Competition receives a record 1,358 entries, with 25 products selected for awards

A set of bangjja brass tableware inspired by the fan used by Baudeogi, a historic leader of the Anseong Namsadang performing troupe, has received the top prize in the souvenir category of the 2026 Korea Tourism Contest.

The Korea Tourism Organization announced 25 final winners on Aug. 28. A record 1,358 products were submitted to this year’s competition.

The Presidential Award went to “Baudeogi’s Brilliant Stage Unfolds Across the Dining Table.” The product translates the shape of Baudeogi’s performance fan into bangjja brass plates, cups and chopsticks.

Baudeogi is known as a female kkokdusoe, or leader of a Namsadang itinerant performance troupe, active in Anseong during the late Joseon period. A panel comprising industry specialists and international judges assessed how the product combined a regional cultural figure with a traditional metalworking technique and everyday use.

Two Prime Minister’s Awards were presented. “Korea’s Gyeol Collection” reinterprets dancheong decorative patterns through traditional hand fans, while “Jejudasi Flower Anchovy Jeotgal Powder” is a seasoning made from small anchovies caught near Biyangdo Island in Jeju.

Three Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Awards went to “Korean Roof,” a metal doorbell based on guardian figures placed on traditional roof ridges; a lightly roasted perilla oil set made with Gangwon-grown seeds; and a doorstop modeled after Jeju’s dongjaseok stone figures.

Other selected products include traditional liquor, an embroidered-pattern jigsaw puzzle, a mother-of-pearl perfume container, miniature bojagi magnets and a bag featuring Seoul’s magpie imagery.

The Korea Tourism Organization plans to provide the winners with individual product consulting, business education and connections to domestic distribution channels. They will also become eligible to apply for loans from the Tourism Promotion and Development Fund.

International support will include assistance with applications to e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and global crowdfunding services. Participation in the support program does not guarantee placement on individual platforms.

The award-winning products will be displayed and sold at the 2026 Korea Tourism Souvenir Fair, scheduled for Nov. 20–22 at Art Halls 1 and 2 of Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. The fair will also include business consultations and public programs.

SayArt.net
Kelly.K pittou8181@gmail.com