Here are the critical and affectionate discussions on Yeosu Expo made by “Debaters” which is a club of Yeosu High School. Let’s meet the teenagers’ stories now! J

Yeony and Suny appreciate their honest and interesting review on operation of Yeosu Expo!

Frame 3 – Management is about “Contents.”

(by the team of Go – Go Minseong (leader), Gwak Jinwoo, Son Changgun, Lee Hyungrok and Jeong Kwangmin)

Yeosu Expo has been rated as “successful” in that the accumulated number of visitors surpassed the target number – 8 million.

It is true that this success owed the passion of Yeosu citizens – 10% of them applied as volunteers for Yeosu Expo. However, we think that the management shown by the Organizing Committee for Yeosu Expo also contributed to the success.

When presses are pessimistic about the success of Yeosu Expo, the Organizing Committee of Yeosu Expo arranged “Expo Pop Festival” to attract more visitors. This action worked!

They set “Special Stage” to host “Expo Pop Festival” and attracted visitors of all ages by directing various stages of various genres/singers ranging from Korean legendary pop stars from 1970’s, Korean trot stars, hip hop musicians, rock stars, and idol stars. Thanks to this efficient and right strategy, around 850 thousand spectators had enjoyed Expo.

It is surprising that only small budget of 2,000,000,000 KRW (when compared with the total budget of building facilities and programs) resulted in a great success. This seemed to prove directing efficient contents was a key part of management.

Frame 4 – Dreaming about Our Future in the Ocean!

(by the team of Gyo – Kim Boseon (leader), Kim Jaeyoon, Son Jongseon, Jeong Hyunmyung and Han Jiwoong)

It is true that various feedbacks have been given on the success of Yeosu Expo since the official closing of Yeosu Expo.

Some offered positive feedbacks based on the following facts:

1. The real visitor number surpassed the initial goal – 8 million
2. A small local government of 290,000 residents organized world’s class event with no accidents

A small city of Korea, Yeosu was selected for Expo 2012 in 2007, which acceded to a request of the globe in relation to a new theme – sustainable ocean.

Yeosu appealed a desperate theme – we have to save and preserve our ocean and coast to people and it aroused global sympathy.

Definitely, it was a success in that it vividly promoted the desperate marine ecosystem caused by excessive use/development of marine resources to the world.

However, we want to call it the half-success since challenges to realize the theme of Yeosu Expo, the Living Ocean and Coast with more specific ways are now given to us!

We conclude that the closing of Yeosu Expo is another beginning of realizing new marine era with “Yeosu Declaration” or “Yeosu Project.” We can declare the success of Yeosu Expo only when we can dream about our future in the ocean.

This time, a club of Yeosu High School, “Debaters” talked about Yeosu Expo with various points of views.

<Club members of “Debaters” are jumping>

The following is what Huseong An (a second-year student of Debaters) wrote about Yeosu Expo.

“All things – the grand sound of world’s loudest pipe organ from Sky Tower, the fantastic Big-O Show which I could enjoy at corridor of our school, the crowds and lots of cars now became a precious memory.

I felt so lonesome after the Expo which had seemed never to end ended.

As the closest visitor to the world’s event, somehow I felt obligated to write about Yeosu Expo.”

Frame 1 – Excessive Digital, but…

(by the team of Yeo – Lee Jin (leader), Park Jinseong, Shin Giho, An Huseong, and Jang Youngsik)

We could see our gloomy future of excessive digital.

Every pavilion seemed to promoted 3D or 4D technologies, which bordered on digital floods.

Some visitors might feel sick of unilateral digital communication.

However, Yeosu Expo also tried to present how to resolve the negative sides of digital – EDG (Expo Digital Gallery) which composed of 5,800 Televisions of sixty inches enabled us to enjoy the kaleidoscope of the ocean!

The most popular content was “A Dreaming Whale” – the media whale became bigger as visitors sent their photos using their smart phones. This “two-say” digital communication was good enough to make visitors exclaim.

Yeosu Expo deserves to be called as “U-Expo” since they set up a ubiquitous computing environment where people could connect to network without accessibility to computer or network.

Yeosu Expo presented a new communication which could help us overcome the excessive digital environment with the ubiquitous technology.

Frame 2 – There is No Superiority among Cultures!

