Daegu Chimac Festival kicks off for first time in three years

폭염도 치맥을 막을 순 없다... 3년만에 다시 열리는 대구 치맥 페스티벌 With temperatures rising, heat wave alerts were issued across South Korea. As most distancing measures are lifted, thankfully, various Summer festivals are making a comeback. Song Yoo-jin takes us to one of the biggest such events held so far. Daegu. It’s one of the hottest places in South Korea during the summer. The city even has the nickname ’Daefrica’... which compares its scorching summer to Africa. And to beat the heat, people are gathering at Duryu Park for the “2022 Daegu Chimac Festival.“ “It’s a little less than 35 degrees Celsius in Daegu, but this scorching weather won’t stop people from enjoying fried chicken and beer here at the 2022 Daegu Chimac Festival. “ Cheers!“ But why the city of Daegu in particular? It’s where the Korean fried chicken industry first started after the Korean War... and where well-renowned chicken franchises opened their first shops. It’s the first time in three years for the festival to be held... after being cancelled last year and the year before due to the pandemic. Before, around one million people visited every year. Although it was the first day, the opening ceremony was filled with people. Businesses as well as visitors... from all around the world have welcomed the return. “Businesses were really hit hard during the pandemic. It’s great that stores like us can reach customers here at this festival.“ “We both live in Daegu and we came here to enjoy fried chicken and beer because we just turned 20 years old, which means that we’re now allowed to drink.“ “I feel like this chimac culture so far I only know this exists in Korea, so not only the taste, it can also be an experience for foreigners to try the chimac culture.“ To celebrate its 10th anniversary, there are a variety of exciting, meaningful activities. There’ll be hip hop performances every evening featuring popular Korean artists. And people can enjoy fried chicken and craft beer while dipping their toes in ice water. There’s also a chimac booth that resembles a pojang macha... the traditional Korean street food restaurant. Also, to help emerging, local chicken brands, two that have been selected are opening booths near the main stage. For the sake of the environment, all disposable cups used at the festival will be made from biodegradable corn starch. But the best part is that entrance is free. The festival runs for five days... from Wednesday to Sunday. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News, Daegu. #Daegu #Chimac_Festival #heat_wave 📣 Arirang News(Facebook) : 📣 Arirang News(Twitter) : 📣 News Center(YouTube) : 2022-07-06, 22:00 (KST)