[Provided by Mungyeong City]
[Provided by Mungyeong City]

Mungyeong City's tourism mascot duo, Chulsadong-i and Chulsadung-i, have taken the top prize at the Korea Character Awards.

The sibling characters claimed the grand prize in the New Wave and Rising category at the 2026 Korea Character Awards ceremony held Tuesday.

The awards, hosted by Digital Chosun and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Intellectual Property Commission and the Korea Creative Content Agency, were established to discover outstanding characters and strengthen the competitiveness of the related industry.

Chulsadong-i and Chulsadung-i are tourism promotional characters that reinterpret Mungyeong's history and local specialties through a contemporary lens.

Mungyeong City selected the two characters through a public contest held in December last year, aiming to develop a new tourism mascot while preserving the identity of the original Chulsadong-i.

The elder brother, Chulsadong-i, symbolizes the joy of passing the historic civil service examination and the arrival of good news, with Mungyeong's signature local products — apples and omija berries — incorporated into the traditional eosahwa flower ornament. The younger sibling, Chulsadung-i, is depicted as having followed the elder over the old examination trail at Mungyeongsaejae Pass, conveying a friendly, distinctive charm through modern attire and a rakishly tilted eosamo official's hat.

The characters drew particular praise for their cute, trend-conscious design reflecting the tastes of the MZ generation, while weaving together the historical significance of Mungyeongsaejae and the region's local specialties.

"This grand prize is a meaningful achievement that has earned nationwide recognition for the appeal of Chulsadong-i and Chulsadung-i, characters that embody Mungyeong's history and culture," Mungyeong Mayor Kim Hak-hong said. "We will develop diverse content to nurture the two characters as tourism ambassadors representing Mungyeong and spread the word about the region's attractions far and wide."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com