The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on Dec. 17 said it hosted this year's K-healing On Festival with foreign experts in promoting Korea around the world.
The 40-minute event began on Dec. 16 at 6:10 p.m. and was live-streamed on Korea.net's YouTube channel.
Top Honorary Reporters, K-influencers (foreign experts in promoting Korean culture) and winners in the Talk Talk Korea contest for Korea-related content received awards. Featuring outstanding content and videos of activities promoting Korea, the event also featured celebratory performances by K-pop girl groups LOONA and Minzy.
Thirteen Honorary Reporters were given awards, including Araceli Rosario Mariel Gonzalez from Argentina, who produced the most articles in Spanish including those on kimchi.
Eight teams won in the K-influencer category including Bibiana Patino Rodriguez from Colombia, who introduced a baby quilt as she parodied the smash Korean Netflix series "Squid Game."
Ten works were selected as winners in nine themes spanning three categories -- audition, challenge and special. Hanbok maker Ericka Fabiana Orellana Miranda from Bolivia, who took photos of herself at Bolivian hot spots wearing the traditional clothing she made, won the grand prize in the Hanbok picture category.
First lady Kim Jung-sook said in a video message, "Korea.net Honorary Reporters and K-influencers are doors and bridges for communication, exchange and solidarity who convey values that must be globally shared through news on Korea."
"The letter that shined the most this year was 'K' like in K-pop, K-movie and K-drama," she added. "Teenagers in the world have learned K-pop lyrics and dance and gained the courage to love themselves."
Fans of Hallyu (Korean Wave) worldwide participated in the online event and communicated with one another via comments in a host of languages including English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. The live stream on YouTube attracted a maximum of 10,267 viewers, an average of 7,960 in real time and a cumulative 1,234,798 views.
KOCIS will post the video of the event on Korea.net's official YouTube channel and "Korea World" (koreaworld.co.kr), an exhibition in an extended virtual space. The event will also be aired from Dec. 26-27 on Arirang TV.
KOCIS Director Park Jung-Youl said, "Content introducing created by foreign nationals from their own perspectives are more original and diverse, so their promotional effects are higher than content made by Koreans."
"We will continue actively expanding customized promotions abroad by selecting excellent foreign PR personnel such as Korea.net Honorary Reporters and K-influencers and strengthening their competency."
