Park Hae Soo, Aiki, Jinyoung, Kang Daniel, Kang Tae Oh, Kim Min Ju, PURPLE K!SS, and more received prestigious awards at the ‘2022 Newsis K-Expo’!

The ‘4th Newsis K-Expo’ was held on August 25 at the Josun Palace in Seoul. The ceremony was sponsored by South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; Seoul Metropolitan Government; Korea Creative Content Agency; and Seoul Tourism Organization. Since 2019 this annual event recognizes cultural icons, organizations, and companies that have contributed greatly to spreading the Hallyu Korean wave.

The 2022 list of award-winning cultural artists included:

Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award - Park Hae Soo

National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee Award - Aiki, Jinyoung

Seoul Mayor Award - Kang Daniel, Lee Sun Bin

Seoul City Council Chairman Award - Kang Tae Oh

Seoul Tourism Foundation CEO Award - Kim Min Ju, Yoon Chan Young

Hallyu OST Award - Kim Yeon Ji

Hallyu Special Award - Laure MAFO

Next Generation Hallyu Star Award - sEODo BAND, Lim Kyu Hyung, PURPLE K!SS

Actor Park Hae Soo received the ‘Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award’ for his performance in the Netflix drama global phenomenon ‘Squid Game’. He is also nominated for the Emmy Awards.

Choreographer Aiki and actor Jinyoung received the ‘National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee Award’. Aiki contributed to the K-dance syndrome through Mnet survival program ‘Street Woman Fighter’ as dance crew HOOK’s leader and continued to raise the public’s awareness of dancers. Jinyoung (B1A4) was recognized for leading Hallyu with popular acting works such as KBS ‘Love in the Moonlight’ and the Netflix ‘Sweet Home’ upcoming seasons.

Kang Daniel and actress Lee Sun Bin won the ‘Seoul Mayor Award’. Kang Daniel was awarded for promoting Hallyu in various fields which included: contributing to the music industry by establishing his agency KONNECT Entertainment, giving the first K-pop male soloist performance on NBC’s ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’, acting in the first Disney Plus Korean original drama ‘Rookie Cops’, hosting as MC for Mnet’s street dance series, and holding his first solo concert and debuting in Japan to meet overseas fans. Meanwhile award co-recipient Lee Sun Bin was honored for her role in TVING drama ‘Work Later, Drink Now’, which was screened at Cannes and is in the works for a second season.

Actor Kang Tae Oh won the ‘Seoul City Council Chairman Award’ after playing a major role as Lee Jun Ho in ENA drama ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’.

Kim Min Ju and actor Yoon Chan Young accepted the ‘Seoul Tourism Foundation CEO Award’. After finishing her run in project group IZ*ONE which added to Japan’s 4th Hallyu boom, Kim Min Ju is moving forward with acting in MBC historical-romance drama ‘The Forbidden Marriage’. Yoon Chan Young had emerged as an international star through Netflix zombie series 'All of Us Are Dead'.

In addition, singer Kim Yeon Ji was given the ‘Hallyu OST Award’. Cameroonian-born French pansori singer Laure MAFO was awarded the ‘Hallyu Special Award’. The ‘Next Generation Hallyu Star Award’ went to Joseon pop group sEODo BAND, musical actor Lim Kyu Hyung, and RBW rising girl group PURPLE K!SS.

Congratulations to all!