Latest news with #InfiniteChallenge
Korea Herald
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
13th Busan Int'l Comedy Festival to take over coastal city in August
Festival chairman says comedian fandoms in digital spaces are now driving demand for live shows The 13th Busan International Comedy Festival, one of Asia's largest comedy showcases, is set to run for 10 days from Aug. 29 to Sept. 7 across multiple venues in the coastal city of Busan. Kicking off with an opening ceremony at Bexco, the event will bring together around 100 performers, including Korea's top comedians, international acts and rising digital creators. The comedy troupe from "Gag Concert" — Korea's iconic sketch show — will open the event with a live performance. Popular comedian Park Myung-soo, known for his appearances on hit variety programs like "Infinite Challenge" and "Happy Together," is scheduled to emcee the opening ceremony. Throughout the festival's run, audiences can expect a dynamic slate of performances. Highlights include a comedy showcase by comedian Eom Ji-yoon and the creators behind YouTube channel Shortbox, taking place at Ocean Hall inside Busan Bank on Aug. 30. That same evening, Mandam Assemble, a comedy special featuring fan-favorites Kwak Beom and Lee Chang-ho, will hit the stage at Busan Citizen's Hall. As stand-up comedy continues to gain traction across social media platforms, the festival is also embracing the genre in a bigger way. 'Personally, what I'm looking forward to this year is the emergence of stand-up comedy as a new genre (at BICF)," said comedian Byun Ki-soo at a press conference held Friday in Seoul's Sangam-dong. Byun is also slated to perform his own show during the festival. "And I believe that if stand-up comedy continues to develop and BICF receives more support in the future, it would be great to send the (Korean stand-up comedians) abroad as scholarship students, so they can actually live and experience life there. I think that kind of real-world exposure would be really valuable,' said Byun. As more comedians build fanbases through short-form content on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram Reels, BICF aims to bridge the online and offline experience. Festival Organizing Committee Chairman and comedian Kim Joon-ho highlighted how fanbases cultivated online are now fueling demand for in-person performances. 'Kwak Beom and Chang-ho, those guys used to perform pretty much as unknowns. But after gaining popularity through YouTube as a platform and building a bit of a fandom for their team, they started doing live shows again last year and the year before," said Kim. "They took it back offline and did performances — and they were incredibly popular, with tickets selling out in about five minutes. So just like musicians, it's clear that comedians can now operate both online and offline. Comedians nowadays have started to build solid fanbases, too,' Kim said. Tickets for the festival are now available through the Nol Interpark website. For the full performance schedule and venue details, visit the festival's official homepage.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Hope we find a way for all to be together': G-Dragon's message for BIGBANG's 20th anniversary raises eyebrows—does it include T.O.P & Seungri?
G-Dragon recently appeared as a special guest on Halmyungsoo, the YouTube show hosted by Park Myung-soo. In the May 14 episode titled "(SUB) G-DRAGON ♥ Min Dragon – Reuniting After 14 Years | Halmyungsoo Ep. 235," the two artists recalled their early their early days and shared fond memories from the 2000s. During their conversation, Park brought up the 20th anniversary of Infinite Challenge, pointing out the show's impact on BIGBANG's rise to fame. G-Dragon responded warmly, saying, "Since we debuted around the same time—we even celebrated our 10th anniversaries around a similar period," highlighting the long-standing bond between the group and the iconic variety show. Every song is a diary When asked if he has a favorite BIGBANG track, G-Dragon said, "Regardless of which songs did well, every song feels like a diary to me. When I listen to them, they bring back all the memories." He named 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter' as his personal favorite, emphasizing its emotional weight and how deeply each song is tied to different phases of his life. About BIGBANG's future Looking ahead to BIGBANG's 20th anniversary, G-Dragon reflected, "We never thought we'd hit 20, so it feels really meaningful. I just hope we can find a way for all of us to be together." The comment quickly sparked speculation among fans. Although he didn't name anyone specifically, many interpreted his use of "all of us" as a subtle nod to former members T.O.P and Seungri—whose absence from current BIGBANG activities continues to be a delicate subject. #BIGBANG #빅뱅 #BIGBANG10 #BIGBANG10YEARS #BIGBANG10YRS #VIPGOBIGBANGGO #SINCE2006 #20060819 Park Myung-soo jokingly warned, "If you guys don't do something for your 20th, I won't stay quiet. I'll seriously file a complaint," prompting laughter from G-Dragon. G-Dragon mentions T.O.P since the scandal In a previous appearance on Untitled TV with Jung Hyung-don, G-Dragon reflected on past musical collaborations. He even mentioned ZUTTER, his joint track with T.O.P. He also brought up sub-units like GD & T.O.P and GD & Taeyang, stirring strong emotions among fans. It marked the first time he publicly referenced T.O.P since the drug-related scandal that had sparked significant public backlash.
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Where NCT star eats tteokbokki in Seoul, Itzy pair score tacos and G-Dragon gorges on beef
By Lee Gyu-lee Advertisement In Seoul, a city renowned for its vibrant food scene, K-pop stars have pulled back the curtain on their favourite local eateries, sharing them through shows and YouTube content. From hidden gems to trendy spots, these K-pop star-approved restaurants are quickly garnering the spotlight, giving fans a taste of authentic Korean cuisine to stylish restaurants with a touch of K-pop connection. G-Dragon's go-to spots MBC's new show Good Day kicked off last month with high anticipation as G-Dragon teamed up with star producer Kim Tae-ho for his first solo variety show. As the show follows the singer's journey to collaborate with different individuals from various fields for inspiration to create a song, the spots he visits to meet his guests are also coming to viewers' attention. In its first episode, G-Dragon reunites with comedian Jeong Hyung-don at Dongmyo Galbi, a barbecue restaurant, reigniting the unique chemistry they have shown whenever the BigBang member guest-starred on the hit variety show Infinite Challenge. Advertisement
