The 11th Busan International Comedy Festival Opens on the 25th!

Opening Ceremony at Cinema Center on the 25th at 7 PM, Hosted by Comedian Lee Soo-geun

Domestic and International Teams Perform Including Shortbox, Mandam Assemble@Bukope, and Single Bungle Show

The ultimate comedy show that will make South Korea laugh is taking place in Busan!

Poster of the 11th Busan International Comedy Festival.

The Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan International Comedy Festival Organizing Committee (Executive Chairman Kim Jun-ho) will hold the opening ceremony of the 11th Busan International Comedy Festival on the 25th at 7 PM at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center.

Hosted by comedian Lee Soo-geun, this year’s opening ceremony will shine brightly with performances by domestic and international artists, starting with a congratulatory performance by ‘Poppin Hyun-jun,’ followed by the highly popular ‘Tanaka,’ ‘Gabeji (Japan),’ who gained attention at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, and ‘Very Very (Australia),’ known for mime comedy.

This year’s BuCoFe will begin with the opening ceremony on the 25th and offer a variety of performances and programs to audiences across Busan, including the Busan Cinema Center and Busan Arts Center, from August 26 to September 3.

On July 13, as a pre-event (Comedy School Attack!), the festival made a surprise visit to Gyeongnam Girls' High School and Hwamyung Middle School, having a special meeting with Busan students.

Following this, the main event performers were announced, raising public interest. Participating acts include ▲‘Shortbox,’ the hottest team cheered on by the MZ generation ▲‘Mandam Assemble@BuCoFe’ by Bbang Song-guk ▲‘Single Bungle Show,’ a sketch comedy YouTuber gag performance for the 2030 generation ▲and ‘Seoul Comedy All Stars,’ who entertain audiences with their witty talk, offering a diverse range of performances and programs.

Tickets for BuCoFe can be purchased through the Interpark Ticket website.

On August 26, you can watch ‘Ungnami,’ the first commercial film by comedian-turned-director Park Sung-kwang, at CGV Haeundae.

Released in March, ‘Ungnami’ is a comedy film about Ungnami, who fights against an international crime organization with beast-like abilities beyond human limits. After the screening, there will be a lively session sharing behind-the-scenes stories and the production process, allowing interaction with the audience.

Additionally, barrier-free performances that break down walls between people with and without disabilities, allowing everyone regardless of age or gender to enjoy, will be held.

Enhanced accommodations include subtitles for the hearing impaired, talk comedy and stand-up comedy lineups for the visually impaired.

The closing ceremony will be held on September 3 at 6 PM at the Sky Theater of the Busan Cinema Center. This year’s BuCoFe will conclude spectacularly with a unique ‘2023 Gag Concert’ created by both established comedians and new faces.

Rather than a one-time performance, the gag concert, which will soon be broadcast, will be presented first at this BuCoFe, offering the audience a gift-like experience.

Kim Ki-hwan, Director of the Culture and Sports Bureau, said, “This year’s BuCoFe will be held across Busan to allow many citizens to enjoy the cultural festival,” and added, “We ask for the interest and participation of citizens and tourists in this BuCoFe event.”

During the festival, the International Comedy Festival Association (ICFA) general meeting will be held, bringing together six member countries including Korea, Switzerland, and Canada to discuss the future direction of international comedy festivals.

For more details, please refer to the official website or contact the Busan International Comedy Festival Secretariat.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.