Miryang Super Festival

Miryang River below Yeongnamnu, where 100 people battle with water guns in the middle of summer

Miryang is usually remembered as a quiet city for the National Treasure Yeongnamnu and Eoreumgol. But when summer arrives, the waterfront embankment in Sammun-dong along the Miryang River transforms into a completely different scene. Because the Miryang River loops around Sammun-dong in a horseshoe-shaped island terrain, a 5 km riverside embankment path stretches out along the river. The Miryang Water Super Festival uses that river water directly as part of the festival grounds. In 2025, it ran for three days from August 8 to 10, every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Set against the easily accessible Miryang riverside, this is Miryang's first hands-on tourism festival, planned around four themes: a large water playground, hip-hop and EDM performances, summer sports, and spicy food. You can spend the day soaking in the water and then watch concerts on the riverside stage at night, making it a festival that fills an entire day.

Water slides by day, water-gun battles in the afternoon — how to plan your day

My ideal route would be like this. Start with water play in the midday heat. During the festival period, a water playground equipped with medium- to large-sized water attractions and water slides, along with cool shaded rest areas, was operated, allowing families, friends, and couples to cool off and relax. In addition to the water playground, there are separate programs to enjoy on the Miryang River, such as water bicycles, children's pedal boats, and kayaking, which really makes the river itself feel like a playground.

In the afternoon, move on to participatory events. The most popular one was the water-gun fight. In 'Super Nanjang - The Battle of Miryang,' held twice a day, about 100 people per session, including both pre-registered participants and on-site participants, took part in the water-gun battle. Just imagining 100 people blasting water at once already feels refreshing. If you want to move your body, there is also the Super Challenge Race. In the 'Super Challenge Race,' elementary, general, and women's division participants competed in a time-attack race through water obstacles, and prize money was awarded to the top finishers. This race was also run as a general experience program outside the competition hours, and it was very popular. Even if you didn't sign up for the race, it means you can still try the obstacle course during the open slots, so foreign travelers can just line up and join in when they can.

When the sun goes down, head to the riverside stage. In the evening, the 'Hip-hop & Trot Arirang Contest' featured passionate hip-hop, upbeat trot, and dazzling dance performances, with 8 teams each from dance, hip-hop, and b-boy categories, and 15 trot teams, all competing on stage after passing the preliminaries. Well-known singers also came. Performances followed by popular artists such as Park Myung-soo, Ahn Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, and Sleepy. Even if the stage music is in Korean, EDM, hip-hop, and dance have almost no language barrier, so it is a night you can enjoy fully just by feeling the rhythm, even if you do not understand the lyrics.

Spicy food challenges, chicken and beer, and kickboxing in a special ring

The food is definitely one of this festival's strongest points. At the 'Hot Miryang Food Festa,' there were spicy dishes developed by local restaurants, a Buldak Bokkeum Myeon challenge, a chicken-and-beer zone featuring seasoned fried chicken from Chogajib and drinks such as Lemonce, Terra, and Kelly, as well as about 10 food trucks. If you're a foreign visitor who wants to try Korea's spiciness, the Buldak Bokkeum Myeon challenge is perfect, and at night, the real highlight is having chicken and beer by the riverside breeze. Next to the food area, there was also a handmade market. At the 'Noisy Plf Market,' 18 teams participated, showcasing handmade goods and hands-on booths, while a belly dance performance added polish to the stage.

When you start getting tired of the water, there's another thing to see. A kickboxing tournament called 'Super Fight' was held at a special ring set up on the Miryang riverside, featuring both professional championship bouts and amateur matches, offering a unique spectacle. A water festival with a kickboxing ring is quite an unusual combination, which also means there's no chance to get bored from day to night.

Things to know before you go so you don't make a wasted trip

The first thing to prepare is advance registration for participation programs like the water-gun battle. In 2025, separate advance registration was accepted for the water-gun fight, and on-site participation was possible too, but each session was limited to around 100 people, so the popular slots fill up fast. If you want to join for sure, I recommend checking the official page in advance for the registration schedule. Competition programs such as kickboxing, races, and contests also recruit participants separately, so if you are just there to watch rather than compete, you can simply go according to the timetable without booking.

Transportation is easier than you might think because Miryang is a city served by KTX. After getting off at Miryang Station by KTX from Seoul or Busan, take a taxi to Sammun-dong on the Miryang riverside, which is the festival site. Sammun-dong is a horseshoe-shaped island terrain surrounded by the Miryang River, located in the center of Miryang, so it is easy to access from any direction. If you are driving, parking is the key issue, but public parking lots are free at night, on Sundays, and on public holidays. However, the riverside area gets crowded during the festival, so it is better to park on the opposite side of the river and walk across the bridge with a relaxed mindset.

For clothing, assume you will get wet and prepare accordingly. Swimwear or clothes that can get wet, a spare set of clothes and a towel, aqua shoes, and a waterproof pouch are essential. August in Miryang is one of the hottest places in Gyeongnam, so bring sunscreen and a hat for daytime water play. There are shaded rest areas, but seats are competitive at midday. If you plan to stay for the night performances too, bringing a picnic mat will let you comfortably enjoy the stage by the riverside. As for payment, some food trucks and booths may not accept cards, so it is a good idea to bring some cash.

So, who is this for?

It is for people who want to play hard in the river during the day and finish with concerts and chicken and beer at night. Especially if you are with kids, the water playground, pedal boats, and water-gun fights make it a full-day festival for the whole family, so it offers good value. It is still a first-year event and not very large yet, but it is especially well suited to foreign travelers who want to experience the real summer of a Korean regional city with their own bodies rather than being surrounded by major tourist attractions. The evening air as you change out of wet clothes and sit by the river watching the stage will make you remember the name Miryang for a long time.