Brrr it's cold！Giant Yellow Duck arrives in Keelung, estimated 100,000 visitors on opening day

▲ The super cute Giant Yellow Duck has swum into Keelung！(Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

So cold！The "opening day tour" of the Giant Yellow Duck in Keelung coincided with a cold front hitting Taiwan, with temperatures dropping to 12°C. The damp and chilly weather failed to draw the expected crowds. Adding to the issue, original artist Florentijn Hofman deemed the Keelung exhibition overly commercial and refused to attend the opening ceremony, sparking controversy even before the duck was displayed. The opening only attracted around 10,000 visitors, and the total for the day reached approximately 100,000 duck-spotters.

The opening ceremony was held at 9:00 a.m. on the 21st, featuring performances by tenor Wang Dian, piano prince Chen Guanyu, and indigenous soprano and dancer Sai Ai. The organizers also arranged a fleet of boats sounding their horns and spraying water to give the duck a grand welcome to Keelung. Organizers said that from now on, the super cute Giant Yellow Duck will kick off a 50-day journey in Keelung, keeping people company through Christmas and New Year’s.

▲ Due to consecutive days of low temperatures and rain in Keelung, there were no crowds of visitors flocking to see the duck. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

On the duck’s first day in Keelung, the temperature was just 12°C and there was intermittent heavy rain, but many visitors remained undeterred, taking photos and enjoying the sight of the duck. Some visitors commented, “It feels like the duck is cold” and “Will the duck freeze?” Given that Keelung is known for its strong winter winds, the duck swayed slightly under the force of the northeastern monsoon, making it look even more adorable.

The biggest disappointment on opening day was the absence of the original creator Hofman. Hofman’s team stated that the Keelung exhibition was too commercialized, and they were not consulted about elements such as the “Spinning Yellow Duck,” sightseeing buses, and various licensed merchandise, which they felt showed a lack of respect—prompting them to skip the opening ceremony. Organizers said they would continue communicating with Hofman, reflect humbly, and make improvements, but still hoped the public would come to Keelung to see the adorable duck.

▲ Hofman believes the Keelung Yellow Duck exhibition is overly commercial, with many display methods decided without his prior knowledge, leading him to boycott the opening ceremony in anger. (Photo / Eastern News, file photo)

As for the lower-than-expected turnout on the first day, Keelung City Government’s Transportation and Tourism Department stated that fewer than 10,000 people took the train to watch the opening ceremony in the morning of the 21st. The crowd gradually increased in the afternoon, with about 30,000 people arriving by train in the evening to see the duck. The total number of visitors for the day was around 100,000. Organizers also reminded the public that the coming days would also see cloudy and rainy weather, so those visiting Keelung should dress warmly.