Performing Arts winner Seol Yujin, playwright and director. Visual Arts winner Eobchae (from left: Hwi Hwang, Nahee Kim, Cheonseok Oh) ©National Theater Company of Korea/Doosan Art Center

The 12th Doosan Yonkang Art Award honored playwright and director Seol Yujin (Performing Arts category) and the artist group Eobchae (Visual Arts category).

On the 17th, the Doosan Art Center announced through a press release that on the 15th, the Doosan Yonkang Foundation held the award ceremony for the "12th Doosan Yonkang Art Award" at Yonkang Hall, located in the Doosan Art Center in Jongno 5-ga, Seoul, and selected director Seol Yujin and the artist group Eobchae as the awardees.

During the ceremony, director Seol Yujin expressed her thoughts, saying, "As a human being living here and now, I will continue to think about why and from what we need to be free, how and what we should love, and express these ideas through theater."

The Visual Arts awardees, Eobchae, stated, "We received the news of the award while pondering thoughts like, 'What is the point of it all? Sending a fake message in a bottle across the vast net.' We are grateful that it has been received, wherever its coordinates may be."

Park Yonghyun, chairman of the Doosan Yonkang Foundation, remarked, "The year 2021 remains a challenging time for all of us, and even more so for artists. I hope that this award will serve as comfort and encouragement for those who will lead our cultural arts in the future."

The winners will receive a total of 270 million KRW (approx. $227,000) in benefits.

This includes a cash prize of 30 million KRW (approx. $25,000) for each winner. In addition, the Performing Arts awardee will receive 150 million KRW (approx. $126,000) for new production support, and the Visual Arts awardees will be provided with exhibition support worth 60 million KRW (approx. $50,000) at Doosan Gallery.

Established in 2010, the Doosan Yonkang Art Award supports young artists under the age of 40 who demonstrate potential for growth in the fields of performing arts and visual arts.

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