Busan
Busan International Comedy Festival | Busan
The Busan International Comedy Festival, founded in 2013, is Asia's first and largest international comedy festival, held annually in late summer in Busan, South Korea's second-largest city. The 14th edition will take place from August 21st (Friday) to August 30th (Sunday) for 10 consecutive days at various landmark venues in Busan. The main stage performances will feature high-profile stand-up shows, group sketches, and improvisational comedy, presented in large indoor theaters such as BEXCO Auditorium and Centum City, with international stars and top Korean comedy troupes headlining the event. The Comedy Street, the festival's most popular and signature section, will take place from August 21st to 26th at Haeundae Beach. Street performers, buskers, circus performers, and physical comedy artists from around the world transform beaches and coastal streets into open-air stages, open to all citizens free of charge. The Nampo-dong / BIFF Plaza Unit utilizes the small theaters of Nampo-dong in Busan's old town and the outdoor stage of BIFF Plaza to host accessible small- to medium-sized performances, including showcases of emerging Korean comedians, experimental stand-up comedy, and improvisational comedy evenings. The free-flowing atmosphere allows audiences to get up close and personal with the performers. The International Street Artists Open Call program recruits international street artists globally, with past participants spanning Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, emphasizing cross-cultural dialogue in comedy creation.
Aug 21–Aug 30, 2026 (UTC+9)