Latest news with #K-style
Korea Herald
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Culture Communication Forum celebrates Korean culture's global appeal
Contest winners highlight emotional bonds, traditional arts as keys to K-culture's lasting influence "Jeong is not flashy, but it lasts. It can't be explained logically, yet it moves hearts," said Cui Meiling during her award-winning presentation at the Corea Image Communication Institute's annual Culture Communication Forum on Thursday. Cui, a Chinese student at Korea University, won first place in the event's Korean-language presentation section, where she singled out "jeong" — the uniquely Korean sense of deep emotional connection — as the most sustainable element of Korean culture. She drew from personal experience, recalling how a stranger offered her an umbrella on a rainy day. "The future of K-style isn't about glamor — it lies in the 'jeong' between people," she said at the Grand Hyatt Seoul venue. Cui won the grand prize with 21 out of 56 audience votes. This year's forum featured a content-based competition centered on 'sustainable K-style,' with participants offering creative interpretations of Korean culture through a sustainability lens. The contest ran for three months through May 30 and drew global entries across three categories: Korean-language presentations, long-form video and short-form video. Thursday's event featured four finalists in each category, with winners determined by live audience voting. Around 60 diplomats, business leaders and cultural figures were in attendance to participate in the vote and celebrate the growing global reach of Korean culture. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology President Lee Kwang-hyung opened the ceremony by recognizing CICI's 22-year commitment to cultural exchange and praising Chair Choi Jung-hwa, whom he called Korea's 'civilian cultural foreign minister.' "Twenty years ago, we talked about a 'Korea discount.' Now we talk about a 'Korea premium,'" Lee said. "That transformation is driven by culture and the arts, supported by institutions like CICI." Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto delivered congratulatory remarks in Korean, calling the forum "a precious opportunity to explore sustainable K-style through music, food, film, drama, art and beauty." "Korea has become a soft power powerhouse — and not the fleeting kind," she said. "It's important to reveal the rich history and values behind that soft power." In the long-form video category, China's Jiang Yi-ling won top honors for "K-Style, Building the Future," which explored eco-friendly fashion, recycling and sustainable tourism. The project earned 18 of 51 votes to secure a 3 million won ($ 2,200) prize package, including 1 million won in cash. Oh Sang-woo claimed first in the short-form video competition with 18 of 53 votes for his hand-drawn animation "K-Style: The More We Love, The More We Share!" that illustrates how collective engagement can spread Korean culture around the world. The award included 700,000 won in cash as part of a 2 million won prize package. Before the winners were announced, Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima praised the contestants for their work. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez noted that the participants had 'gone beyond the Korean language' with their 'outstanding' content. 'You are all ambassadors of Korean culture,' she added. The ceremony concluded with a pansori performance by Mafo Laure, who sang the "Flower Garden" segment from "Heungbo-ga." The Cameroon-born French artist, who previously performed at the Elysee Palace for former President Moon Jae-in and French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018, also placed second in the Korean-language contest with her pansori-focused presentation, earning 16 votes.
Korea Herald
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Annual Culture Communication Forum to crown winners of sustainable K-Style contest
International gathering showcases finalists with creative takes on Korean tradition The Corea Image Communication Institute will hold its 16th annual Culture Communication Forum on Thursday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, wrapping up a monthslong global contest centered on "sustainable K-style." The event will bring together senior diplomatic and business leaders for a ceremony recognizing the competition's finalists and winners. KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung will deliver opening remarks, with congratulatory messages from Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto and Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez will join around 10 other ambassadors in attendance. Corporate attendees include Seo Jung-ho, chair of the Ambassador Hotel Group; Cho Jung-il, chair of The Hanok Heritage; and Sean Blakeley, chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Honorary Ambassador of Foreign Investment Promotion for Korea. Franz Hotten, president of Pernod Ricard Korea, will also attend alongside some 60 guests. The forum's centerpiece will be a live vote to determine the winners among 12 finalists, selected from entries submitted between March 20 and May 30. Participants submitted ideas for reimagining Korean cultural traditions through a sustainability lens, exploring how K-style can evolve for future generations across music, cuisine, film and fashion. Finalists will present their entries, ranging from video clips to spoken presentations in Korean, during Thursday's event. The video competition features long- and short-form categories, each with four finalists. The grand prize winner in the long-form category will receive a prize package worth 3 million won (around $2,213), including 1 million won in cash. The short-form winner will receive a 2 million won package, with 700,000 won in cash. For the Korean speech segment, contestants from the United States, Spain, China, France and Egypt will compete for the grand prize. Each will deliver a three-minute speech on sustainable K-style, with the winners determined by real-time audience voting. The top prize is valued at 3 million won, including 1.5 million won in cash. The forum begins with registration at 4:40 p.m., followed by the main program at 5 p.m. A special pansori performance by French artist Mapo Lor will round out the ceremony. Founded in 2003 and officially registered with the Foreign Ministry, CICI promotes Korea's global image through cultural exchange. Since 2010, its annual CCF has served as a global platform for dialogue among cultural and diplomatic leaders.
