Outside Seoul, foreigners can be a rarer sight to see.
But imagine 40-odd expats whizzing around Ulsan on scooters and motorbikes, attempting to complete a scavenger hunt, complete with scenic stops and comedic photo opportunities with locals ― that’s unusual anywhere.
This spectacle, dubbed the Inferno, has become an almost annual event in Ulsan and gives expats the chance to enjoy a scenic view of Korea together while getting involved with the local community.
Deirdre Madden, who teaches English in Ulsan ― one of around 1,000 expats in the city who do so ― recalls how the Inferno began in 2004 when her brother and his friends living in the city were figuring out how to celebrate a birthday of a friend who didn’t drink. They all owned 50cc scooters, as many expats in Ulsan do, and decided to ride them during a scavenger hunt in which teams tried to reach the 12 Scenic Sites of Ulsan in one afternoon.
“A lot of foreigners fall into the trap of going to the bars on the weekend and working during the week,” says Madden.
“Ulsan has a reputation as a factory town and many people from Seoul just think it’s this tiny, dirty town with the oil refinery, but there are some beautiful sites to see.”
Not only did the scavenger hunt include sites, but it also provided a chance to interact with locals ― whether eating exotic seafood dishes at Ulsan restaurants, stopping by a police station to get a photo with the neighborhood cops, or giving the friendly ajumma a peck on the cheek.
The hunt proved so much fun that the friends did it again the next year, and opened up the event to others. The hunt soon grew from just around 12 participants to more than 40, mostly expats but also a few Koreans, and many now ride motorbikes as well.
Crucial to the Inferno’s success was Ulsan Autobike, a neighborhood bike shop in the center of the city, where many of the friends first bought their bikes or had them repaired.
Competitors get ready at the start of the Inferno scavenger hunt in Ulsan. (Rena Hogan)
“The owner was super friendly and helpful and the mechanic spoke a little English,” explains Madden. “Over the years they’ve become like a family to us.”
The bike shop often helped sponsor and fund the scavenger hunt so that it could include overnight trips to Gyeongju or free meals, picked up participants whose bikes broke down, and did repairs on bikes. One of the mechanics at the bike shop even put himself on call all day during the Inferno, carrying out all the bikes to the scavenger hunt’s starting point at Taehwagang Station.
But early this spring, in a cruel irony to the name “Inferno,” Ulsan Autobike was razed completely in a fire started by a stray cigarette butt that landed on some oily cloth in the yard next to the shop.
“The whole place burned down in 30 minutes,” said Madden. “And the family lived on the fourth floor, so they also lost their home.”
Bike shops from all over the city immediately stepped in to help begin cleaning up and rebuilding. The Inferno organizers also decided to chip in and give back to Ulsan Autobike by donating any profits from their event to the owners.
“A lot of people really wanted to do something to help,” says Madden. “This year we tried to make the event a fundraiser, like having a raffle or through T-shirt sales.”
Although proceeds are still being collected, about 250,000 won ($218) has been raised so far, and Madden hopes to make at least 300,000 won. Although it’s not as much as she was hoping for, it is a first step, and it illustrates the sense of community and positive relationships between expats and locals in Ulsan.
“Most of the locals are thrilled to be involved in the hunt,” says Madden. “(But) there’s definitely a sense of otherness around here and it’s important to try to be as much as part of the community.”
The Inferno participants’ endeavors to help the bike shop also illustrate the good impression many expats want to leave in the minds of Korean locals.
“We try to remind people to be respectful and that we’re guests in a foreign land and it’s easy to make a bad impression. One bad impression can ruin years of good impressions.”
The Inferno profits, though small, will help the Ulsan Autobike owners to rebuild their store and is a symbol of how deep the connections between expats and locals in the city can be.
Next year will be the tenth year of the Inferno. Though no set plans have been made yet, Madden promises that it will be particularly spectacular to celebrate a decade of the scavenger hunt.
By Sarah Berlow, Intern reporter
(sarah.berlow@gmail.com)