Yoo Jae-suk Wrote Ji Suk-jin a Birthday Song — Now He's Hosting BICF

There's a running joke in Korean entertainment circles that Ji Suk-jin only gets better with age. If the recent celebrations surrounding his 60th birthday are any indication, that observation has never been more accurate. The veteran broadcaster — affectionately called the "God of Talk" by fans and colleagues alike — will take the stage as MC of the 14th Busan International Comedy Festival's opening ceremony this August, headlining an event that also counts K-pop act QWER among its performers.

The festival, better known to Korean audiences as "Bukofe," runs from August 21 to 30, 2026, across multiple venues throughout Busan. For ten days, the city will host a rotating lineup of Korean and international comedy acts, circus-style performers, and musical guests, making it one of the most eclectic entertainment events on the Korean summer calendar. The opening ceremony will be held at the BEXCO Auditorium, with tickets available through the NOL Interpark platform.

Fourteen Years of Making Korea Laugh

When the Busan International Comedy Festival launched in 2013, it had a simple but audacious goal: to create Asia's first dedicated comedy festival, one that would bring domestic talent together with international acts under a single roof. The ambition paid off. Over the course of fourteen editions, BICF has evolved into Asia's largest comedy festival — a title it holds with the kind of confidence that only years of consistent programming can build.

The festival's mascots, a lighthouse character named Funny and a seagull named Buddy, have become familiar faces to regular attendees. This year's official poster features the two characters seen from behind as they walk toward the stage — a visual that captures the anticipation of what lies ahead while also nodding to the unseen work that happens before any performance begins. A thoughtful design detail transforms the 'I' in the "BICF" logo into a stage entrance, with light spilling through to cast the number "14" in shadow — a quiet tribute to the festival's fourteen-year journey.

"This poster captures the hard work and contemplation of comedians hidden behind the laughter," the organizing committee said in a statement. "We want audiences to send their cheers and applause to these performers who go through so many steps before reaching the stage."

Ji Suk-jin's 60th Year in the Spotlight

Few names carry the warmth and staying power in Korean variety entertainment that Ji Suk-jin does. A longtime cast member of SBS's beloved long-running show Running Man, he has spent more than fifteen years earning the trust of Korean audiences with a communication style that manages to feel both effortless and endlessly watchable. He is the rare entertainer who improves in the company of others — a quality that makes him a natural anchor for any live event.

This year carries personal significance for Ji Suk-jin: it is his hwangap, the 60th birthday that marks the completion of a full cycle in the traditional Korean zodiac calendar. In Korean culture, reaching this milestone is an occasion for genuine celebration, not just acknowledgment. His Running Man colleagues have risen to the moment.

On a recent episode of the show, fellow host Yoo Jae-suk revealed that he had written an original song as a birthday tribute, titled "60 Years Old, Ji Suk-jin." Performed on air, the song drew on the veteran broadcaster's life and career, with lyrics noting that "wrinkles have become his badge of honor" and praising the way his timing and wit have only grown sharper over time. The song prompted warm reactions from cast members and a satisfied response from Ji Suk-jin himself, who called it good enough to be a "theme song." Yoo Jae-suk, rarely modest, agreed.

The tribute underscored something that anyone who follows Korean variety entertainment already knows: Ji Suk-jin's longevity in a fast-moving industry is not accidental. It reflects a genuine ability to connect with people — a skill that will serve him well as he guides audiences through the opening night of BICF 2026.

Ji Suk-jin has also been active on the music side this year. He released a collaborative album with singer Ji Ye-eun and made an appearance on SBS's flagship music program Inkigayo on July 19, demonstrating that his interests extend well beyond the variety format that has defined his public image.

QWER Brings the K-Pop Heat

If Ji Suk-jin provides the connective tissue for the evening, QWER arrives as its exclamation point. The K-pop act — currently riding a wave of mainstream momentum that has made them one of the most talked-about names in Korean music — will perform a celebratory stage at the opening ceremony, adding a high-energy K-pop element to a night that already has plenty going for it.

QWER's inclusion in the BICF lineup reflects a broader understanding within Korean entertainment that comedy and music have always lived closer together than their separate industry categories might suggest. The festival has long used musical guests to punctuate its comedy programming, and having a group at the peak of their current popularity perform at the opening sends a clear signal about the scale of ambition behind this year's edition.

Fan reaction to the announcement has been enthusiastic. Online responses to the lineup news were peppered with comments like "Ji Suk-jin as MC with QWER performing — the lineup is great" and "BICF is the festival I look forward to every year." For the audience that follows both Korean variety entertainment and K-pop, August 21 in Busan is shaping up to be an unusually compelling evening.

A Stage That Crosses Every Border

Beyond the Korean talent, BICF 2026 maintains its tradition of bringing international comedy to Busan. This year's lineup includes Patrick Cottet Moine of the French physical comedy company Mime de Rien — a performer whose wordless, movement-based style travels seamlessly across language barriers. Physical comedy has always been BICF's secret weapon for international programming: it requires no translation, and the best practitioners of the art form can move audiences of any background to laughter and wonder in equal measure.

Domestic performers include drawing performance team 크로키키 브라더스 (Croqui Brothers), who blend visual art and comedic timing into a format that consistently surprises first-time viewers. The festival will also feature the 말자쇼 & 개그콘서트 갈라쇼 — a combined stage from two of Korea's most recognized comedy formats, bringing together material and performers that Korean audiences have loved across multiple generations of television.

Ten Days of Laughter Across Busan

The opening ceremony is only the beginning. Over the ten days that follow, BICF 2026 will spread across Busan's venues, giving audiences repeated chances to engage with the full range of comedy and performance the festival brings together. The format has remained one of the event's defining strengths: rather than concentrating everything into a single night or a single venue, the festival uses the city itself as a stage, creating a sustained atmosphere of entertainment that draws both day-trippers and extended visitors.

For audiences traveling to Busan in August, BICF provides a structured reason to explore the city beyond its famous beaches and food scene. For locals, it is an annual tradition that has become as reliable a marker of summer as the heat itself.

Tickets are now available through the NOL Interpark platform, with the opening ceremony at BEXCO Auditorium on August 21 serving as the centerpiece of a ten-day run that closes on August 30. Whether the draw is Ji Suk-jin's steady wit, QWER's stage energy, the international acts, or simply the pleasure of being in a room full of people who came specifically to laugh — BICF 2026 has built a lineup that covers all of the above.