Kabouter Plop

Kabouter Plop (Plop the gnome) is the eponymous protagonist in a children's television series by Studio 100.

The television series is directed by Bart Van Leemputten. Most episodes last about five minutes and are set in Plop's milk inn (which is a toadstool in which he sells plopmilk and plopcookies) or in Kabouter forest. The stories often involve pranks by naughty Kabouter Klus ("Chore"). Each episode starts with Plop lying in bed and reviewing what happened the past day. At the end of the episode he says he goes to "Kabouter dream land". Most episodes contain a moral.

Characters

• Plop is the most responsible Kabouter. He owns the milk inn and his cap shows the symbol of a heart. He wears glasses and has a white beard. Played by Walter De Donder.
• Lui ("Lazy") tends to fall asleep often, and may be considered a narcoleptic. He is a mailman, and has the symbol of a letter on his cap and a dark beard. Played by Chris Cauwenbergs.
• Klus ("Chore") is a prankster, although he tends to be victim of his own pranks. He likes to build things, and brags about it. He has a patched cap and wears overalls, has glasses and a red beard. Played by Aimé Anthoni.
• Kwebbel ("Chatter") is a Kabouter girl with long blond hair. She talks a lot and tends to repeat whatever was just said or just happened. She wears a flower in her cap, and is frequently startled. Played by Agnes De Nul.
• Smul ("Yum") is obsessed by food and eats a lot. He is the leprechaun's cook, and heavier than the other Kabouters. He was not added to the show until the first film. He has a short dark beard. Played by Luc Caals.
• Smal ("Slim") is the prettiest Kabouter. She has brown hair, a tiny waist, and is very vain. Every Kabouter boy is in love with her. Her cap has the symbol of a butterfly. She was introduced together with Smul in the first movie. Played by Hilde Vanhulle.

Media

In Belgium, the episodes are broadcast by VTM, and in the Netherlands by TROS in the children's hour known as Z@ppelin.

Other than the television series, a number of movies have been produced starring Kabouter Plop:

1. De Kabouterschat (1999) ("The Kabouter treasure")
2. Plop in de Wolken (2000) ("Plop in the clouds")
3. Kabouter Plop en de Toverstaf (2003) ("Kabouter Plop and the magic wand")
4. Plop en Kwispel (2004) ("Plop and Wag")
5. Plop en het Vioolavontuur (2005) ("Plop and the violin adventure")
6. Plop in de stad {2006} {"Plop in the city"}
7. Plop en de Pinguïn (2007) ("Plop and the Penguin")
8. Plop en de kabouterbaby (2009) ("kabouter plop and the baby")

Five CDs have been published containing songs by Plop and were well-received by both children and their parents. Hits such as De Kabouterdans (The Kabouter Dance) were at the top of the charts for weeks and were frequently played even at teenager or adult parties, or discos as well as being used in animutations. Several of the songs use a series of dance steps such as the Goose Step, in effect creating a meme dance like the Macarena did.

There are a number of theater shows and comic books about Kabouter Plop, as well as school paraphernelia, clothing, cookies and drinks.

The amusement park Plopsaland created by Studio 100 is located in Adinkerke in Belgium.

A species of cave-dwelling spider from Crete, Savignia naniplopi was named after Kabouter Plop.

External links and sources

• Belgium (Dutch)
• Netherlands (Dutch)
• Dutch article