Korea's cultural ambassadors honored at CICI awards ceremony

Guests pose during the Korea Image Awards ceremony at the InterContinental Seoul Coex in Gangnam District, Wednesday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute

The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) recognized key contributors to the enhancement of Korea's global image, with distinguished guests in attendance for a ceremony held at the InterContinental Seoul Coex in Gangnam District, Wednesday evening,

This year's Korea Image Awards, organized by CICI, were bestowed upon Hyundai Motor's Genesis luxury vehicle brand, Swiss architect Mario Botta, tenor Lim Hyung-joo and Laure Mafo, a Cameroonian-French "pansori" (traditional Korean narrative music) singer.

Prominent figures, including Kim Han-gil, head of the Presidential Committee of National Cohesion, CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, JoongAng Media Network Chairman and CEO Hong Seok-hyun, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux, Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto and Swiss Ambassador to Korea Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli graced Wednesday's event as guests.

Initiating the vibrant evening, Kim of the presidential committee commended CICI's mission to enhance Korea's global image, noting the shared objectives between the committee he leads and CICI in his opening speech.

"As CICI stands as a guiding mast, introducing Korea to the world and fostering appreciation, our committee pledges to be the diligent rower, propelling the ship forward in enthusiastic support," he remarked.

The ceremony acknowledged Genesis with the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award for its significant role in advancing Korea's international image. In return, Mike Song, global head of Genesis, emphasized the brand's commitment to providing top-tier transportation.

Swiss architect Botta, known for his remarkable designs which include the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, was honored with the Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award, in acknowledgment of his architectural contributions in Korea. Citing his experience building the Leeum Museum of Art and Kyobo Gangnam Tower, Botta conveyed his belief in the future growth of Korea through a recorded message.

Korean tenor Lim was honored with the Korea Image Capstone Award for promoting the "popera" (pop opera) genre worldwide. French pansori singer Mafo received the Korea Image Flowerstone Award for delivering complex ancient Korean expressions through the medium of pansori.

In response, the two artists delivered stellar performances, each showcasing their unique genres and adding to the lively atmosphere. Mafo moved the audience with her rendition of “Love Song” from “Chunhyang-ga,” the most celebrated among the five surviving pansori tales. Lim demonstrated his stage presence with the iconic "Ave Maria" and his emotional "A Thousand Winds" performance left the audience deeply moved.

Tenor Lim Hyung-joo, left, and Corea Image Communication Institute President Choi Jung-hwa hold up Lim's Korea Image Capstone Award at during the Korea Image Awards ceremony at the InterContinental Seoul Coex in Gangnam District, Wednesday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute

Concluding the evening's ceremony, toasts were delivered by CJ Group Chairman Sohn, JoongAng Media Network CEO Hong and Singaporean Ambassador to Korea Eric Teo.

CICI also shared the results of its survey during the ceremony, analyzing the perceptions of Korea of people from around the world. The survey asked 210 Koreans and 210 foreign nationals who had experience living in Korea from Dec. 11, 2023, to Saturday.

The result highlighted that both Korean (66.67 percent) and foreign (87.62 percent) respondents see the potential of Korean games to emulate K-pop's success in positioning Korea as a global powerhouse.

Regarding cultural aspects, 89.5 percent of foreign respondents found Korea's age-based hierarchical culture to be the most challenging to adjust to, while 82.8 percent of Korean nationals highlighted the same aspect as the most difficult for foreigners to understand.

The survey further revealed that 89.5 percent of foreigners considered friendly and prompt service as the most convenient aspect of living in Korea, while 86.1 percent of Koreans believed that high-speed internet and Wi-Fi were the most convenient for foreign newcomers.

Moreover, when asked about the genre in which Korea enjoys the most influence in the music market, excluding K-pop, classical music emerged as the top choice for both Korean (68.1 percent) and foreign (91.4 percent) respondents.

Significantly, both Korean (73.8 percent) and foreign (91.9 percent) respondents emphasized the need to improve the culture of excessive competition as the top priority for enhancing Korea's global image, with abolishing complex administrative regulations ranking as the second-most-crucial measure for both groups.