Cheongdo to host persimmon festival and comedy arts event Oct. 16-18

Cheongdo-gun in North Gyeongsang Province will hold the 2026 Cheongdo Bansi Festival and the 2026 Cheongdo World Comedy Art Festival at the Cheongdo Outdoor Performance Hall from Oct. 16 to 18, the county announced Tuesday.

The Cheongdo Bansi Festival, running under the slogan "Great News About Persimmons" — a nod to the county's seedless persimmon, the only variety of its kind in the country — will be held alongside the Cheongdo World Comedy Art Festival, billed as "South Korea's No. 1 home of comedy."

The opening ceremony on Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. will feature "Gag Con in Cheongdo," a comedy show starring comedians Park Hwi-sun, Im Woo-il and Jeong Seung-hwan, followed by performances by popular singers Park Sang-min and In Soon-i.

On the second day, the Cheongdo Bansi Band Festival will take center stage, with seven youth teams and seven adult amateur bands — selected through preliminary auditions from more than 50 applicants nationwide — competing against one another.

Special guest performances will include "Two Cap Show," a comic detective production ranked No. 1 in advance ticket sales in the Daehangno theater district, and a concert by ballad singer K.Will.

The final day, Oct. 18, will close with a persimmon judging awards ceremony and a closing performance, capped by celebratory sets from vocalist Jang Han-byeol and trot music singer Kim Yong-bin.

The festival grounds will offer a range of hands-on programs, including "Cheongdo Bansi Kids Land," an interactive vending machine experience where humans and AI coexist called "Human Bansi Vending Machine," a persimmon-themed game challenge and a "Bansi Dessert World Tour."

This year's program also includes special performances by Cheongdo children — featuring samulnori, a traditional Korean orchestra and ballet — along with Cheongdo Chasan Nongak folk music, an ESG practice experience, a premium persimmon exhibition and sales hall, and a food market.

Meanwhile, the main stage of the Cheongdo World Comedy Art Festival, dubbed the Fun Fun Stage, will host international acts including Japanese acrobatic performance group Shogo Muzo Brothers and Malaysian magician Aaron Fang's balloon show.

An indoor gymnasium will house the "Comedy Club," featuring audience-participation performances such as the comic folk play "Finding a Groom for the Third Daughter of the Choe Family," the comedy talk show "Two Mom Show," comedy sketch team "Joltan Show" and "Shim Hyeon-seop SHOW."

Beyond the main festival grounds, a newly added program — "Dispatch! Comedy Busking on the Road" — will bring comedy street performances and on-site events to tourists and residents visiting Cheongdo Eupseong fortress on Oct. 17.

Cheongdo-gun will operate free shuttle buses on four routes at 20-minute intervals for festival-goers.

"I hope everyone who visits Cheongdo this autumn will enjoy the delicious Cheongdo bansi persimmons, rich performances and diverse experiences, and take home the warmth and laughter that Cheongdo has to offer," Cheongdo-gun County Mayor Park Gwon-hyeon said.