Korea Herald
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Looking for next generation of K-style
CICI holds video contest on 'sustainable K-style' The Corea Image Communication Institute is holding contests on "sustainable K-style" as part of the 16th annual Culture Communication Forum slated for June 12. The contest aims to discover innovative and creative ideas related to K-style that could shape the next wave of Hallyu, according to the organization. The competition is open to both Koreans and foreign nationals residing in Korea. Applications should include ideas related to either music, food, film, drama, webtoons, art, architecture, fashion or beauty, and they can be submitted in one of two formats: a video or a lecture in Korean. For the video contest, participants must submit a one-minute short-form vertical video or a three-minute-long horizontal video with a preview image. Those applying for the Korean-language presentation competition must submit a three-minute presentation video in Korean, sharing their creative thoughts and insights on sustainable K-style, based on their experiences in Korea. Applications will be accepted from Thursday through 5 p.m. on May 30. Finalists will give their presentations during the upcoming CCF, and the winners will be announced at the event. Two winners will be chosen for each category. First-place winners will receive a prize of 3 million won ($2,067.82), while second-place winners will receive 2 million won, which includes cash and vouchers for luxury hotels.
Korea Herald
28-01-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Lotteria back on grill: Burger chain hits W1tr in comeback
Lotteria, once overshadowed by doubts over taste and image, breaches 1 trillion won sales mark in 7 years Burger chain Lotteria, under Lotte Group's food franchise arm Lotte GRS, is making a bold comeback, burning away its stale reputation with a flavorful rebranding makeover. Industry insiders predict that Lotte GRS will break through the 1 trillion won ($694 million) sales barrier for the first time after a 7-year stagnation. Lotteria is leading the charge, contributing over 70 percent of the company's total revenue. This sales milestone would place the burger chain back on the 1 trillion won ($7.5 billion) track, a streak it maintained from 2013 to 2017. The food group has come a long way, having faced major challenges starting in 2018. Its sales declined from over 1 trillion won in 2017 to 830.9 billion won in 2018, further plummeting to 675.7 billion won in 2021 during the pandemic. The company returned to profitability in 2022, achieving operating profits of 1.7 billion won on revenues of 781.5 billion won. By the third quarter of last year, Lotte GRS reported a 7 percent on-year revenue increase to 744 billion won, with operating profits soaring 109.3 percent to 36 billion won. Lotteria's turnaround after years of struggles highlights its resilience amid fierce competition from McDonald's, Burger King and local rival Mom's Touch. In 2023, McDonald's posted the highest annual sales in the Korean burger franchise market, with over 1.29 trillion won, followed by Lotte GRS at 924 billion won and Burger King at 745 billion won. New taste sensations Lotteria's revival stems from strategic rebranding, focusing on innovative burgers and a modernized brand identity under the "Taste the Fun" slogan. They also renamed their classic burgers and updated the logo to reflect a more contemporary image. Its new burger offerings, such as the Jeonju bibimbap rice burger and the king pork cutlet burger, captured evolving consumer tastes, particularly among younger generations. The bibimbap burger sold 800,000 units in its first month, while the king pork cutlet burger hit 550,000 units in two weeks. These items contributed to a 10 percent sales increase on-year and a 5 percent rise in consumer count in the first quarter of last year. The squid alive burger also generated significant attention, with its sell-out rate surpassing the monthly sales target within a week, achieving over 700,000 units sold within 11 days of its launch. The recent talk of the burger scene is the Napoli Mafia Mozzarella Burger, which sparked a sold-out frenzy following its launch on Jan. 16. Developed in collaboration with star chef Kwon Seong-jun from Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars," the burger has boosted the chain's sales by 33 percent on-year to 30 billion won within the first week of its release, with around 450,000 units sold. 'Lotteria is steadily cementing its identity as a forward-thinking brand,' an industry official said, adding that its creation of distinct K-style burgers has set it apart from its American counterparts. Store refurbishments Along with its success in menu launches, Lotteria has also committed to revamping its outdated image through store renewal. As part of its relocation strategy, Lotteria closed underperforming stores while focusing on new openings, with well-performing outlets undergoing renovations. In December last year, Lotteria opened eight newly renovated company-owned stores, which sparked an uptick in both sales and consumer count, according to a company official. "We plan to enhance the customer experience through store renewals and ensure profitable store management with our renovation efforts," the official said. The firm also aims to expand its store count to 1,400, up from its current count of around 1,300 stores. As of now, Mom's Touch leads in store count with approximately 1,400 outlets nationwide. The franchise has also started leveraging technology-driven solutions to optimize efficiency and spur profitability, as demonstrated by the automated patty-cooking and frying robots at its renovated Guro Digital Complex station and Seoul National University station outlets. Beyond its stronghold in Korea, Lotte GRS is expanding its reach into international markets, building on its existing presence in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Laos and Mongolia. It established its US-based corporate entities Lotte GRS USA in 2023 and Lotteria USA in 2024, planning to open its first US store this year. The company is also set to launch its first Lotteria store in Singapore during the second quarter of this year, further advancing its expansion across Southeast Asia.
