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Chinese student, French pansori musician win Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest
Laure Mafo, a pansori musician, gives a presentation about Korean narrative music during the Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute
By Kim Se-jeong
A Chinese student from Korea University and a French pansori (Korean narrative music) performer were named winners of the Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) in Seoul on Thursday.
The event, aimed at fostering cross-cultural understanding through Korean culture, was led by Choi Jung-wha, the president of CICI, who was recently awarded the Legion of Honour at the rank of Officier by the French government.
Cui Meiling of China won the grand prize with her presentation on "jeong" — a Korean concept of emotional connection.
“Jeong may not be flashy, but it lingers for a long time. It can't be explained by logic, yet it has the power to move the heart. The reason K-dramas bring tears to the eyes of people around the world, and why K-pop fandoms are connected through acts of giving and care, is because they are infused with jeong,” Cui said during her presentation.
French pansori performer Laure Mafo highlighted the beauty and depth of the traditional Korean art form and briefly showcased a performance to demonstrate its emotional power.
Cui Meiling of China, left, the grand prize winner of the Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest, receives prizes from Choi Jung-wha, the president of the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of CICI
The contest was open to foreign residents in Korea. Cui and Mafo were among four finalists who presented their ideas in front of an audience, which included members of CICI. Attendees voted on the spot to determine the winners.
CICI also announced the winners of its Sustainable K-Style Video Contest. Jiang Yiling won the grand prize in the long-form category with a video exploring Korea’s upcycling and recycling practices. In the short-form category, Oh Sang-woo received top honors for his hand-drawn video illustrating how K-Style has become a global trend and a path forward.
In her opening remarks, Choi emphasized the global appeal of Korean culture.
“I believe there are three reasons behind the success of Korean culture,” she said. “First, the Korean vibe is felt globally. Second, our storytelling has both universality and uniqueness. Third is Korea’s strength in IT.”
Participants praised Choi for her continued dedication to promoting Korean culture on the global stage.
Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto expressed her appreciation in Korean, saying, “I believe that creating spaces for communication about Korean culture is truly important. What Choi is doing is truly meaningful.”