2014 brought an unexpected traffic accident that left a man without sensation in his limbs, placing him at a crossroads between life and death. After enduring nine long years, he began barefoot walking in the Muan Yellow Clay Mudflat in 2023, experiencing a remarkable revival of his lost sensations.
The father found new meaning in life through barefoot walking, while his son, Ko Se-hyung, nurtured a dream to develop Muan's natural resources into a world-class healing tourism product.
This story revolves around Phil Ho, a director at the Barefoot Walking National Movement Headquarters, and his son, Ko Se-hyung, CEO of Haneulbyeolbada Co., as they embark on a new challenge in Muan's Cheonggye-myeon.
For Phil Ho, barefoot walking is more than just exercise.
After losing sensation in his limbs due to the 2014 accident, he spent years in rehabilitation. However, in 2023, he discovered barefoot walking in the Muan Yellow Clay Mudflat, marking a turning point in his life.
Phil Ho recalled, "Within just two weeks of starting barefoot walking, my dormant bodily sensations began to respond, and within a month, I could fully feel the itch from a mosquito bite. I experienced the joy of my brain and body communicating again after nine years."
While this change reflects Phil Ho's personal rehabilitation journey, it does not imply that the medical benefits of barefoot walking have been scientifically validated.
Nonetheless, this experience became a catalyst for him to live a new life. He has since taken on the role of the first president of the Muan County chapter and currently serves as a director at the national headquarters and vice president of the Muan chapter.
While the father spreads the value of barefoot walking through his experiences, son Ko Se-hyung focuses on expanding this into a future tourism industry for the region.
Ko's 'Haneulbyeolbada Healing Stay' is a lodging space that utilizes the Yellow Clay Mudflat and the sunset over the West Sea.
The father and son duo have established a so-called '24-hour ultra-earing' environment to ensure that grounding experiences can continue regardless of the season or weather.
This initiative will come to fruition during the '3rd Muan Yellow Clay Mudflat Barefoot Festival' on the 23rd and 24th.
The event is a collaboration between the K-MediWell Glocal Project Team at National Gongju University and Haneulbyeolbada Co.
The festival will feature programs that combine nature and the senses, including barefoot walking on the Yellow Clay Mudflat, sound walking, aroma foot baths, singing bowl meditation, a healing music concert at sunset, and a healing meal using local ingredients.
The symposium on the first day, titled 'Healing Tourism City Muan,' will include discussions on tourism resource development for the Yellow Clay Mudflat, featuring experts such as Professor Kim Dae-ho from National Suncheon University and President Park Dong-chang of the Barefoot Walking National Movement Headquarters.
Following this, a declaration ceremony for Muan as a healing tourism city and a memorandum of understanding between Haneulbyeolbada Co. and National Gongju University will take place.
Thirty participants will undergo brainwave measurements and surveys before and after the experience to observe changes in their conditions and inform future tourism product development.
Ko Se-hyung stated, "Two million barefoot enthusiasts across the country dream of walking barefoot along the beach. Muan has a natural healing resource where the yellow clay path meets the pristine mudflat."
He added, "I hope to raise awareness of the value of the Yellow Clay Mudflat, which has been overlooked due to its proximity, and take the first step toward making Muan a healing tourism city that attracts visitors from around the world beyond just barefoot walking."
His vision extends beyond merely attracting tourists. It aims to create a tourism model that links accommodation, experiences, and local cuisine to extend visitors' stay and stimulate the local economy through Muan's natural resources.
Of course, the health benefits of barefoot walking and grounding experiences require scientific validation. Ensuring the safety of mudflat experiences and maintaining consistent tourism demand remain challenges to address.
Nevertheless, the expansion of barefoot walking, which began with one person's rehabilitation experience, into a new tourism industry intertwined with the region's natural resources is significant.
From the 2014 traffic accident to the 2023 encounter with barefoot walking, and now the 2026 challenge of healing tourism in Muan's Yellow Clay Mudflat, the father prepares to share the sensations he rediscovered after nine years with a broader audience.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.