Chuncheon Puppet Festival officially opens and continues through the 16th, bringing puppet theater and choral performances together on one stage

【Financial News, Chuncheon — Reporter Kim Ki-seop】Asia’s largest Chuncheon Puppet Festival has embraced choral music this year as well.
According to Chuncheon City on the 13th, the 38th Chuncheon Puppet Festival will continue through the 16th at venues across the city, including Chuncheon Puppet Theater, Festival Theater Momjit, and KT&G Sangsangmadang Chuncheon. The festival’s slogan this year is “Puppets Crossing Boundaries.” A total of 99 teams from 10 countries will present 105 works in 193 performances.
At the heart of the festival was the official opening event held on the 12th, the “Chuncheon Puppet Festival × All-Generations Choral Festival Puppet Carnival.” The city’s two signature festivals—the puppet festival and the All-Generations Choral Festival—came together on one stage, opening the carnival with the participation of approximately 17,000 citizens, puppeteers, and choir members. Under the theme “One Resonance Beyond Boundaries,” the event broke down barriers between genres and was designed as a participatory festival created jointly by citizens and artists.
A parade through downtown began at 6:30 p.m. More than 1,000 artists and citizens marched from Festival Theater Momjit through Ungyo Intersection to Chuncheon City Hall Square, leading giant puppets and sculptures. Choir members carried puppets they had made during a month-long workshop, while puppeteers prepared a choral performance with them. Citizens, including foreign participants, also joined the procession, creating a scene that transcended boundaries of age and nationality.


At City Hall Square, performances by Seoul With Choir were followed by a concert by the All-Generations Choir and a puppet theater gala show. Diverse performances, including “Cocobau Starfall Squad,” featuring giant puppets made over 120 days, and “Pinocchio,” combined with children’s shows to captivate the audience. The highlight was the finale featuring puppeteers and choir members together. As marionettes and rod puppets filled the stage, 500 voices blended into one to sing a song of hope and deliver a profound emotional impact.
The festival continues with a wide range of programs following its opening. An international forum on the independence and ecosystem of regional performing arts festivals will be held on the 13th, while sessions on puppet theater creation, copyright, and collaboration will take place on the 14th and 15th. A flea market with 40 children serving as vendors, along with food trucks and a bazaar, will operate throughout the festival. Ninety-one volunteers are supporting the event, including 12 who are providing interpretation to facilitate communication with overseas performance teams.
At 4 p.m. on the closing day, the 16th, “2026 Puppet Theater Art Market: A Fantastic Puppet Theater Festival” will be held at KT&G Sangsangmadang Chuncheon. More than 170 domestic and international marketers will seek opportunities for performance contracts, overseas invitations, and co-productions through work promotion, showcases, and special performances. On the 17th, the day after the festival closes, a related roundtable will discuss the distribution and expansion potential of puppet theater works.
Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han said, “Just as two completely different art forms came together to create a moving space of harmony, we experience deeper and greater emotion when we are together than when we are alone.” He added, “It was a meaningful occasion for the two festivals representing Chuncheon to meet citizens on a single stage.” He emphasized, “Through diverse and bold cultural initiatives, we will build a city where culture and art breathe and all citizens are happy.”

[email protected] Kim Ki-seop Reporter