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The 6th Newsis Hallyu Expo, or the 2024 K-Expo, aired with much impact on Thursday, August 22, 2024. The gathering took place at The Great Hall of Chosun Palace in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, from 3 pm KST. The event was much talked about owing to its star-studded roster of attendees and the awards they received.
The theme for this year's Newsis Hallyu Expo was 'REACT K-WAVE,' which aimed to explore the challenges and opportunities for Seoul's growth as a tourism megacity while seeking pathways for development. It featured an open talk delving into 'The possibility of a quantum jump in Hallyu as seen through the K-food craze.'
A list of important figures and celebrities were invited, including a special awarding ceremony for the various talents who made significant K-content contributions throughout the year.
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From the clips and pictures from the event going viral on the internet, fans were stunned to see a table full of six A-listers seated together, set to receive honors on this day. The list consisted of actors Byun Yo-han, Chae Jong-hyeop, Kim Hye-yoon, Kim Soo-hyun, Go Min-si, and Cosmic Girls member and actor Kim Ji-yeon, aka Bona.
While the honors they were going to receive at the 6th Newsis Hallyu Expo were previously revealed, their attendance was raising expectations among viewers. Meanwhile, netizens have taken to social media to voice their awe at the seating arrangement.
"THE POWER THIS TABLE HOLDS."
Here are some more comments by netizens after the 6th Newsis Hallyu Expo.
"I AM SORRY BUT THIS TABLE????????" Wrote an amazed fan.
"This pic screams power," said another post.
"THIS IS SO EXPENSIVE," an X-user stated.
Fans started wondering what a drama or a film with all these stars would look like,
"IMAGINE A DRAMA OR MOVIE WITH ALL OF THEM," a comment read.
"them in one project would be so powerful," said another netizen.
"Looks like a powerful cast of a movie or drama," wrote a fan.
The actors were seen cheering for one another and the other winners at the event. Netizens appreciated a clip showcasing Byun Yo-han and Kim Hye-yoon's friendly exchange when the former rose to receive his award. Simultaneously, the Lovely Runner-fame's humble nature while guiding others to the center stage during the group photo also received praise.
The 2024 Newsis Hallyu Expo: A look at the winners and what the event was all about
This year's Newsis Hallyu Expo saw renowned big data expert Song Gil-young as moderator and Food Culture Lab CEO Ahn Tae-yang and creator Admer (Yoon Seok-won) as panelists. The event also had a teeming list of awardees.
Kim Soo-hyun, who recently shone in his performance in Queen of Tears (2024), was lauded with the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award for his role in the tvN drama.
Actors Byun Yo-han and Kim Hye-yoon received the National Assembly Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee Chairman's Award. This duo won hearts with their roles in the Disney+ drama Uncle Samsik and tvN's Lovely Runner, respectively.
Actor Go Min-si was honored with the Seoul Mayor's Award for her role in Netflix's Sweet Home (Seasons 1-3) at the Newsis Hallyu Expo. The Seoul Tourism Foundation CEO Award was presented to actor Chae Jong-hyeop and idol-actor Bona.
Chae Jong-hyeop earned the nickname 'Hyeopsama' following his role in the Japanese TBS drama Eye Love You (2024) and recently flaunted his talent as a romantic comedy king with tvN's Serendipity's Embrace (2024). Kim Ji-yeon, aka Bona, delivered a noteworthy performance as a school violence victim in the Tving series Pyramid Game (2024).
The Seoul Metropolitan Council Speaker's Award was bagged by the girl group H1-KEY, while the virtual boy band PLAVE were the male category winners for this award. PLAVE were previously unrevealed as winners for the male category. Meanwhile, H1-KEY topped several music charts with their song Rose Blossom in 2023, whereas this year, they received popularity with Let It Burn.
Boy group Big Ocean took home the Hallyu Special Award as the first hearing-impaired group in Korea. They remade H.O.T.'s song Hope (빛), showcasing positive energy.
The Korea Creative Content Agency President's Award went to Modehouse CEO Jeong Byeong-gi, who planned and created the 24-member girl group Triple S. Also gracing the stage were a total of 12 Triple S members, Seoyeon, Sumin, Jiwoo, Nakyung, Kotone, Yeonji, Dahyun, Shinwi, Lin, Jubin, Chaewon, and Jiyeon.
H1-KEY, Triple S, and Big Ocean further took the Newsis Hallyu Expo stage for a congratulatory performance.
Hallyu Expo was introduced in 2019 with the pledge to magnify the sustainability of Hallyu and the competitiveness of the cultural industry. The event aims to select and duly acknowledge companies and individuals who have made notable contributions to the development and spreading of K-content throughout the year.
The Hallyu Expo is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Seoul Metropolitan Council, the Korea Creative Content Agency, and the Seoul Tourism Foundation. The whole segment of the 6th Newsis Hallyu Expo can be viewed on the Newsis YouTube channel.
