G-Dragon, BLACKPINK’s Rosé, Byeon Woo-seok, & more awarded with Prime Minister’s Commendation at 2025 Korea Popular Culture & Arts Awards: Full list

The 2025 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards returned this year with the Prime Minister’s Commendation. The ceremony will take place on October 23, at the National Theater of Korea in Jung-gu, Seoul. It was launched in 2010. Now in its 16th year, the awards still stand as one of Korea’s most respected honors.

Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the affair highlights 31 honorees. Below is the entire list of all the award recipients.

List of Prime Minister’s Commendation winners

Each year, individuals and teams are awarded across four categories:

Cultural Medal
Presidential Commendation
Prime Minister’s Commendation
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation

Winners are chosen based on their years of contribution, performance record, social impact, and industry influence. Technical professionals also receive separate recognition through the Popular Culture and Art Production Staff Award.

Cultural Medal

A total of six honorees received the Cultural Medal. G-Dragon was recognized for advancing K-pop’s global reach and became the youngest musician to ever receive a Cultural Medal. Late comedian Jeon Yoo-sung’s decades of influence on Korean comedy were also formally honored.

Silver Crown Cultural Medal: Kim Hae-sook (actor)
The Bronze Crown Cultural Medal: Lee Byung-hun (actor), Jung Dong-hwan (actor)
The Jade Crown Cultural Medal: G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong) (singer), Jeon Yoo-sung (posthumous comedian), Bae Han-sung (voice actor)

Presidential Commendation

Seven individuals and groups received the Presidential Commendation.

Actors: Kim Mi-kyung, Lee Min-ho, Lee Jung-eun
Singers/Groups: TVXQ, BLACKPINK’s Rosé, SEVENTEEN
Voice Actor: Kim Eun-young

Prime Minister’s Commendation

The Prime Minister’s Commendation recognized eight recipients.

Actors: Kim Ji-won, Kim Tae-ri, Park Bo-young, Park Hae-jun, Joo Ji-hoon
Singers/Groups: ATEEZ, TWICE
Performer: Choi Hee-sun

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation

In this category, ten artists acquired the Minister’s Commendation.

Actors: Ko Yoon-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, Ji Chang-wook, Chu Young-woo
Singers/Groups: RIIZE, LE SSERAFIM, i-dle, ZEROBASEONE
Comedian: Lee Soo-ji
Choreographer: BEBE

Popular Culture and Arts Production Staff Award

Commencing a day before the main ceremony, this segment will honor behind-the-scenes creators.

Ryu Sung-hee (Art Director, I Was Fooled),
Park Sung-il (Sound Director),
Jo In-hyung (Editor-in-Chief),
Ok Im-sik (DIT)

Additional honors under the Content Promotion Agency Award went to key technical professionals. It included lighting, costume, and stage art directors from major production companies such as MBC, CJ ENM, and N. Production.

About the author

Shreya Jha specializes in K-Pop and K-Drama content at Sportskeeda. With a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, she brings a refined approach to Entertainment Journalism. Over the course of two years, she has worked with media agencies such as FandomWire and Animated Times, publishing over 2000+ articles.

Some of the highlights of Shreya's career include writing an exclusive piece on the Bvlgari Necklace and reviewing the Jaguar Type 00 for The Luxxe Mag. Entertainment is a space she resonates with the most. Some of the favorite aspects of her work comprise analyzing plot twists, discussing comebacks, and covering other pop-culture news in general.

Putting forward a sensitively-written article, by incorporating a multiplicity of perspectives is important to her. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys reading contemporary romance novels and performing Bharatnatyam. She admires Amelia Dimoldenberg for her deadpan humor.

Know More

Edited by Shreya Jha