박준형, 제1회 ‘개그맨’ 전유성상 수상…“선생님 많이 생각나”

The 14th International Comedy Festival in Busan opened with the first "Eugene Prize," named after the late comedian Kang Eungseong, awarded to comedian Park Joonhe. The award was established this year by the Busan International Comedy Festival in memory of Eugene's legacy and passion for comedy. The award is given to someone who has contributed to the growth of Korean comedy.

The first recipient of the Eugene Prize was comedian Lee Hyoungryul, a close friend and longtime supporter of Korean comedy. Park Joonhe, surprised and grateful, expressed how much the late comedian's memory meant to him. He also paid tribute to Eugene, saying, "If he were alive, he would have asked, 'Did I create that?' I am truly honored to receive this meaningful award."

Park Joonhe then performed a comedic impersonation of Eugene, saying, "I hope you're proud of me, Eugene." The 14th International Comedy Festival, themed "The Return of Legends," featured performances from 10 countries and 52 teams over 10 days, with 1,800 spectators in attendance. The evening's opening show included a blue carpet event, a sketch performance by the comedy duo "Crockett Brothers," a talk show, a public comedy show by KBS, and a band performance by QWER.