The 14th 'Bukope': Park Jun-hyung, First Recipient of the Late Jeon Yu-seong Award... "I felt sorry for even receiving this"

*This content was translated by AI.

Park Jun-hyung at the 14th Busan International Comedy Festival (BICF, hereinafter 'Bukope') shared his thoughts after being selected as the first recipient of the Jeon Yu-seong Award.

On the 21st, the opening ceremony of 'Bukope' was held at the VEXCO Auditorium in Haeundae-gu, Busan. Comedian and broadcaster Ji Seok-jin served as the MC.

Marking its 14th year, 'Bukope' is Asia's first and largest international comedy festival. With 'The Return of Legends' as its main keyword, this year's 'Bukope' opens the festival with a meaningful moment revisiting the history of Korean comedy, vibrant stages by domestic and foreign comedians, and a celebratory performance by the trending band QWER, offering entertainment spanning generations and genres.

That day, Ji Seok-jin announced that the Jeon Yu-seong Award was prepared to honor the late Jeon Yu-seong, who passed away on September 25 last year. He explained, "It is an award presented to someone who contributed to the growth of comedy in South Korea."

Lee Hong-ryul appeared as the presenter. Lee said, "This is the first time the Jeon Yu-seong Award has been established, and I am honored to be the first recipient. It holds special significance for me," adding, "I sincerely hope that the senior's laughter continues through this award for a long, long time."

The 14th Bukope's Jeon Yu-seong Award for this year went to Park Jun-hyung. Upon stepping onto the stage to receive the award, Park said, "When they told me I was selected as the first recipient of this award, I actually felt sorry and wondered, 'Can I even accept this?' Various emotions crossed my mind."

Park added, "I am truly happy to be the first JeonYoo Seong-sang-ui (수상), and it makes me think a lot about the senior. I wondered what Senior Jeon Yu-seong might have said if he were still alive. He probably would have said, 'Why didn't you create this while I was still here?' Receiving such a prestigious award is truly an honor. Standing on the 'Bukope' stage to receive this award and having the opportunity to share comedy with everyone and laugh together is something I am very grateful for."

Meanwhile, approximately 1,800 audience members attended the opening ceremony. Starting from the opening ceremony, the 14th 'Bukope' will host a comedy festival featuring teams from 10 countries and 52 groups across Busan over the next ten days until the 30th.

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*This content was translated by AI.