From mysterious larvae to butterfly paradise, various species of insects stole the show at the annual Bongmu Insect Festival, a celebration of summer. The Dong-gu District Office divided the lake into six sections (excitement, relaxation, imagination, fun, future, and dream), and each offered a different recreational activity to entertain citizens this past June 1st and 2nd.
At the entrance, families collected stamp rallies at an information booth to begin their journeys. The organizers also distributed pamphlets, band-aids, and disease awareness brochures. A fish-pond placed by the area, priced at ₩5,000, offered children a moment to sit and scoop up loaches.
Next, a quiz competition open to all visitors to the lake awaited. Running in an hourly manner from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the event unfolded across two stages, each with a digital screen. Attendees immersed themselves in a game focused on insects and the butterfly museum.
The “dream” and “future” sectors hosted tents filled with bugs from pupa that produce silk to all sorts of beetles and spiders to spike curiosity, excitement, and a little bit of disgust. The reward for a complete 6/6 stamp collection, a rhinoceros beetle larva, ended early because the supply ran short in the morning.
At the experience booth, attendees can choose two out of four events: eco-bag, butterfly, weather vane, and wood-necklace decorating. “Designing eco-bags stimulates their imagination, and similarly, the butterfly-making program also enhances creativity as they decorate flying butterfly toys. […] We hope that by exploring the world of insects, they can enjoy experiences that they wouldn’t normally have,” Minju Kim, an employee of the Dong-gu District Office, said.
Despite the festival’s success, however, visitors faced a slight inconvenience: the closure of the lake’s main trail due to ongoing construction. Multiple posters informed people of the obstruction, and a blockade further restricted entry.
Whether they take a leisurely stroll, jog for exercise, or simply admire the sights, locals expressed unease about the prolonged closure of the lake. Not only did the construction impede their daily routines, but the continuously pushed back deadline also left them uncertain when their routine can resume. Mr. Pierog said, “I still go up there every day […] so instead of going around the lake as I normally would do and will do in the future, I have another alternate path.”
The construction serves an overall benefit of the community, though. It aims to add to the safety of the lake, which the citizens requested themselves. Haechul Choi from the Dong-gu district said, “Afterwards, when construction resumed, many citizens filed complaints requesting for the additional installation of CCTV cameras for safety. That required us to change the design and do additional work.” In detail, the construction promises an addition of one bathroom, two gazebos, 84 park lights, and twelve CCTVs.
The banner initially informed people that the renovation started mid-November last year and would end around February, 2024. Stickers placed over those original dates, however, covered the dates and indicated the beginning as 2024 January 15th and end around May 2024.
Choi said, “Originally, the deadline was the end of April, which was then pushed to May, and now we have set the final deadline for the end of June. Initially, construction was arranged to be completed by the end of April. […] Because of heavy rainfall from April through May, we informed citizens that scheduled dates would be pushed back to May.”
Despite the barricades, some citizens disregarded them and entered the restricted areas. “The construction workers are a bit sensitive because some citizens are entering the sectioned-off trail,” Choi said.
Daegu citizens and tourists itch to get back into the main trail. Despite this limited access due to facility updates, the rest of the lake served as an educational opportunity which sparked curiosity in many passersby. Festival staff Hwang Jiwoong said, “I hope [the festival] encourages children to learn more about insects. While doing that, it would be great if kids also naturally started thinking about the environment.” This summer, when the lake reopens completely, families will return to enjoy both the Bongmu Lake Insect Festival and the fully renovated trails.
