Tourists and locals brave cold to snatch fish at South Korea's Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Organisers said at least 130,000 local and foreign visitors took part in activities on day one of the three-week festival.
One of the drawcard events is bare-handed fishing.
The rules are simple — participants have five minutes to use whatever means necessary to catch fish and stuff them in their shirts, to later be cooked on the grill or sliced up sashimi style.
One of those people was South Korean woman O chul-Kyu, who attended the festival with friends and family.
"I caught a trout with my bare hands. It's so much fun but a little bit cold though," she said.
The festival, which will continue until January 28, takes place in Hwacheon, 120 kilometres north of the capital Seoul in the northern province of Gangwon.
About 60 different events take place including sledding, ice soccer and the most popular activity, ice fishing on the river.
The Mayor of Hwancheon County said the event was popular with tourists, who he's anticipating an influx of ahead of the Winter Olympic Games being held in Pyeongchang of Gangwon province in early February.
Article Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-07/thousnds-attend-south-korean-ice-fishing-festival/9309278
Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/9309374-3x2-700x467.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Drawcard (n.) ~ a quality or feature that evokes interest or liking an attraction
2. Stuff (v./ informal) ~ hastily or clumsily push (something) into a space
3. Bare-handed (adj.) ~ with nothing in or covering one's hands
4. Snatch (v.) ~ quickly secure or obtain (something) when a chance presents itself
5. Influx (n.) ~ an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What is Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival? What are the various events in this festival?
2. Have you ever attended and/or participated in this event? If yes, how was the experience? If no, what would encourage you to take part in it?
3. What are the other winter festivals in your ｃountry?
