The Grand Prize of the 30th Buddhist Media Culture Awards Goes to the Webtoon "Ppaeatgin Deuredo Bom-eun Oneunga"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] The grand prize of the '30th Buddhist Media Culture Awards' was awarded to the webtoon 'Does Spring Come to the Seized Fields?'

According to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism Headquarters on the 6th, the webtoon 'Does Spring Come to the Seized Fields?' by writer Jeon Eunji (pen name Gongmyeong) won the grand prize. Tanwon Sunim, head of the cultural department and chair of the organizing committee, explained, "The selection of a webtoon as this year's grand prize reflects the new media era and can be seen as a meaningful choice that confirms the value of Buddhist content."

The excellence awards were given as follows: in the broadcasting category, KBS's 'Documentary Insight Special 2-Part Series: The Birth of Thought'; in the radio category, BBS Radio's Environment Day special documentary 'Indramang'; in the newspaper category, Seoul Shinmun's 'Polite and Sophisticated Hate Society' and '2022 Our Earth Story'; and in the new media category, Buddhist Newspaper TV's 'Sincere to Buddhism: In (人)'.

The Buddhist Journalist Award went to Jeonghyu Sunim. Jeonghyu Sunim served as the first executive director of Buddhist Broadcasting System (BBS) in 1990, and held positions such as president, weekly editor, editor-in-chief, and chief editorial writer at Buddhist Newspaper and Beopbo Newspaper.

The prize money is 10 million KRW for the grand prize, 3 million KRW for the excellence awards, 2 million KRW for the merit awards, 1 million KRW for the special award, and 3 million KRW for the journalist award.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Buddhist Media Culture Awards evaluated works produced and released during the year (from September 9, 2021, to August 24, 2022) that embody Buddhist perspectives and values (such as dependent origination, the middle way, compassion, life, peace, equality). This year, a total of 55 entries were received (33 in broadcasting, 10 in newspapers, 10 in new media, 1 special, and 1 journalist).

The awards ceremony will be held on the 26th at 2 p.m. at the Traditional Culture and Arts Performance Hall of the Korean Buddhist History and Culture Memorial Hall. The ceremony can be viewed again on the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism's YouTube channel.