BUSAN — Busan Metropolitan City’s beloved municipal mascot, Boogi, made waves last weekend by hosting its inaugural performance-focused fan meeting, titled "2026 Boogi's Jorong Party."

Held on November 8 at the KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan Lounge, the milestone event drew a diverse crowd of more than 100 fans—spanning young children to senior citizens—all gathered to celebrate the city’s favorite seagull character.

Unlike previous meet-and-greets that relied on pop-up shops or casual offline gatherings, this weekend's showcase put the spotlight squarely on live entertainment. Advanced tickets sold out instantly, while curious passersby paused outside to catch a glimpse of the energetic festivities. Fans waved custom cheering lights and danced enthusiastically as the venue reverberated with local talent and communal joy.

To enrich the community-focused event, Busan City partnered with the Busan Cultural Foundation to feature local amateur artists selected through a preliminary public talent contest known as "Joruperstar K."

The vibrant program featured an eclectic lineup:

Traditional Roots: A senior folk performance troupe opened the show with traditional street melodies, offering younger audience members a rare glimpse into cultural heritage.
Percussion Collaboration: Boogi showcased impressive traditional hourglass drum (janggu) skills, developed under the tutelage of Lim Hyeong-gyu—widely recognized as the "Street Janggu Fighter" from a hit television variety show.
Special Guest Appearance: Local resident Park Ja-sik took the mic as a special guest, celebrating his son’s recent first-round selection by the Lotte Giants in the 2027 KBO rookie draft while leading the audience in cheers for the baseball team's future championship.
Musical Finale: "Sound Market," the winning act of the "Joruperstar K" auditions, delivered a rousing live set, followed by a grand finale featuring musical theater students from Kyungsung University performing "Land of Lola" from Kinky Boots alongside Boogi.
Interactive segments like the "Boogi Exam" trivia challenge and "Beat Boogi" games kept audience participation high throughout the afternoon.

For those who missed out on the live action, municipal officials announced that the complete event footage will debut tonight at 8:00 PM KST on the official "BoogiTube" YouTube channel. Additionally, a three-part behind-the-scenes reality series documenting Boogi's preparation journey will roll out over the coming weeks through December.

"This fan meeting was a wonderful platform for Boogi to connect deeply with fans across multiple generations through the arts," said Oh Mi-kyung, spokesperson for Busan Metropolitan City. "We look forward to creating many more opportunities where local artists and citizens can share the stage and connect through our mascot."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]