Film 'Seungriho' Producer Kim Sujin Awarded Bogwan Cultural Medal

Producer Na Young-seok of CJ ENM Receives Newly Established Cultural Medal

Kim Su-jin, CEO of Bidangil who produced the film Seungriho (Space Sweepers), will be awarded the Order of Cultural Merit. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency announced the winners of the Korea Content Awards on the 3rd, ahead of the ceremony held at COEX on the 8th. All recipients were recognized for illuminating the content industry and bringing inspiration and joy to the public.

Kim, who received the highest honor, founded Bidangil in 2004 and produced films across various genres such as The Chaser, Operation, and Wolf Boy. This year, she expanded into the space science fiction (SF) genre with Seungriho. The Ministry of Culture stated, "She demonstrated the potential for Korean films to succeed in the SF genre." The newly established Cultural Award will be presented to producer Na Young-seok of CJ ENM. He directed popular variety shows including 1 Night 2 Days, Grandpas Over Flowers, Three Meals a Day: Mountain Village, New Journey to the West, Youn's Kitchen, and Spanish Hostel. This year, with Youn's Stay, he provided foreigners with opportunities to experience traditional Korean culture. The beauty of hanok (traditional Korean houses) and hansik (Korean cuisine) was captured on video, earning high praise from many viewers.

In the overseas expansion merit category, Kim Jun-gu, CEO of Naver Webtoon, and Studio Dragon, a drama-specialized studio, will receive the Presidential Citation. CEO Kim played a key role in growing Naver Webtoon into a global platform. Korean webtoons are introduced in over 100 countries in ten languages, establishing a leading position. Studio Dragon is Korea's first drama-specialized studio covering the entire production process. This year, it led the Korean drama wave with titles such as Crash Landing on You, It's Okay to Not Be Okay, Record of Youth, Start-Up, and Extraordinary Attorney Woo. In the broadcasting and video industry development merit category, writer Ha Myung-hee of Record of Youth and writer Jeon Seon-ae of Korean Table will receive the Presidential Citation. Ha realistically portrayed the growth of youth and families in contemporary times through Record of Youth. Jeon uncovered various stories centered on food, regions, and seasons in Korean Table, showcasing the lives of Koreans.

In the game industry development merit category, Kang Shin-chul, chairman of the Korea Game Industry Association, and Park Seung-bae, chairman of the Korea Boardgame Industry Association, will receive the Presidential Citation. Chairman Kang led the development of the game industry based on his experience as a game developer and executive at Nexon. Chairman Park established board game culture domestically through various efforts such as exhibitions and leader training. In the animation category, the feature animation Gigi Gogi: Plastic Surgery by SS Animment will receive the Presidential Award. It was praised for effectively unfolding a story that resonates with the public, focusing on thriller elements. In the character category, Jangmang Loopy from the animation Pororo the Little Penguin, and in the comics category, webtoon Whale Star by writer Na Yoon-hee will each receive the Presidential Award. In the story contest category, Passing Scholar, Memory Goblin, A Thousand Tongues, and Zone 4 will receive the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award.