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'KPop Demon Hunters' leaves its mark on 2026 Korea Image Awards
From left, actor-writer Cha In-pyo, Cs President Didier Beltoise, Samyang Foods Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo and The Black Label CEO Jeong Kyung-in pose for a photo during the 2026 Korea Image Awards at Westin Seoul Parnas in Gangnam District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute
By Pyo Kyung-min
Netflix’s global animated sensation "KPop Demon Hunters" took center stage at the 22nd Korea Image Awards held Thursday in Seoul, tying for two of the three top honors, highlighting how pop music, heritage and food continue to shape Korea's cultural presence on the global stage.
Organized annually by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), the awards honor individuals, objects and organizations that shaped Korea’s global image over the past year, highlighting the continued resonance and evolution of Korean culture worldwide.
The Stepping Stone Award, presented to individuals or companies that have contributed to promoting Korea's image overseas, went to K-pop agency The Black Label. The label's in-house production team helped produce the soundtrack for "KPop Demon Hunters," including the smash hit "Golden" and other viral tracks such as "How It's Done," "Soda Pop" and "Your Idol."
CEO of The Black Label Jeong Kyung-in, left, poses after receiving the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award from Cs President Didier Beltoise at the 2026 Korea Image Awards ceremony in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute
Agency CEO Jeong Kyung-in accepted the honor on behalf of the company and its executive producer Teddy, who was unable to attend. In his acceptance speech, Jeong noted the company signed onto the project nearly three years before its release, without anticipating the scale of its global response.
"An animation infused with Korean culture created a worldwide reaction and helped introduce Korean music to a broader audience," he said, adding that the company aims to "remain focused on music production while contributing to the growth of the wider cultural industry."
This year's awards were presented by Didier Beltoise, president of hospitality consulting firm Cs and husband of CICI Chairperson Choi Jung-wha. Cs also collaborates with CICI on global efforts to promote Korean culture.
The Firestone Award, which recognizes people or objects that reignite traditional elements within K-content, was awarded to the traditional Korean horsehair hat "gat." The item drew renewed attention after appearing in the film, worn by the fictional K-pop boy band Saja Boys.
Actor and author Cha In-pyo accepted the award. Cha, who debuted as an author with "Once We Look at the Same Star" in 2009 — a book later selected as required reading for Korean Studies at the University of Oxford — won the Hwang Sun-won Literature Prize for his novel "Mermaid Hunt" in 2025.
He emphasized that the gat represents more than just an artifact, embodying discipline and posture of Joseon-era (1392-1910) noble people.
"Once you actually wear it, it restricts your movement more than you expect," he said. "It becomes something that makes you reflect on your mindset and attitude."
Actor and author Cha In-pyo, right, and Cs President Didier Beltoise hold the Korea Image Firestone Award for "gat," the traditional Joseon-era hat, during the 2026 Korea Image Awards ceremony at a hotel in southern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute
While the awards highlighted the power of storytelling, the Harmony Pebble Award went to a very different ambassador of Korean culture — food.
Samyang Foods Vice Chairman Kim Jung-soo accepted the honor on behalf of Buldak noodles, the spicy chicken-flavored ramen brand that has gained a massive global following.
Kim described Buldak as the product that helped Samyang overcome years of hardship and reposition itself internationally after its launch in 2012.
"When Buldak reached dining tables around the world, the quiet ripples turned into something much larger," he said, likening its spread to the rise of K-culture itself.
Vice chair of Samyang Foods Kim Jung-soo, right, accepts the Korea Image Harmony Pebble Award for Buldak noodles from Cs President Didier Beltoise at the 2026 Korea Image Awards ceremony in southern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute
The 2026 event drew prominent figures including Poongsan Group Chairman Jin Roy Ryu, CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik and star chef Edward Lee, last year's Stepping Stone Bridge Award winner.
Celebratory toasts were delivered by Sohn, actor Park Joong-hoon, New Zealand Ambassador to Korea Dawn Bennet and Belgian Ambassador to Korea Bruno Jans.
The evening closed with a nod to tradition, as singer Seodo of sEODo Band took the stage in red to mark the Year of the Red Horse. The singer performed pansori-influenced songs including "Baennorae" and "Sarang-ga," drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.