KT&G (CEO Bang Kyung-man) has named three photographers as the “Photographers of the Year” at the 16th KT&G SangSang Madang Korean Photographer’s Fellowship (SKOPF), an initiative dedicated to supporting Korean photographers.

Now in its 16th year, KT&G SKOPF is an artist support program launched by KT&G SangSang Madang in 2008 to discover and nurture emerging photographers. Including the three new entries for this year, it has supported a total of 54 artists to date and has become a gateway for aspiring photographers.

The three Photographers of the Year—Ghim Minzou Chowon, Kim Chan-hoon, and Ha Da-won—will each receive benefits totaling 7 million KRW, including a grant of 5 million KRW, 1 million KRW in production support, and mentoring opportunities. At the end of the year, one of the three will also be named the “Final Photographer” and awarded additional support worth 40 million KRW, including funding for production and promotional activities, along with the opportunity to hold a solo exhibition at the KT&G SangSang Madang Hongdae Gallery.

Kim Jeong-yoon, Head of the Exhibition Department at KT&G’s Cultural Contribution Division, stated, “We are delighted to recognize three talented emerging photographers through the 16th KT&G SKOPF. We remain committed to supporting the upcoming generation of artists who will shape the future of the creative industry in order to contribute to the sustainable growth of Korea’s cultural and artistic landscape.”

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, KT&G SangSang Madang has grown into one of Korea’s leading multi-cultural spaces that support creative activities and connect the public with art. The facility attracts around 3.2 million visitors annually. Since its launch as an online community in 2005, SangSang Madang has expanded into five offline multi-cultural spaces in Hongdae, Nonsan, Chuncheon, Daechi, and Busan—hosting over 3,000 artistic and cultural programs every year.

(Photo) KT&G has named three photographers as the “Photographers of the Year” at the 16th KT&G SangSang Madang Korean Photographer’s Fellowship (SKOPF), an initiative dedicated to supporting Korean photographers.