Late Shin Hae-chul to Receive Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit; Yoo Jae-suk, Han Young-ae and BLACKPINK Also Honored

17th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards Ceremony

The late Shin Hae-chul, Yoo Jae-suk, Han Young-ae, BLACKPINK and others will receive the Order of Cultural Merit at this year's Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will hold the 17th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards ceremony at 6 p.m. on October 29 at the Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Jung District, Seoul, in partnership with the Korea Creative Content Agency.

The Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards are the government's highest honors in the field of popular culture and arts. They recognize contributions to the development of the popular culture and arts industry and aim to raise the social standing of artists and encourage their creativity. Established in 2010, the awards are being held for the 17th time this year. Since April, the ministry has identified candidates through public nominations and recommendations from experts, then assessed their records of service, activities in Korea and abroad, contributions to the industry, and social contributions. It selected a total of 36 individuals and teams to receive awards: 10 recipients of Orders of Cultural Merit, 7 recipients of Presidential Commendations, 8 recipients of Prime Minister's Commendations, and 11 recipients of Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendations.

Shin Haecheol. Photo by The Asia Business Daily DB

The late Shin Hae-chul will receive the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit. After making his debut by winning the grand prize at the MBC College Music Festival in 1988, he presented experimental music through bands including N.EX.T and was recognized for helping popularize rock music in Korea.

The Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit will be awarded to theater producer Park Myeong-seong, voice actor Park Young-nam, jazz musician Shin Kwan-woong, TV personality Yoo Jae-suk, and singer Han Young-ae. Park Myeong-seong has led theater production for more than 40 years, bringing shows such as "Mamma Mia!" and "Chicago" to Korean stages. Park Young-nam voiced Dooly in "Dooly the Little Dinosaur" and Shin-chan in "Crayon Shin-chan." Shin Kwan-woong has been a mainstay of the Korean jazz scene for more than half a century. Yoo Jae-suk made his debut in 1991 and has been a leading TV personality for more than 30 years, hosting shows such as "Infinite Challenge." Han Young-ae, beloved for songs including "Is There Anyone?" and "Choyul," marks the 50th anniversary of her debut this year.

All four BLACKPINK members - ROSE, Lisa, Jennie, and Jisoo - will receive the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit as the group marks its 10th debut anniversary. BLACKPINK was recognized for contributing to the global spread of the Korean Wave by topping the U.S. Billboard 200 and the U.K. Official Albums Chart, and becoming the first music act in the world to surpass 100 million YouTube subscribers, in February this year.

Presidential Commendations will go to music director Kang Seung-won, who composed "Around Thirty" and led music programs for 36 years, including "You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook"; the band Boohwal, which has carried on the legacy of Korean rock for more than 40 years with songs including "Heeya" and "Never Ending Story" since forming in 1985; the group Super Junior, which sparked a global K-pop craze beyond Asia with "Sorry, Sorry," while its members have worked as all-around entertainers in diverse fields such as variety shows, acting, and musicals; actor Yoo Hae-jin, who has appeared in five films that drew more than 10 million moviegoers, including "The King's Warden," "Veteran," and "Exhuma," and whose films have attracted more moviegoers in total than those of any other actor; director Jang Hang-jun, whose film "The King's Warden" drew more than 16 million moviegoers, making it the second-highest-grossing Korean film of all time; actor Ryu Seung-ryong, who has appeared in four films that drew more than 10 million moviegoers, including "Extreme Job," and continues to take on a wide range of roles, including in the drama "The Story of Manager Kim Who Works at a Large Corporation and Owns a Home in Seoul"; and actor So Ji-sub, who has remained a fan favorite in works such as "I'm Sorry, I Love You" and "Kim Bu-jang."

Prime Minister's Commendations will go to broadcaster Bae Mi-hyang, who has hosted the radio program "Bae Mi-hyang's Evening Sketch" for more than 25 years; actor Yoo Seung-mok, who has portrayed a wide range of characters, from a villain in "Scarecrow" to a realistic boss in "The Story of Manager Kim Who Works at a Large Corporation and Owns a Home in Seoul"; director Yoon Ga-eun, who has drawn attention at international film festivals with works such as "The World of Us" and "The World of Love"; pansori singer and musical actor Lee Ja-ram, who created and staged the pansori works "Sacheonga" and "Eokcheokga"; composer EJAE, who won a No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 and a Grammy Award for "Golden" from "K-Pop Demon Hunters"; actor Kim Go-eun, who has delivered a wide range of performances in dramas such as "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" and the 10-million-viewer film "Exhuma"; actor Oh Jung-se, who has worked across genres in projects including the film "Extreme Job" and the drama "Stove League"; and sibling duo AKMU, who wrote and performed songs including "200%" and "Last Goodbye."

A total of 11 people will receive Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendations: comedian Kim Shin-young, who has expanded her work from the "Haengnima" segment on "People Looking for Laughter" to variety shows, radio, and acting; comedian Kim Won-hoon, who helped create a new wave of comedy with the YouTube channel "Shortbox"; choreographer Leejung, who rose to fame through "Street Woman Fighter" and has led K-pop choreography; actor Lim Ji-yeon, who has delivered standout performances in works such as "The Glory"; producer Jang Won-seok, who produced the "The Roundup" film series; actor Choi Dae-hoon, who has made his presence felt in works such as "When Life Gives You Tangerines"; Park Ji-hoon, who left a strong impression as Danjong in "The King's Warden"; actor Yoon Kyung-ho, who has appeared in works such as "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call"; singer Jang Min-ho, who won fans through "Mr. Trot"; girl group NMIXX, known for its distinctive musical style, "MIXX POP"; and boy group ENHYPEN, which topped the U.S. Billboard 200 just six years after its debut.

Broadcaster Kang Ji-young and actor Hwang In-youp will host the ceremony. Crossover group LA POEM and Han Young-ae, a recipient of the Order of Cultural Merit, will give congratulatory performances. Videos of the ceremony will be released after the event through the official social media channels of the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young said, "This year's recipients have spent many years working in their respective fields, including on stage, in broadcasting, and in film, alongside the public and helping advance Korean popular culture and arts. We will continue to support artists so they can take pride in their work and continue creating."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.