Vacationers enjoy water leisure activities off the coast of Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on August 23.
SEOUL & OTHER LOCATIONS, Aug. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – On August 24, as heat wave warnings blanketed nearly the entire country except Mount Halla in Jeju, South Koreans streamed to beaches, rivers and amusement parks in a final summer rush, seeking relief from sweltering temperatures that have also exposed the nation’s deepening water shortages.
In Busan, Haeundae Beach was crowded from early morning with tourists and families escaping the heat. Visitors hauled suitcases straight from the subway to the shore, while at nearby Gwangalli Beach dozens paddled across the sea with the city’s Gwangan Bridge as backdrop. Across Busan’s seven beaches, total visitors this summer exceeded 11.8 million.
Many vacationers enjoy the water at Geumneung Beach in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, on the afternoon of August 24.
Other coasts, from Ulsan’s Jinha Beach to Gangneung’s Gyeongpo and Jeju’s Hyeopjae, reported heavy crowds. Families rode banana boats, water scooters and paddleboards, while inland national parks such as Woraksan, Songnisan and Naejangsan saw thousands trekking into cool valleys or strolling shaded temple paths.
On August 22, ahead of Cheoseo — the seasonal marker signaling the onset of autumn — visitors cool off in a mountain stream at Bukhansan in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, as the heat wave persists.
Tourist attractions were equally packed: Everland amusement park near Seoul staged its “Shooting Water Fun” festival, drenching visitors in fountains and water jets, while the adjacent Caribbean Bay wave pool was filled with swimmers. Cultural sites including Cheongnamdae in Cheongju, the National Science Museum in Daejeon and Jeju’s Saryeoni Forest also drew large crowds.
Children play in the water at Yeouido Mulbit Plaza in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, on August 24 amid continuing heat.
But alongside leisure, anxiety is mounting. Gangneung residents voiced frustration that prolonged drought has left reservoirs critically low, raising fears of water rationing and even school closures. On social media, citizens shared water-saving tips — from washing hair with bottled water to reusing rinse water for toilets — and voiced unease at government delays in imposing stronger measures on hotels, saunas and pools.
Vacationers enjoy the final days of summer at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.
“Tourism is good, but they should have acted earlier,” one Gangneung resident complained online. Others expressed solidarity, writing, “It’s hard, but let’s endure together,” while hoping for long-awaited rain.
Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
