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

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.