Three Koreans receive prize for promoting country at Korea Image Awards 2023

Life & Style

Published: 12 Jan. 2023, 15:36

Three Koreans receive prize for promoting country at Korea Image Awards 2023

Figure skater Kim Yuna, left, and Choi Jung-hwa, president of the Corea Image Communication Institute, hold up an award during the annual Korea Image Awards 2023 on Wednesday evening. Kim was given the Korea Image Cornerstone Award. [CICI]

Three iconic figures that represented Korean culture in 2022 were selected as recipients for prizes at the Korea Image Awards 2023, including a globally recognized actor and two Olympians.

The ceremony, hosted annually by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), took place at the InterContinental Seoul Coex hotel in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Wednesday evening.

CICI, established in 2003, is an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that promotes Korean culture abroad and does research on Korea’s international image.

“I first founded CICI 20 years ago because I always wanted to promote Korea to the world,” CICI President Choi Jung-hwa said during her opening speech. “It’s fascinating that just 20 years ago, no one knew where Korea was, and now everyone loves K-culture. I’m really grateful.”

Actor Lee Jung-jae, left, and Choi Jung-hwa, president of the Corea Image Communication Institute, are shown in a pre-recorded video. Lee was given the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award. [CICI]

Actor Lee Jung-jae, who starred in the record-breaking hit Netflix series “Squid Game” (2021), won the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award, with the CICI praising the actor for his accomplishments, including his directorial debut film “Hunt” (2022) and for being the first Asian man to win a Primetime Emmy Award.

Though he was not present due to being in the middle of filming overseas, Lee said via video, “I feel very honored to be able to promote Korean culture to the world, and it means a lot that it has gotten so much love from foreigners.”

Olympic gold medalist figure skater Kim Yuna and swimmer Hwang Sun-woo also received accolades from the ceremony.

“Thank you for this award,” Kim said upon receiving the Korea Image Cornerstone Award. “It’s been a while since I retired [as a figure skater], but thank you always for remembering me.”

Swimmer Hwang Sun-woo, left, and Choi Jung-hwa, president of the Corea Image Communication Institute, hold up an award during the Korea Image Awards 2023 on Wednesday evening. Hwang was given the Korea Image Budding Youth Award. [CICI]

Hwang earned the Korea Image Budding Youth Award after setting records, like becoming the third Korean swimmer to reach the finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I hope people forever remember me as a swimmer,” Hwang said.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]