▲ Citizens enjoying the Masan Odong-dong A-Mac Festival (Source: Provided by Changwon City)

The Masan “A-Mac” Festival marks its 4th year. Last year's festival, held in August, garnered great popularity with creative and diverse activities using local specialties, such as "Stretching Monkfish Jerky," "Beer Glass Stacking," and "Limbo After Drinking Beer." The event attracted special attention from locals as it welcomed not only adults, but also minors, who could participate with their parents in certain activities. Living up to these expectations, the 4th A-Mac Festival, held from August 30 to 31 this year, received immense adoration, with long lines of attendees waiting with immense anticipation to enter.

The A-Mac Festival, hosted by the Odong-dong Merchants Association in Masan, is a festival where visitors can enjoy monkfish jerky with beer. First held in 2019, the festival was created with the goal of promoting monkfish jerky, a local seafood delicacy, and developing a unique event for Changwon that pairs it with beer. Now in its fourth year, the A-Mac Festival has firmly established itself as a local favorite, but this year’s event held even more significance. Due to the recent closure of the Lotte Department Store Masan branch in June, which had been the commercial hub of the area, concerns were raised about an economic downturn.

At the festival’s opening ceremony, the Mayor of Changwon Hong Nam-pyo addressed the situation, saying, “I understand that the recent closure of Lotte Department Store Masan branch has caused much concern among merchants and citizens. In response, Changwon City has increased financial support for small businesses, raising development fund from 10 billion KRW to 20 billion KRW, and is making efforts to revitalize the local economy through financial aid, facility improvements, and boosting consumer spending.” He added, “I hope that at this A-Mac Festival, everyone can forget the heat of the summer for a moment and fully enjoy the savory monkfish jerky and cold beer.”

Perhaps because of this context, this year’s festival captivated citizens with its variety of affordable food options and rich entertainment. In addition to booths offering local specialties like monkfish jerky, there were food trucks serving dishes such as chicken gangjeong and steak, adding to the festival’s excitement. Fresh draft beer was sold at the low price of just 2,000 KRW per glass, making it easy for attendees to enjoy the festivities.

The stage, which further intensified the excitement of the festival, featured not only famous artists like No Brain, but also increased participation from local art groups and clubs such as WA:ZE, Vista & Ssagoon, and DJ SUNNY, adding more significance and attraction to the local festival. The festival also catered to different generations with music that spanned from EDM performances for the younger crowd, a singing contest of songs of 70s-80s, nostalgic pop songs, and live acoustic guitar performances.

The festival’s energy extended beyond Odong-dong Cultural Square into nearby alleyways. As the event drew to a close, some streets in the nearby Culture Street area were closed off to traffic, with tables set up so that citizens could continue eating culinary delights and enjoying the atmosphere. Thanks to this, the festival ended not only with smiles on the visitors but also on the faces of the merchants.

Raphael Gonda, a PhD student from the Philippines studying at the Graduate School of Business at CWNU, shared his experience saying, “My friends wanted me to experience Masan’s drinking and music culture, so I participated, and I’ll never forget the warm hospitality and the chance to celebrate the end of summer with my friends.” He added, “It was a fantastic festival that exceeded my expectations. It felt like a little concert with everyone from kids to elderly people dancing and singing together in front of the stage. I had an amazing time.”

This year's Masan A-Mac Festival was not only successful in promoting local specialties and supporting the local economy but also in creating a space for community bonding and exchange. The event provided a valuable opportunity for foreign visitors to experience and understand Korean culture, while contributing to social integration in the region. Suppose CWNU students also take an interest in and participate in local festivals in the Gyeongsangnam-do region, experiencing the unique local culture and helping to boost the local economy? For more information on festivals in the Gyeongsangnam-do region, visit the ‘Gyeongnam Festival Damoa!’ website (festa.gyeongnam.go.kr).

By Kim Min-seong, reporter  20221240@gs.cwnu.ac.kr

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