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 Gnome 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 "Gnome dream land". Most episodes contain a moral.

Characters

• Plop is the most responsible Gnome. 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 gnome 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 Gnomes. He was added to the show in the second season. He has a short dark beard. Played by Luc Caals.
• Smal ("Slim") is the prettiest Gnome. 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 second season. Played by Hilde Vanhulle.

Media

In Flanders, the episodes are broadcast by VTM and VTM Kzoom, and in the Netherlands by TROS in the children's hour known as Z@ppelin. The episodes are broadcast with dubbed dialogue in Spain, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The series is broadcast in Wallonia as well, but the episodes were retaped with French speaking actors.

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

Original title	English translation	Year of release
De kabouterschat	The gnome's treasure	1999
Plop in de Wolken	Plop in the Clouds	2000
Plop en de Toverstaf	Plop and the Magic Wand	2003
Plop en Kwispel	Plop and Kwispel	2004
Plop en het Vioolavontuur	Plop and the Violin Adventure	2005
Plop in de Stad	Plop in the city	2006
Plop en de Pinguïn	Plop and the Penguin	2007
Plop en de Kabouterbaby	Plop and the Baby Gnome	2009
Plop wordt Kabouterkoning	Plop becomes the King of Gnomes	2012

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 Gnome 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.

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

External links and sources

• Belgium (Dutch)
• Netherlands (Dutch)
• Plop the Gnome on www.studio100fan.eu
• Dutch article