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Tang Wei to receive award for conveying Korean culture to world

December 17, 2014

Tang Wei, right, has become familiar to Korean fans through starring in the movie “Late Autumn,” as well as her marriage to the film’s director, Kim Tae-yong.

By Kim Ji-soo

Chinese actress Tang Wei, Korean teenager short-track skater Shim Suk-hee and a leading Korean cosmetics company AmorePacific will be recognized for their contributions toward promoting Korean culture at an awards ceremony next month.

The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) will award the three in its 11th annual Korea Image Awards on Jan. 12 at the COEX InterContinental Hotel in Samseong-dong, Seoul.

Since 2005, CICI, led by President Choi Jung-wha, has recognized those who have contributed to enhancing the image of Korea around the world. Past recipients of the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award were K-pop stars Psy and Rain, and maestro Chung Myung-whun.

Chinese actress Tang Wei will receive the Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award for her role in conveying Korean culture to the rest of the world.

Tang has become familiar to Korean fans through starring in the movie “Late Autumn,” as well as her marriage to the film’s director, Kim Tae-yong.

Korean speed skater Shim Suk-hee has been selected for the Korea Image Budding Youth Award. The teen skater captured three gold medals and one silver at the 2013/14 International Skating Union (ISU) Short-track Speed Skating World Cup.

She is sure to be an athlete to watch at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in Korea.

AmorePacific, led by CEO Suh Kyung-bae, has been selected for CICI’s Korea Image Stepping Stone Award. The cosmetics brand, best known for its popular lines of Sulwhasoo, Iope, Hera and Etude, was founded in 1954. The country’s largest cosmetics firm in terms of sales, CICI noted AmorePacific’s commitment to be the “first” and “best” in its field.

Fueled by the popularity of “hallyu” or Korean popular culture, the demand for Korean cosmetics has risen rapidly internationally in recent years.

Also at the ceremony on Jan. 12, the original performers from the French musical “Notre Dame de Paris” will perform, in addition to the Korean group Deulsori.

Expected attendees include former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo; U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mark W. Lippert; Vice Culture Minister Kim Jong; French Ambassador Jerome Pasquier; Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho; Kim Dong-ho, chairman of the Presidential Committee for Cultural Enrichment; James Bemowski, vice chairman and CEO of Doosan Corporation; Kwon Seon-joo, CEO of the Industrial Bank of Korea; jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun; and Koo Ja-hun, chairman of the LIG Arts Foundation.