August 21, 2026 – August 30, 2026

Korea's largest comedy festival returns for its 14th edition, August 21–30, 2026, opening at BEXCO and running across venues around Busan under the slogan "Comedy must go on."

The Busan International Comedy Festival (BICF) is Korea’s largest comedy event, and the 14th edition runs August 21–30, 2026. It opens on August 21 at BEXCO in Haeundae, then spreads across venues around the city — the Busan Cinema Center among them — under the 2026 slogan “Comedy must go on.”

What to expect

BICF mixes Korean broadcast comedy — the sketch-show veterans most Koreans grew up watching — with stand-up sets and international acts. That last category is the one to look for if you don’t speak Korean: non-verbal and physical comedy has been part of the program from the start, and Korean troupes built for international touring perform here regularly.

Practical notes

Venues cluster around Haeundae, so basing yourself there keeps the travel simple. Programs and ticketing go up on the official BICF site (bicf.kr) as the dates approach. Late August is still beach season in Busan, which makes the festival easy to pair with a couple of days by the water.