Poster for the 14th Busan International Comedy Festival [Provided by Busan city]
Poster for the 14th Busan International Comedy Festival [Provided by Busan city]

Busan city announced Wednesday that it will hold the 14th Busan International Comedy Festival (BICF) from Friday through Aug. 30, centered at Bexco Auditorium with events taking place across the city.

The opening ceremony at Bexco Auditorium on Friday at 7 p.m. will be hosted by comedian Ji Seok-jin and will feature a celebratory performance by four-member girl band QWER, a talk entertainment segment called "Malja Show" with Malja Halme, a performance by French troupe Mime de Lyon, and a special opening show by cast members of "Gag Concert."

This year's festival will present a wide range of performances and programs not only at Bexco Auditorium but also at Gunamno in Haeundae and other venues throughout Busan.

Highlights include "Mandam Assemble@BICF," a parade of comedic duo acts; "Seoul Comedy All-Stars," an all-star stage showcasing the sharpest comedic voices; "Woo Seok-hun Comedy Short Films," featuring the mime actor; and "Galgaree Gag Concert: Legend's Return," a 30th-anniversary comedy show with Park Jun-hyeong and fellow legends.

Also new this year, "Kim Hak-rae and Lee Yong-sik's Wild Talk Show" will be held at Millac the Market in Suyeong-gu. Billed as a tribute talk show marking the centenary of the late comedian Gu Bong-seo's birth, the program aims to reinterpret comedy through a contemporary lens and bridge generations through laughter.

The outdoor comedy event "Comedy Street" will run from Aug. 23 to Aug. 26 along Gunamno in Haeundae, where audiences can enjoy comic street performances by indie troupes. The roving "Comedy Open Concert" series will bring performances to three locations: the Busan Port cruise terminal on Tuesday, Aug. 25; Yurari Plaza in Jung-gu on Thursday, Aug. 27; and the central plaza of Dadaepo Beach Park on Friday, Aug. 28.

The festival will close on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. at the Sky Theater of the Busan Cinema Center with a celebratory performance of "Naneun Gaegasuda," a hybrid show blending comedy and vocal performances by top comedians. The closing ceremony will include awards presentations before the official end of the festival.

Tickets are available through the Interpark Ticket website (ticket.interpark.com). For more information, visit the official website at bicf.kr or contact the BICF secretariat at 051-916-8828.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com