The top six contestants on TV Chosun’s hit talent audition show “Mr. Trot” will be honored by the Corea Image Communication Institute for their contributions to building a positive image of South Korea at home and overseas. The other winners at CICI’s 2021 award ceremony are the Generation Equality Forum’s Ambassador and Secretary-General Delphine O and Korean content creator Pinkfong’s song “Baby Shark.”

The institute’s 17th annual award ceremony will take place at the InterContinental Seoul Coex on Jan. 14.

The top six singers on “Mr. Trot,” also known as the Trot Men, will receive the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award for providing comfort to people during the difficult time of the pandemic.

The Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award, which is awarded to foreigners who helped promote Korea’s image to the world, will go to Delphine O.
 

“Delphine O, a Korean French former member of the French National Assembly, contributed to the promotion of generational equality as Secretary-General of the Generation Equality Forum. Her work also became a steppingstone to promoting Korea to the world,” a CICI official said in a statement.

The Korea Image Budding Youth Award will be presented to “Baby Shark.” Last month, the English version of the “Baby Shark Dance” video became the most viewed video on YouTube, with more than 7.03 billion views. 

“‘Baby Shark’ not only brought joy to families around the world but also showed the infinite potential of Korean content by becoming the most viewed video on YouTube,” the official added.

Since 2005, CICI -- a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Korea’s image abroad -- has honored cultural figures, organizations or objects that have helped to spread a positive image of Korea.

Past winners include former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, golfer Pak Se-ri, SK Telecom, K-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin and jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)