would generate more than 10 billion won ($7.36 million) in economic impact.
Yet the popularity of these events also brings scrutiny, particularly over their excessive use of drinking-quality water.
Psy's Summer Swag reportedly uses around 300 tons of drinking water per show, which draws backlash year after year. WATERBOMB has faced similar concerns, with celebrities like Lee El and Julian Quintart publicly voicing criticism and raising doubts about the festivals' sustainability.
Festivalgoers enjoy WATERBOMB festival held in KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in this 2024 file photo. Captured from WATERBOMB's official Instagram
Another issue is festival etiquette. A recent viral YouTube video drew attention to inappropriate behavior from festival attendees, including spraying water directly at others' faces, eyes or sensitive areas, sparking hundreds of comments.
Other complaints recur annually. Audience members drenched in water have been known to board subways still dripping wet, leaving water on seats and floors and prompting complaints from other passengers.
Yoo, a man in his 20s who has attended Psy's Summer Swag shows in 2019, 2023 and 2024, said he and his friends now book accommodations near the venue to avoid such issues.
"You get completely soaked at Summer Swag, so we always stay at a place nearby and hang out there afterward," he said. "It feels rude to walk into a restaurant dripping wet, and I don't want to get on public transportation like that either."
Pop music critic Lee Dae-hwa says festivalgoers should prepare with the mindset that they'll be living in the venue for half the day.
"Don't get swept up by big names alone," he was quoted as saying in a local media outlet. "You'll be listening to music on huge speakers for hours, so choose a festival you know you'll actually enjoy."
Lee also noted that planning transportation, understanding ticket policies and maintaining communication with organizers is "just as much a part of the festival experience as the show itself."