Yellow Croaker Auction, Bare-Handed Fishing... Three-Day 'Chamgulbi Festival' to Be Held on Chujado Islands

[Financial News | Jeju—Jung Yong-bok, Reporter] An autumn seaside festival will be held on Jeju's Chujado Islands, where visitors can taste the islands' signature yellow croaker and Chamgulbi, make and string gulbi themselves, and take part in an auction. The event combines seafood experiences and sales with performances to showcase Chujado Islands' fishing culture and island tourism.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 27th, the 18th Chujado Islands Chamgulbi Grand Festival will be held for three days from Oct. 2 to 4 at the Chuja-myeon cultural performance venue and throughout Chujado Islands in Jeju City.
Organized by the Chuja-myeon Festival Committee, this year's festival will use the slogan, "Island, sea, people—all together, to Chuja, the island of golden nets!"
The festival centers on yellow croaker and Chamgulbi, Chujado Islands' signature seafood products. Visitors can take part in gulbi-making, gulbi-stringing and a yellow croaker auction experience. Sea-based activities, including tidal-flat seafood gathering, bare-handed fish catching and a family fishing contest, will also be offered.
At the festival grounds, visitors can sample and purchase Chujado Islands seafood, including gulbi, Spanish mackerel and horned turban shells. Rather than simply selling local seafood, the festival is designed to let visitors experience gulbi processing and the islands' fishing culture firsthand.
Other programs will invite tourists and residents to participate together, including an exploration of the Chujado Islands Olle Trail, performances by local artists, a seafood food event, a prize drawing and a singing contest.
The sea will also serve as the stage for a range of attractions. The program includes a fishing-boat maritime parade, a ritual rice-cake sharing event, traditional folk music performances, a wind ensemble, a performance by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Dance Company, an Island Romance Healing Concert and celebratory performances.
Promotional flags will be installed around Chuja Port, the festival grounds and Chuja Bridge. A photo exhibition featuring Chujado Islands' natural scenery will also be held at the promotional exhibition hall.
The opening ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 at the Chuja-myeon cultural performance venue.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province plans to operate the festival as a regional economic event linking expanded sales channels for Chujado Islands seafood with an influx of tourists. Because visits to the islands can lead to greater seafood consumption and business for local accommodations and restaurants, attention is also focused on the number of visitors and specialty-product sales during the festival.
Kim Jong-su, head of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, said, "I hope this festival will help spread the word about Chujado Islands Chamgulbi and the islands' appeal." He added, "We will support efforts to enhance the competitiveness of local seafood products so that they lead to higher incomes for fishing households and the revitalization of the local economy."

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