What are the odds you and your family would be living away from your home country and within several hours of a World Expo venue? Were you in Shanghai in 2010? Are you going to Belgium in 2017? No? Then consider taking advantage of the good fortune of being in Korea and head to Yeosu Expo 2012. Michael and I spent a few days there and had a fantastic time. The setting near the water is beautiful, and the size and layout of the site make for ease of finding places and getting around. Things to do and see revolve around the theme, “The Living Ocean and Coast,” that the Expo is an international event, and that the host city is in Korea.
There are eight or so pavilions dedicated to the ocean theme and include theme, climate and environment, robot, and marine-related pavilions. Can you picture yourself in the future in a module type home in the sea? Do you know all the potential uses of algae and seaweed? The pavilions are set up so that a fairly large group enters at one time and then “the show” gets underway. Average time inside is 15 to 20 minutes. There is also a kids’ pavilion to help keep younger children engaged and busy.
Yeosu is a world expo. Nearly 100 countries are represented in the four-part International Pavilion. It is interesting to observe both the information and scenes highlighted by each country and also the various approaches to set up and display. Some use high-tech movies; some show traditional art; some use many words, and some use few words. The international pavilions are a good place to find a snack or meal. Several countries have restaurants that are visible and separate from the viewing are of the pavilion (e.g., Germany and Romania). Other countries have food available, but it’s not so visible (e.g., Peru and Australia). We liked the Singapore curry.
Cultural shows are scheduled throughout the day. Each country has a national day during the expo. The country delegation is welcomed at 10:00 in Expo Hall, and a cultural performance starts about 10:20. We saw dancers from Bangladesh and a Democratic Republic of Congo fashion show. It is worth the time and effort to see Expo Hall. It is likely to serve Yeosu well in the future as a performance center. There is a “today’s cultural events” schedule for each day, available online or at an on-site information center.
The floating stage in front of the “Big O” is the largest outdoor performance venue. We saw “Ocean Blast Fever,” a Broadway show that combined elements of marching band, dance, and drums. The big shows like this one appear to be scheduled for about a week. There is a regular 2:00 “Blooming Ocean” show with music and water features. We were mesmerized by the water shooting up so high. Each evening ends with “The Big O Show,” a crowd pleaser with lights, water, and fire. We were surprised by how quickly seats filled up for the bigger shows; arriving early and saving seats for your group is recommended.
Korea is highlighted at the expo in many ways. Korea has its own pavilion that includes an overhead dome … consider lying down for the best view! The local governments’ pavilion is an easy walk-through. The International Organizations’ Pavilion has a ship-building area and also a World Expo history area. Michael’s favorite part of the Expo was the Korean Business pavilions (Hyundai, SK, etc.), all separate structures but in the same area. He saw all seven of them and rated them all as at least good and a couple as awesome.
We recommend planning transportation to the entrance gates. There is a large bus area and also a gate that is practically at the KTX exit. If driving your own car, check ahead of time for parking information, etc. Getting to the site at opening time is very helpful for seeing the most popular pavilions without spending too much time waiting in line. The Expo website is very useful, and there is always someone at FLiK to help make a hotel reservation or give other advice.
By the end of our time at Yeosu we observed, “There is something for everyone!” Oh … and amid all the fun, you and your family just might learn something. After a few pavilions Michael said, “I don’t think people realize how important the ocean is or how we need to take care of it.” That’s exactly what the Expo planners had in mind!
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