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Fishing festival reels in South Korea
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CNTV, January 16, 2012
In a county called Hwa-cheon in South Korea, 130 kilometers northeast of Seoul, a special winter fishing festival is taking place. The most exciting highlight of the event is where people put on summer clothes, jump into the water, and attempt to whip out mountain trout with their bare hands.
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Thousands of anglers cast lines through holes created in the surface of a frozen river during a contest to catch trout in Hwacheon, South Korea, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012. |
That's right. These people are getting ready to dive in, to water knee-deep, to scoop mount trout; using nothing more than their bare hands. Their teeth and toes are all clenched tight, reminding us that it is in deed 2 degrees below zero in Hwacheon.
Around fifty people and 60 to 80kg of mount trout are placed into one pool. And it requires a bit more than luck and strong mental spirit to survive the insane sport and come out of the cold mess carrying trout inside your shirt.
For those who do get lucky, it is an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
Chu Hee-Seok said: "I think I caught about ten fish, and I can't feel my body. It's really fun, and you can't feel the cold once you're in the water."
Lee Chung-Woon said: "It was extremely cold at first. But I caught this mount trout with strong determination and braveness!!"
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A child angler looks through a hole into a frozen river during an ice fishing competition at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival on January 7, 2012 in Hwacheon-gun, South Korea. |
Reporter: "On the other hand, some people like to take a more conventional approach by taking a fishing rod and positioning themselves in front of a hole dug into ice 40 centimeters deep. As you can see behind me, there are fishing rods bobbing up and down desperately as people try to take some mount trout home."
Waiting can seem like a lifetime, but most of the fishermen here are both curious and patient. It may be easier for the anglers to go into the hole, rather than wait for the fish to catch the bait. And the high level of concentration often allows the body to forget about the temperature.
Yang Seung-Hoon said: "I've been here for two hours now, and I caught two fish. It's so much fun."
Mount Trout only live in the cleanest and coldest waters, which Hwacheon provides the perfect geographical conditions for. And the ice is thick enough to uphold thousands of people at a time.
On Friday, over 60 thousand people eager fishermen braved the cold weather to fish on the frozen waters of Hwacheon. The Hwacheon Mount Trout Festival attracts around one million visitors each year, and has been held since 1993.
Jang Seok-Beom, CEO of Foundation Nara said: "Hwacheon is a very clean area. And water freezes into thick ice from early December because of the cold weather. Using those unique features, we started the Hwacheon Mount Trout Festival in 2003."
The most rewarding part about the festival is that visitors get to eat their catch immediately – either grilled or served in raw slices.
Kim Kwon-Soo said: "I am happy that my family is eating the trout I caught. I am happy that I caught it too."
And for children who get bored of staring endlessly down icy holes, ice slides and wooden sleighs are alternative ways to enjoy the winter fun.
