17th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards

Ceremony held Thursday at National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Grand Theater

BLACKPINK receives Jade Crown; Rosé earns full medal one year after presidential commendation

The late singer Shin Hae-chul. [Provided by Next United]
The late singer Shin Hae-chul. [Provided by Next United]

The late rock icon Shin Hae-chul, who died in 2014, will be posthumously awarded the Silver Crown Cultural Medal — the second-highest of the five cultural medal grades and the top honor bestowed at this year's awards.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, 36 individuals and groups were recognized at the 17th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards ceremony on Thursday. The honorees include 10 cultural medal recipients, seven presidential commendations, eight prime ministerial commendations and 11 ministerial commendations from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Shin, who receives the Silver Crown Cultural Medal, first came to national attention in 1988 while studying philosophy at Sogang University, when the band Muhandwegido — with Shin on vocals — won the grand prize at MBC's College Music Festival with the song "To You." Shin went on to lead the band N.EX.T, blending rock with electronic music and deeply philosophical lyrics, and is credited with bringing Korean rock into the mainstream. The ministry cited Shin's experimental musical vision and contribution to popularizing rock as the basis for the honor.

The Bohwan Cultural Medal — one grade below Silver Crown — goes to broadcaster Yoo Jae-suk and four others spanning a range of genres. Yoo debuted in 1991 and has been known as the nation's MC for more than 30 years, fronting programs including "Infinite Challenge." The award comes eight years after Yoo received a presidential commendation at the same ceremony in 2018.

Singer Han Young-ae, who marks a 50th debut anniversary this year, began a career in 1976 as part of the folk group Sunflower alongside Lee Jeong-seon and Lee Ju-ho. Han spent time on the theater stage in the late 1970s before releasing a first solo album, "Yeoulumok," in 1986, then went on to record beloved songs including "Nugu Eobso?" and "Joyul" after a stint with Sinchon Blues. Known as the "witch of sound" for the ability to color any song with a distinctive voice, Han reflected at a 50th-anniversary press event in April that "the stage was my salvation." Han will also perform at Thursday's ceremony. The new song marking the anniversary, "Snow Rain," was written by Kim Tae-won of the band Boohwal. Boohwal, formed in 1985, also receives a presidential commendation Thursday.

Veteran voice actor Park Young-nam, first-generation Korean jazz pianist Shin Gwan-ung and first-generation musical producer Park Myung-sung round out the Bohwan Cultural Medal recipients.

Group BLACKPINK. [Getty Images]
Group BLACKPINK. [Getty Images]

The four members of BLACKPINK — Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa — will receive the Okgwan Cultural Medal as the group marks its 10th debut anniversary. Cultural medals are divided into five grades: Gold Crown, Silver Crown, Bohwan, Okgwan and Hwagwan. The Okgwan is the fourth grade, ranking one step above the Hwagwan received by BTS in 2018 — the first idol group and youngest recipients ever to receive a cultural medal. It is the same grade awarded to G-Dragon last year. Rosé, who received a presidential commendation at the same ceremony last year, will receive a full medal just one year later.

Twenty-six individuals and groups receive presidential, prime ministerial and ministerial commendations. Director Jang Hang-jun, whose film "The King's Warden" drew 16.9 million viewers, and Yoo Hae-jin, who played village chief Eom Heung-do in the film, will receive presidential commendations. Park Ji-hoon, who played King Danjong, will receive a ministerial commendation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Prime ministerial commendations go to singer-songwriter EJAE, who claimed K-pop's first Grammy trophy with "Golden," the theme song from the Netflix animated series "KPop Demon Hunters," and to pansori singer Lee Ja-ram, creator of the pansori works "Sacheon-ga" and "Eokcheo-ga." Enhypen is among the ministerial commendation recipients, becoming the sixth K-pop boy group to receive the honor after BTS, SuperM, Stray Kids, Ateez and Tomorrow X Together.

Also receiving presidential commendations are music director Kang Seung-won, who composed "Around Age Thirty" and has helmed music programs for 36 years; Super Junior, whose "Sorry Sorry" helped spread the K-pop wave across Asia; and actors Ryu Seung-ryong and So Ji-sub. Prime ministerial commendations go to broadcaster Bae Mi-hyang, who has hosted "Bae Mi-hyang's Evening Sketch" for more than 25 years; Yoon Ga-eun, director of "The World of Us"; sibling duo AKMU; and actors Kim Go-eun, Oh Jung-se and Yoo Seung-mok. Ministerial commendations from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism go to broadcasters Kim Shin-young and Kim Won-hun, choreographer Lee Jung, actors Im Ji-yeon, Choi Dae-hoon and Yoon Kyung-ho, "The Outlaws" series producer Jang Won-seok, singer Jang Min-ho and group NMIXX.

The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea, hosted by broadcaster Kang Ji-young and actor Hwang In-yeop. Crossover group La Poem and Han Young-ae will perform.

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said the honorees are "people who have walked alongside the public for a long time — on stage, on screen and in broadcasting — and led the development of our popular culture and arts," adding that the ministry would "consistently work to remember and celebrate the footprints and contributions they have left behind."


shee@heraldcorp.com