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BigBang named honorary ambassador for ‘Creative Korea’

August 3, 2016

SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Yonhap) — The South Korean idol group BigBang has been named the honorary ambassador of the state-run national branding business, the group’s agency said Wednesday.

The globally followed K-pop group will promote “Creative Korea,” a national brand launched in July by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, YG Entertainment said in a press release, jointly issued by the ministry.

With “unique Korean creativity” as its key theme, the state project aims to evaluate the national brand power of Korea and its cultural content in the global arena. At home, the project seeks to raise public esteem of its own people about their national identity.

This poster of the state-run national branding business "Creative Korea," released by YG Entertainment on Aug. 3, 2016, shows members of South Korean K-pop group BigBang.

This poster of the state-run national branding business “Creative Korea,” released by YG Entertainment on Aug. 3, 2016, shows members of South Korean K-pop group BigBang.

BigBang will take over its honorary ambassador’s duty at the start of the Rio Olympics. The contract will last until the end of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, which will be hosted by PyeongChang, 182 kilometers east of Seoul.

During the Summer Games, BigBang will shoot motivational videos for South Korean Olympians and model for postcards for promotional purposes.

“We expect BigBang to play a significant role in raising the global awareness of ‘Creative Korea,’” the ministry said in the press statement.

Since its debut in 2006, BigBang has created a global fandom with a number of hits, including “Fantastic Baby,” “Haru Haru,” “Lie,” “Loser” and “Bang Bang Bang.” In the latest world tour that kicked off in April, the quintet drew some 1.5 million fans in 32 major cities of 13 countries, spanning Asia, North and Central America, and Australia.

Members of South Korean K-pop group BigBang attend the movie premiere event of the band's autobiographical documentary film "BigBang Made," in western Seoul on June 28, 2016.

Members of South Korean K-pop group BigBang attend the movie premiere event of the band’s autobiographical documentary film “BigBang Made,” in western Seoul on June 28, 2016.