Jo Sumi honored with Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit

Soprano Jo Sumi was honored with the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit in recognition of her outstanding contributions to elevating Korea’s global cultural standing. On Friday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism organized an awards ceremony for the ‘2023 Honorees for Advancements in Culture and Arts’ at the Modu Art Theater in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. During the event, 15 individuals, including Jo, received cultural medals. The Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit was conferred upon Hwang Eul-sun, a custodian of royal paintings and a national intangible cultural asset, the late Korean traditional music composer Lee Hae-sik, and traditional dancer Jeong Seung-hee.

The Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit was bestowed upon five individuals, including Choi Young-muk, CEO of Lightsound (Bitsori) Friends, the visionary behind the establishment of the Korea International Accessible Dance Festival; Pyo Gallery CEO Pyo Mi-seon, renowned for her founding of the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF); contemporary painter Oh Su-hwan, a professor emeritus at Seoul Women’s University; and craftsman Kang Seok-young, former professor emeritus at Ewha Womans University; and Park Kwang-woong, former chairman of the Korean Theater Association.

The Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit was presented to the late Lee Hyun-joo, former Secretary-General of the Korean Library Association; Song Yeong-sook, Chairman of Hanmi Pharmaceuticals; Park Mun-tae, Director of Ulsan Jung-gu Culture Center; the late Oh Seung-cheol, former Jeju Branch President of the Korean Writers’ Association; Bang Gwi-hee, head of the Korea Disabled Artist Association; and Park Je-yu, CEO of JU Architects & Planners.

The Korea Culture and Arts Award was granted to five individuals, including Park Seon-ja, who serves as the president of the Gangneung Federation of Arts, novelist Yoon Hu-myeong, writer Lee Bae, Park Chang-soo, the CEO of The House Concert, and Choi Yong-hoon, CEO of Little Myth Theater Company. Furthermore, seven artists were honored with the Today's Young Artist Award. This group featured pianist Lim Yun-chan and poet Yoo Hee-kyung among its recipients. The Good Parent Award was presented to five individuals, including Yoon Soon-mo, the mother of the renowned singer Yang Hee-eun and actress Yang Hee-kyung.


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