I had a good opportunity to go to Yangyang for a vacation. I don’t like to move my body that much, so I didn’t enjoy surfing myself, but I could feel the energy created by the unique culture. I knew that Yangyang was a surfing mecca, but I didn’t know much about it. I was born and raised on the east coast, so I was used to the beach, but it was such an unfamiliar landscape that I wondered if I was really in Korea. In particular, the atmosphere during the day and at night was completely different.
Yangyang's daytime was like Bali. It was full of bold fashion styles that you wouldn't see anywhere else. Muscular men and women with bronze skin walked barefoot in cool clothes.
There were of course many people in swimsuits, and many people with various forms of tattoos. Some had tattoos on their ankles, while others had their entire bodies covered in black. The combination of surfboards decorated to their taste, tanned skin, and detailed tattoos gave off a sense of freedom and individuality.
The variety of vehicles that fit the beach was also impressive. You could find muscle cars like Mustangs and old BMWs, and you could often see motorcycles that were modified to your taste. It was also fun to see surfboards with cool graphics printed on them.
The graphics that can be found all over the streets are also attractive. DJ and rapper performance posters can be found here and there. The mural illustrations left by artists and the murals of Desker, who runs a shared office, create a soft atmosphere. The signs and spaces of surf shops and restaurants that are well decorated to match the beach are also attractive. I thought that the graphics expressed culture and nature well.
Yangyang became popular through word of mouth as people who couldn't go surfing due to Corona gathered one by one. With the opening of the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, more people visited Yangyang, and it gained popularity as large-scale parties such as the Corona Sunset Festival were held.
Park Jun-gyu, the CEO who created 'Surf Beach', which can be seen as leading the surfing culture of Yangyang, said that he wanted to create a beach like Boracay. Having worked at an advertising company and a credit card subsidiary, Park Jun-gyu was inspired by Busan's coastal culture and started a business on the east coast. It is evaluated as a representative example of a global service that has activated the unique characteristics of the region. He said that he tries to use Gangwon-do products such as ingredients and juices.
Yangyang was bustling at night. I thought that after Corona, there would be no more people out and about until late at night, but the number of people on the streets did not decrease until dawn. I was surprised to see so many people walking around even on Monday, which is not the weekend.
At the central intersection, a tout plays a game of hammering nails to gather people. The stall-style stalls with their doors wide open are always full. Nearby, there is a club that is like a miniature version of the famous Bali club, 'Finz'. There is a swimming pool in the middle, and when expensive high-end drinks are served, firecrackers are served. In the basement next door, dull hip-hop beats flow out.
They say they benchmarked Ibiza, but it was disappointing in many ways. Ibiza has been a hippie place for a long time, and it grew with talented DJs thanks to the acid house and rave music craze. The club is really important for music, but it was full of remixes of old popular songs that were poorly put together. The speaker quality was also not good, so the high notes were torn and the low notes were humming, which was disappointing. The container-made building also felt somewhat insincere. I thought this was the feeling that capital without a narrative gave.
It was a shame that the healthy energy that could be seen during the day was stigmatized because of one area. The populated beaches were great places to feel the atmosphere of the ocean and surfing, but the bars that were crowded were like clubs somewhere in Gangnam or food stalls near Hongdae.
I don't think it's bad to show off your nice body and meet someone you like. However, I got the impression that some stores are consuming without contributing to the local culture by riding on negative issues. If only YouTubers looking for provocative material and customers looking for entertainment are filled, Yangyang will quickly become a slum. If the number of tourists decreases, they will remove the temporary buildings and build entertainment districts in other areas.
In other areas of Yangyang, it was even more regrettable because the pleasant and healthy surfing and party culture was felt. I wonder what will happen to Yangyang in the future. However, I was inspired by the fact that I could still feel the surfing culture everywhere. I will visit again with the belief that it will become a global brand that will make a big leap forward in the next big wave.