(by the team of Su – Kim Donghwa (leader), Seo Hongmin, Seon Junsang, Jeong Minho and Chu Ingeun)

Before the Yeosu Expo, we only understood that “there is no superiority among cultures” but could not accept it with heart. However, we could find a solution on this issue.

For 93 days, Yeosu Expo had started every morning with the event of “National Day.”

We think that various cultural performances by 104 participant countries based on their own cultural background contributed a lot to overcoming our prejudices related to culture.

Cultural performances of Vietnam, Uruguay, Cambodia, Angola, Qatar and Kazakhstan were invited to the official closing ceremony of Yeosu Expo, which means a lot to us since they have been undervalued in relation to their culture.

<Kazakhstan’s cultural performance>

Not only the special art exhibition of Bill Viola (a world’s famous media artist from USA) was acclaimed by visitors but also Korean traditional folk cultural performances were loved by visitors.

According to the author of “COWS, PIGS, WARS AND WITCHES: The Riddles of Culture,” Marvin Harris, cultural phenomenon were formed in the process of mankind’s searching for efficient survival strategy under given circumstances. We think that this means different lives lead different cultures.

★Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

At the Floating Stage of Big-O of which background is the beautiful ocean of Yeosu, sophisticated classical concert was held. Korean top orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra made the night in Yeosu more beautiful with music.

Meet the beautiful night with the following video clip.

★Fashion Show by the World’s Designer from Turkey

Simay Bulbul, a new rising fashion designer from Turkey kicked off a fashion show at Yeosu Expo! The show was about “30’s silhouette.”

Meet the fabulous fashion show with the following video clip.

★ Naval Parade

What a restrained and majestic parade!!

Enjoy the Korean Naval Parade with the following video clip.

★ Hebei Province Week Festival

One of the most fancy cultural events, the provincial performance from Hebei in China received an ovation. How beautiful their stage was!

Enjoy this fantastic performance with the following video clip.

★ Hair Fashion Demonstration

Morten Lynge who is well known for creativity, professionalism, and a progressive approach to hair fashion, showed hair styling show at the Denmark Pavilion.

Watch the process of a girl’s make-over with the following video clip.

Suny: Well… Too many to tell…

Yeony: Ok. Then, I will remind you some MYSTIQUE street performances today!

Suny: Yay~~~ I am so relieved that I have a partner like you! 

★ Traditional Korean Wedding

What a beautiful couple!! Their memory regarding this special wedding will last for their entire life. They were celebrated by hundreds of people! How MYSTIQUE their wedding was!

The following video clip shows the Korean traditional wedding.

★ Korean Traditional Play: Wukumchi

A series of MYSTIQUE scenes had captured visitors’ attention during the Expo!

Watch the MYSTIQUE Wukumchi with the following video clip.

★Bubble Show

(photo source: Yeosu Newspaper)

This time, one of the most loved street performance by child visitors, Bubble Show!! The children were all eyes with the MYSTIQUE bubbles!

Meet the Bubble Show with the following video clip.

★Trampoline Circus

(photo source: Gonggam Korea)

Let’s jump to the sky!! The MYSTIQUE Trampoline Circus also invited visitors to jump. All the visitors including children and parents really loved it!

Enjoy the MYSTIQUE Trampoline Circus with the following video clip.

Suny: OMG! Did you already forget everything?

Yeony: Nope! I mean… I miss them. What about you? Do you still remember lots of performances during 93 days?

Suny: Of course!!! HAHA! Then, I will make you recall FUNNY street performances today!

Yeony: Oh, sweetie! I can’t wait! Hurry!

★ Gamarjobat

Gamarjobat whose fame has gained through the world had offered exciting and funny silent comic performance for Expo visitors. These red- and yellow-mohaked Japanese guys were one of Yeony’s favorites. “Gamarjobat” means “hello” in Georgian.

Enjoy their funny comic show with the following video clip!

★Robinson Cruseom (meaning Robinson Cru-island)

You can’t be confused with its name, Robin Cruseom, not Robison Crusoe. This team had made visitors laugh by delivering a difficult theme (an alienated individual living in a city) in a joyful way.

Suny recommend you to watch their performance with the following video clip.

★ Statue Mime

You can guess what it is by the name of performance. Performers only moved when visitors were trying to take a photo with them. How cheerful she was!

You can meet another statue mime performer – Poseidon with the following video clip.

