Sinan-gun Holds Island Black Rockfish Festival on Hongdo

Small Red Flowers Embroidered on the Sea, Full Bloom of Bulbolak

Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Park Woo-ryang) will hold the Island Bulbolrak Festival on Hongdo Island from the 22nd to the 23rd.

According to the county on the 13th, this Bulbolrak Festival will attract many tourists with various events including a maritime parade, Bulbolrak burger making, surprise seafood auctions, onboard fishing experiences, and Bulbolrak prize recommendations.

Last year at the Island Bulbolrak Festival, Park Woo-ryang, the mayor of Shinan County, is experiencing boat fishing.
[Photo by Shinan County]

In particular, the fishing experience on board is famous for giving anglers across the country a rewarding catch.

Bulbolrak, the representative seafood of Hongdo, is also called "Yeolgi." It is a low-calorie, high-protein fish rich in unsaturated fatty acids and fiber, effective for dieting. It contains a high amount of DHA, which enhances brain function, improving memory and learning ability, and also helps prevent cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Bulbolrak, mainly caught by nets and fishing rods, is eaten as spicy fish stew and sashimi, but it is also delicious when the innards and bones are removed, salted in seawater, dried in the sea breeze, and grilled.

A county official stated, "We hold local seafood festivals timed to the peak seasons when the freshest and most abundant catches are available, such as flounder in April, skate, kkangdari, and octopus in May, pomfret in June, croaker in August, king prawn, rockfish, and Bulbolrak in September, and salted shrimp in October."

On Hongdo, about 20 fishing boats catch Bulbolrak annually, generating an income of 15 tons and 150 million won, with sales priced at 10,000 won per kilogram.

Meanwhile, transportation to Hongdo is available via a high-speed ferry operating twice daily from Mokpo Coastal Passenger Terminal, located 2 hours and 30 minutes away.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.