Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
Swimming contest heats up winter beach
Participants of the 28th Polar Bear Swimming Contest jump into the sea Sunday, at Haeundae Beach in the southern port city of Busan, attracting about 3,000 participants in 1C weather. / Yonhap
By Kim Bo-eun
As most outdoor enthusiasts head to ski resorts, braver souls in swimsuits jump into an ice cold sea.
The 28th Polar Bear Swimming Contest was held on Jan. 4, at Haeundae Beach in the southern port city of Busan, attracting about 3,000 participants in 1C weather.
There were also other activities, such as body painting and photo sessions at a “polar village.” Group cavalry battles, match-making games and a hot body contest were also featured.
The event, first held in 1988, commemorates the Seoul Olympics. BBC ranks the occasion as among the world’s top 10 winter festivals.