The Black Label, gat and Buldak Ramen recognized for expanding K-culture’s global reach at Korea Image Awards

Annual awards honor culture, brands shaping Korea’s global profile

(From left) Actor and author Cha In-pyo, President of Cs Didier Beltoise, Samyang Foods Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo and (fourth from left) Jeong Kyung-in, the CEO of The Black Label, pose for a photo after being awarded during the 2026 Korea Image Awards held in Westin Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul, Thursday. (CICI)

The Corea Image Communication Institute honored individuals and organizations that have helped elevate South Korea’s global image at the Korea Image Award ceremony held Thursday night at the Westin Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul.

The awards recognize people, products and cultural assets that have contributed to raising Korea’s international profile. This year’s honors were divided into three main categories and went to Korean record label The Black Label, the traditional Korean hat gat and Samyang Foods’ Buldak Ramen.

The Korea Image Stepping Stone Award was presented to The Black Label for its contribution to producing the soundtrack for the Netflix megahit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.” According to CICI, the project conveyed the sensibility of K-content to global audiences with its innovative sound and global outlook, helping position K-pop as a mainstream force in global popular culture.

Founded by executive producer Teddy, whose real name is Jeong Kyung-in, The Black Label is home to artists such as Jeon Somi and Big Bang’s Taeyang, and recently debuted groups Allday Project and Meovv. Jeong accepted the award on behalf of the company.

“The Black Label is a music production company, and we are grateful for the opportunity to participate in ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’” Jeong said. “We appreciate having the chance to introduce Korea and Korean music to the world through an animation infused with Korean culture, and we will continue to contribute to Korean culture through our core work in music.”

The Korea Image Firestone Award was given to gat, the traditional Korean hat, in recognition of its symbolic representation of Korea’s aesthetic sensibility. CICI noted that gat has been newly reinterpreted across K-pop, film, television dramas and fashion, earning global attention and reestablishing itself as an icon of Korean heritage. Author and actor Cha In-pyo represented gat at the ceremony.

Samyang Foods Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo accepted the Korea Image Harmony Pebble Award on behalf of Buldak Ramen. According to CICI, Buldak Ramen has helped introduce Korea’s spicy flavor culture to audiences worldwide and helped expand K-food culture internationally.

Kim emphasized that Samyang Foods has focused on understanding how consumers enjoy and share the product, particularly through social media. “What matters most to us is not simply increasing sales, but closely examining how consumers experience Buldak. This consumer-first principle has been the driving force behind its growth, and it will remain unchanged.”

The ceremony drew around 400 attendees, including Poongsan Group Chairman Jin Roy Ryu, CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik and “Culinary Class Wars” star chef Edward Lee. The awards ceremony concluded with celebratory toasts delivered by Sohn, actor Park Joong-hoon, New Zealand Ambassador to Korea Dawn Bennet and Belgian Ambassador to Korea Bruno Jans.