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INTERVIEW Beyond mud festival: Boryeong plans to become Korea's next tourism hub
Boryeong Mayor Uhm Seung-young / Courtesy of Boryeong City
By Park Ung
Mayor eyes UNESCO fortress, international art biennale to widen the coastal city's appeal
Rounded pebble beaches, hiking trails and sunsets over the West Sea — Boryeong Mayor Uhm Seung-young rattles off the city's coastal assets with the confidence of someone certain the rest of the world just hasn't caught on yet.
“Anyone who has visited Boryeong's islands knows they offer scenery that rivals anywhere abroad," Uhm said in an interview with The Korea Times, pointing to beaches, trails and sunsets that characterize the area.
That confidence underpins his belief that the city can draw more visitors who stay longer, building on the natural beauty of its coast and islands.
Located in South Chungcheong Province, Boryeong has long put that coastal beauty to use through tourism. Its best-known showcase is the Boryeong Mud Festival, held every summer around Daecheon Beach.
The festival drew 1.69 million visitors last year, including roughly 90,000 foreign visitors. This year's event, beginning Friday and running through Aug. 9, will feature a new mud massage zone with 20 facilities and a Mud Infinity Pool overlooking the sea, along with a Mud on the Beach segment featuring electronic dance music and DJ performances.
Foreign visitors enjoy the Boryeong Mud Festival in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, Aug. 2, 2025. Courtesy of Boryeong City
“The chance to enjoy a variety of mud experiences, K-pop performances and the beautiful Daecheon Beach all together is a unique charm that visitors can only find in Boryeong,” Uhm said.
To help more foreign visitors experience that, the city is working to make the festival and the city more welcoming. Interpretation booths at the site already offer help in English, Chinese and Japanese, and Boryeong plans to add discounts and reserved performance seating for foreign group tourists.
While the Boryeong Mud Festival represents the city's tourism present, it is looking to the Chungnam Island Biennale to shape its future.
Set for April and May 2027 across the city's Wonsan and Godae islands, the biennale carries the theme “Moving Island: Beyond the Horizon of Event.” It will showcase island ecology and culture, highlight the region's geography, architecture and local character, and serve as a platform for international art exchange, with about 70 artists from 24 countries taking part.
The biennale will also feature sound and performance art, seminars and conversations with artists, as well as side events such as art tours and art camping.
Wonsan Island in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of Boryeong City
“The biennale should not be a one-time event but a sustainable one. During the remaining preparation period, we will build up our infrastructure by opening direct sea routes and expanding parking, accommodations and local food offerings. This will help make Boryeong's islands a marine culture and tourism hub that draws visitors from around the world.”
To help make that vision a reality, Boryeong is drawing up a comprehensive plan to make its islands places more people want to visit and stay.
The plan focuses on tapping into each island's distinct ecology, culture and history, including a policy to guarantee foreign tourists reliable same-day access to the islands whenever they wish to visit.
Beyond its coastline, Boryeong also has a rich historical legacy. The city is seeking UNESCO World Heritage status for Chungcheong Suyeong Fortress, a key defense post on the West Sea coast during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty.
Established in 1466, the fortress protected ships carrying grain from southern regions to Seoul and operated until it was decommissioned in 1896, commanding 142 warships and 8,414 naval troops.
Chungcheong Suyeong Fortress in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of Boryeong City
Uhm said the fortress could draw interest from foreign navies and naval academies, driving growth in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry.
“Going forward, we will keep developing marketing tailored to each country's travel market, along with distinctive tourism products that combine Korean culture, mud experiences and marine attractions, to make Boryeong a global destination that draws more visitors from around the world.”