★ Water War

A Korean performance team, Pencil Case has performed Water War! They blew off the heat with their funny water performance! How cool it was!

Enjoy their cooool performance with the following video clip.

Some of the street performances had been loved since they tried to approach to the visitors first and communicate with them. Performers as well as audience can’t help loving this kind of performance if they feel in the same way.

Then, let’s meet those interactive street performances.

★Stilt A,B Parade 

When you headed up while walking the street, “Daddy Long Legs” said hi to you while he looked down. He was kind enough to bend his knees to take photos with the visitors. Yeony and Suny miss his kind and beautiful smile! J

Meet the Stilt A,B Parade with the following video clip.

What can you name if you are asked what kind of performances can you communicate most? Yeony and Suny would name “Music!”

Time to meet various bands which had performed during the expo this time!

 ★ Bands 

A youth band consisting of Police Academy students had been loved. Cool policemen pleased visitors with music!  

Meet this band with the following video clip.

Sweet voices of a band named “Gyeongyu” attracted visitors.

Meet this band with the following video clip.

A jazz band, “Korea Junior Big Band” showed joyous harmony with a key board, saxophones, and trumpets.

Meet this band with the following video clip.

On August 25 (last Saturday), the 14^th Korea-China Music Festival was held!

The opening performance was directed at the Floating Stage of Big-O!!

Female dancers in red which embodies China and male dancers in Goguryeo (one of dynasties in Korea history) clothes showed colorful stage. The last part of opening performance was fireworks and fountain show of Big-).

According to related personnel, the opening show was directed for the harmony and prosperity between Korea and China. Big-O never disappoints us!

Chinese and Korean famous announcers jointly act as masters of ceremonies (MC).

The joint concert under EDG was unheard-of stage! EXO opened the show under fire of EDG!

Chinese stars showed outstanding performance with unique choreography and props.

New rising K-pop star, B1A4 attracted Chinese and Korean fans! How cute their stage was!

Sa Dingding who is the first invited Chinese singer to Grammy Awards was literally fantastic!!

Isn’t it so beautiful?

One of top K-POP idol star, 2PM gave the powerful stage to their fans!

Tada!!! It’s time to meet beautiful girls – Girl’s Generation!!!!

Yeony and Suny thank all the audience!! We hope to see you at EDG again! Luv YOU!!

Mr. President congratulated 240 people on their success by giving a luncheon.

<The President, Lee Myung-bak congratulated the successful hosting of Yeosu Expo.> **photo source: Naver News

The followings are what Mr. Lee said at the luncheon:

“Thanks to hosting the world’s festival, various infrastructures such as rail system, air system and roads have improved a lot. I hope the second success should be achieved though the Expo closed – continued development of the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula.”

“It is very meaningful that the successful hosting of World’s Expo was achieved by a small city of the southern coast, Yeosu. I think it is a process of regional development of Korea.”

Yeony and Suny are also proud all of you since the Expo successfully promoted the Green Development through the ocean to the globe.

Here is the Ocean Plaza where you could feel the refreshing breeze from the ocean.

While enjoying the beautiful, EXCITING B-boying dance attracted Yeony and Suny.

The following video clip shows you the EXCITING B-boying dance!

A romantic love story between a girl and a giant, “Company with Balls” has attracted visitors EXCITING waltz.

You can enjoy this lovely and EXCITING performance with the following video clip.

Korean traditional performance team, Palsandae offered EXCITING rhythm to all the visitors from the globe everyday!

Enjoy the EXCITING Korean traditional music with the following video clip.

“Enjoying with visitors” in which not only Palsandae team but also other street performers from the world had EXCITING 20 minutes everyday during the Expo! Lots of people have enjoyed Korean traditional circle dance, Ganggangsuwollae.

You can meet this EXCITING moment with the following video clip.

Ready to be amazed!!!

Tada!! One of the most famous street performances – “Zero Gravity Man”

It is still mysterious! How can he levitate?

The following video clip shows another “Zero Gravity Man” reading a book up in the air!

Among various heroes, which one is your favorite??

For Yeony and Suny, Spiderman is the best!!! During Yeosu Expo, Spider-men entertained visitors!

The following video clip shows their thrilling performance!

This time, funny guys – Comic Circus!!!!

Meet his fun and joyful circus with the following video clip!

The World Champion of Juggling Circus!!!

The following video clip would make you be all eyes!!!