NEWSIS announced the 8th K-EXPO winners, honoring Lee Byung-hun, Junho, Shim Eun-kyung, and others for K-content and global impact.
August/20/2026 16:12
Lee Byung-hun, Junho of 2PM, and others were selected as winners of the “NEWSIS K-EXPO.” NEWSIS announced today (the 20th) the winners of the “8th NEWSIS K-EXPO.” The event will be held on the 28th at 3 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom of The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Jung-gu, Seoul. First, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award will go to Lee Byung-hun. Lee Byung-hun was recognized for his contribution to increasing the influence of K-content not only in Korea but also on the global stage through numerous films and dramas. The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award was given to Junho of 2PM. He showed his presence in tvN’s “Typhoon Family,” which exceeded a 10% viewership rating, and proved his solid acting ability and star quality both in Korea and overseas. The Seoul Mayor’s Award will be presented to Shim Eun-kyung and Monk Songjae. Shim Eun-kyung became the first Korean actress to win the Best Actress award at the Japan Academy Awards and the Best Actress award at the Kinema Junpo Best Ten. Monk Songjae contributed to the globalization of temple cuisine by appearing last year on Netflix’s “Black and White Spoon: Culinary Class War 2” and spreading the appeal of Korean temple cuisine to the world. The Chairperson of the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Award was selected for actor Choi Hyun-wook and comedian Lee Su-ji. Choi Hyun-wook was active this year in the Netflix original series “Voice from the Back Row,” and Lee Su-ji is demonstrating the competitiveness of Korean-style comedy while working across a wide range of fields including television programs, OTT (video streaming services), and YouTube. The Seoul Metropolitan Council Chairperson’s Award will be given to AND2BLE and KISS OF LIFE. AND2BLE’s first mini album “Sequence 01: Curiosity” entered the top 10 of the iTunes Top Albums charts in 23 regions worldwide. KISS OF LIFE recorded 6th place on the U.S. Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart with “Who is she.” The Korea Creative Content Agency President’s Award was selected for 1MILLION, a performance crew with 26.4 million YouTube channel subscribers. Also, the Seoul Tourism Organization CEO’s Award will be given to Block B’s P.O and QWER. The Hallyu Special Award, given to next-generation stars expected to lead Hallyu in the future, was selected for EVNNE and USPEER. Separately, the winners of the newly established Global Netizen Award, introduced last year, were also announced earlier. The Global Fan Choice Award will go to PLAVE, and the Global Next Icon Award will go to AND2BLE. Also, AND2BLE’s Zhang Hao won the Global OST Popularity Award, and Kim Yong-bin was selected for the Global Trot Sound Source Award. “K-EXPO” was launched in 2019 with the aim of the sustainable development of Hallyu and improving the competitiveness of the cultural industry. It is hosted by the private news agency NEWSIS and sponsored by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Seoul Metropolitan Council, the Korea Creative Content Agency, and the Seoul Tourism Organization. ・[PHOTO] Lee Byung-hun and Lee Min-jung, IVE’s Wonyoung, and others attend a Bulgari event ・2PM’s Junho becomes a dragon that lives for over 1,000 years!? He shows a mysterious romance with Hong Hwa-yeon in the new drama “Embassy of Foreign Countries in Korea” ・AND2BLE, first K-pop group ever! 3,000 people were thrilled by a surprise free live performance in Kabukicho, performing three songs
Related Articles
On the afternoon of the 19th, a press screening and press conference for the film "College Scholastic Ability Test, Secret of the Questions" was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. Lee Sun-bin, Yoo Jae-myung, Kim Young-min, Jung Suk-ho, and director Lee Young-jae attended.
EVNNE makes a comeback with their 6th mini album, on: our noise, gathering sounds they love and blending them into music that is uniquely theirs. The album and MV follow five members as they collect everyday noises, mix them together, and create new music through shared energy.
On the morning of the 18th, Jin Ki-joo departed for Japan through Incheon International Airport for a gravure photoshoot. The text also mentions that the Japan fan meeting for Netflix’s "The Tyrant Teacher," featuring Kim Moo-yeol, Lee Sung-min, Jin Ki-joo, and Block B’s P.O, was a great success, and that 39 presenters for the 2026 KGMA, including 2PM’s Junho, Go Yoon-jung, and Lee Chae-min, have been revealed.
OXFAM SUPERLIVE, a donation talk concert organized by the international relief and development organization OXFAM to support vulnerable people around the world, was held on the afternoon of the 17th at Gwanghwamun Sejong-ro Park in Seoul. Wendy, Lee Je-hoon, EVNNE, and idntt appeared on stage.
Lee Soo-man’s AI-generated dance video with A2O producer Yoo Young-jin and rookie group A2O LITE went viral, drawing likes and comments from K-pop stars. A2O LITE, a nine-member multinational girl group, debuted with “NEON,” which reached No. 1 on MelOn’s TOP 100.
2PM’s Juno revealed that he once went about 12 days without being able to lie down in bed because of nonstop year-end schedules, including major music festivals, rehearsals, commercials, broadcasts, and recording. TWICE’s Sana shared similar stories of exhausting idol life.
EVNNE is returning after about six months with its 6th mini album, "on: our noise," set for release on the 19th. Jellyfish Entertainment revealed the comeback through a coming-soon video. Afterward, the group will hold fan concerts in Seoul, Japan, Taipei, North America, and Europe.
On Netflix’s “Kian’s Bizarre B&B 2,” 2PM’s Junho impressed Kian84 by smoothly handling a phone call in fluent English with a foreign guest. Already known for mastering Japanese, Junho also showed his English skills and drew attention for using three languages. The show ranked No. 1 in Korea and entered the Top 10 in several Asian countries.
2PM’s Wooyoung has announced a solo concert tour across four cities in Korea and overseas. He will begin with Seoul on November 14 and 15, then perform in Hyogo, Tokyo, and Taipei for a total of seven shows. He also said he plans to play piano and debut a new song.
On the afternoon of the 2nd, the 2026 Porsche Vibe Seoul event was held at the Cultural Reserve Base in Mapo District, Seoul, with Juno of 2PM, Moon Ga-young, Woo Do-hwan, Lee Min-jung, and Suhyun in attendance.
