The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that Minister Choi Hwi-young on Saturday presented special performance awards to 13 employees (12 across five teams and one individual) who delivered outstanding results in the field, including staff at the National Museum of Korea, which drew the largest number of visitors ever for a domestic cultural heritage special exhibition. This marks the second round of awards following the first ceremony held on March 6.
The National Museum of Korea's special exhibition (collaboration category), which illuminated "Yi Sun-sin the Human" through a fusion of video and sound production, received the "Timely Hit Award" along with 10 million won ($7,300). Seo Yoon-hee, a research officer at the National Museum of Korea, and Yu Sae-rom, a researcher, organized the special exhibition "Our Yi Sun-sin," held from November 28 last year to March 3 this year. The exhibition attracted 407,045 visitors, ranking third all-time among the museum's special exhibitions both at home and abroad, and representing the largest-ever attendance for a special exhibition based on domestic cultural heritage.
For the exhibition, the curators directly persuaded 45 institutions and private collectors worldwide to gather 369 artifacts in one place. They also produced an immersive exhibition that went beyond the heroic narrative to illuminate "Yi Sun-sin the Human," drawing wide empathy and response from the public.
Also receiving the "Timely Hit Award," staff who supported the BTS concert at Gwanghwamun were awarded 7 million won. The recipients included Kim Yu-mi, director of the Popular Culture Industry Division, Deputy Director Park In-hye, Officer Cheon Hye-jeong, and Deputy Director Lee Rak-hee of the Emergency Safety Planning Office. Other recipients of the "Timely Hit Award" included those who supported the safe participation of athletes at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and operated the Korea House (3 million won), promoted 2026 policy changes (2.5 million won), and published a casebook for the overseas Korea Information Correction Service (1 million won).
The opening of the Probability-Based Item Damage Relief Center also received 2.5 million won under the "Star of Stars Award." According to the ministry, the "Timely Hit Award" is given to those who set an example through proactive implementation, carrying the meaning of delivering a decisive hit when needed, like a timely hit in baseball. The "Star of Stars Award" honors the "special distinction" of those who lead institutional innovation.
"I hope that cases of creatively resolving difficult issues in the field will spread throughout the ministry," Minister Choi said, according to the ministry.
