Travel
Busan International Theatre Festival opens May 23 with global acts and emerging talent
haps Magazine Korea
May 20, 2025
(City of Busan)
The 22nd Busan International Theatre Festival will be held from May 23 to June 1, hosted by Busan City and the festival organizing committee.
Performances will take place at eight venues across the city, including the Busan Cinema Center, Busan Citizens Hall, and theaters at Dongseo University.
This year’s festival, themed “Play and Balance,” features 58 works from 14 domestic and international groups, celebrating both tradition and contemporary expression.
The opening ceremony will be held on May 23 at 7 p.m. at the Sky Theater in the Busan Cinema Center, presenting Tragùdia – The Song of Oedipus by Italy’s Sardegna Theatre. This modern reinterpretation of Greek tragedy previously won Best Show at the Mess Festival Sarajevo and will be shown in Korea for the first time.
The closing performance on June 1 will be The Vegetarian, an Italian theatrical adaptation of Han Kang’s Nobel Prize-winning novel.
Venues include:
Busan Citizens Hall (Small Theater)
Dongseo University Minseok Small Theater and Sohyang Experimental Theater
Baekyang Cultural Center
Milak The Market
Busan Cinema Center Outdoor Plaza
This year’s edition also presents a range of special programs:
K-Stage, focused on promoting Korean theatre to international audiences, will feature six performances including Over the Tet Chang: The Door-to-Door Solution, Wait at Whale Rock, and Binary.
BIPAF Rookies, created with Dongseo University, introduces emerging artists, including Professor Yoon Tae-sik’s physical performance Unanswered Questions.
Outdoor events include Dynamic Street, showcasing top street artists from Korea and abroad, and the 10-Minute Theater Festival, where citizens create and perform short plays in open spaces, merging professional and public participation.
In addition, the festival will host various educational and exchange events such as a Masterclass Workshop led by Japanese playwright Takahiro Fujita, a Global Forum, and Artist Talks, aimed at deepening understanding and fostering dialogue in the performing arts.
Tickets are available via YES24, Interpark, and the Busan Cinema Center website (www.dureraum.org). Full schedules and program details can be found at the official festival website: www.bipaf.org.