above & right: Bangpae yeon, one of the more common traditional Korean kites. Made of Mulberry paper with a circular hole in the centre. Often decorated with Korean calligraphy or geometric designs in blue, black, yellow, red and white.
We travelled to South Korea in March 2013 as invited guests, to participate in the Uiseong International Kite Festival. Located in a largely agricultural region, the festival site was reached after a four hour bus journey following our arrival at Incheon International Airport.
In common with other international kite events many modern large inflatable kites filled the sky during the festival. Traditional kites from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and South Korea were also flown.
During the festival winds ranged from zero to a 50mph dust storm, presenting challenging conditions for flying kites.
International guests were well looked after, enjoying a brief taste of South Korean history, food and culture. The event organisers also hosted the first international development forum for kites and established a collection of kites which will eventually represent kite design from many countries.
At the end of the festival prayers for a successful harvest were placed on a bonfire before being set alight.
right: UK kite fliers - Michael & Fran, Malcolm & Jeanette Goodman, Jon & Gill Bloom.
