Since last year, the Ministry of Education and the National Tax Service have enforced the ‘liquor tax law’, which states that a person without a liquor sales business license would be sentenced to up to three years in jail or fined up to 30 million KRW. In compliance with this law, the  POSTECH Food Services took charge of distributing the liquor from last year. It allowed liquor to be sold directly from the patio near the booth instead of walking up the 78 stairs to the school restaurant.
In connection with this festival’s theme: ‘Happy Circuit’, the Advisory Committee for the Sunrise Festival has prepared three rounds of circuit-themed treasure hunts. Postechians were challenged to find treasures called ‘missing circuit parts’ or ‘Happy Circuits’ hidden around the campus and to return them to the headquarter, where they can exchange the treasures with snacks and other goods. The first round took place from May 3 to 6, the second from May 6 to 7, and the third from May 8 to 9.
Another fresh event this year was ‘BubbleGrounds’, a water gun fight inspired by the online multiplayer battle royale game ‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’. The fight took place on May 9 next to the Jigok pond. Players shot water at each other while wearing a vest taped with cobalt chloride indicator papers, which change color when water touches them, and the player with the least change in color was announced the winner and was awarded a meal of chicken.
For the festival show, DAVICHI and DJ LAON performed their music for the Postechians and Pohang residents. DAVICHI is a female duo group. Even before they arrived, the stage was hardly seen from the back of the line because of the huge amount of people gathered to see the show. Crowd interacted with the performance actively by singing along the song, jumping with the music and laugh to DAVICHI’s comment which made the show more enjoyable and vivid. After 30 minutes performance ending with their debut song and DJ LAON’s show followed.
DJ LAON performed exciting and energetic EDM music. Few of the crowd jumped and danced in front of the stage making the show more active. They put arms around one another’s shoulder, jumped to the music and felt the music through their whole body. Interesting music was played during the show including EDM version of ‘we will rock you’, a song originally from a British rock band, Queen. While the EDM music was playing, skilled hip-hop dancers gathered in circles and showed their moves that suited well with the music. Dazzling dance moves attracted people and added more energy to the festival
After the festival show, busking by POSTECH performance circles GT Love continued the fun of the festival. Even though there were only keyboard and guitar, they performed various music from different bands that fits well with the festival atmosphere. Because it was busking, the crowd and the performers were able to bond through the whole performance and enjoy the music much better.
This year festival was not only the Postechians’ festival but was the festival of Pohang. Many children, students, and family came to the festival and enjoyed the food, experienced festival booths and the show by DAVICHI and DJ LAON. Postechians had the time to set aside all the stress from academics and enjoy the festival with friends, making new friends and experience POSTECH festival culture.