KBS and the KBS Kang Tae-won Welfare Foundation are hosting a free “Multicultural Folk Tale Book Concert” on the 21st, featuring traditional Korean music (gugak), stunning fan dances, and appearances by several comedians.
Aiming to spread understanding and empathy for multiculturalism through global folk tales told in Korean, the event will feature skits by comedians, magic shows, and shadow plays. The KBS Gugak Orchestra and a dazzling fan dance will open and close the show.
The “2026 Knock Knock! Multicultural Folk Tale Book Concert in Korean” will take place on May 21 at 4 PM at the KBS Art Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.
This book concert introduces multicultural folk tale picture books created since 2024 in collaboration with migrant writers from eight countries, including Mongolia, Vietnam, Japan, China, and Kyrgyzstan. The foundation has worked to promote multicultural understanding through the production and distribution of these books. This year, instead of publishing new books, they are presenting high-quality performances based on existing ones.
The stage will blend folk tales from three Asian countries with various performance genres to give the audience a unique experience.
Key programs include the Japanese folk tale “The Wrestling Mice” (a skit by comedians Kim Young-hee, Jung Bum-gyun, and Hong Hyun-ho), the Mongolian folk tale “The Secret of the Camel and the Ashes” (a shadow play), and the Chinese folk tale “The Secret of Phoenix Mountain” (magic storytelling and narration by KBS voice actors).
With the KBS Gugak Orchestra and a gorgeous fan dance framing the opening and finale, the event will be a special performance where traditional Korean culture and global stories harmonize on one stage.
The performance is free and open to everyone, including children and families from multicultural backgrounds and the general public. Applications can be made through the KBS Kang Tae-won Welfare Foundation website. All attendees will receive a multicultural folk tale picture book, a small souvenir, and snacks.
The KBS Kang Tae-won Welfare Foundation stated, “We prepared this stage because we wanted to widely share the value of the multicultural folk tales from eight countries that we have steadily created, using traditional music and performance as our medium.” They added, “We hope this will be an opportunity for children to enjoy global stories told in Korean and naturally learn to respect each other’s cultures.”
