This scene is from "From Curiosity to a Dream," the grand prize winner in the video category of the international content contest Talk Talk Korea hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong

The winners of this year's Talk Talk Korea, an international contest for Korean-related content, are people from around the world who expressed their first encounters with Korean culture through dreams and everyday life.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Nov. 9 announced its selections of the 124 winning entries of the annual competition. Marking its 13th edition this year under the theme "My First K-Culture Story," the ministry received 55,250 submissions from 75 countries in four categories: video, photography, illustration and writing.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award -- the grand prize -- went to the winner of the video category, Hosana Akhaya Simauw of Indonesia, for "From Curiosity to a Dream." This unanimous selection depicts how interest in K-pop evolved into a dream of becoming a film or music video director in Korea.

In photography, the top honor went to Niloofar Kashani of Iran for "Korea Found Me First." Though she has never visited the country, she expressed her connection to Korean culture inspired by K-dramas, the Korean language and cuisine using a combination of photography, handwritten text and collage techniques.

In illustration, Jeinnymar Alexandra Ochoa Acuna of Venezuela won for "Once Upon a Time, a Blue Tiger." This piece stood out for its contemporary interpretation of traditional elements found in folk paintings such as tigers and magpies.

In writing, a new category this year, Ana Moya also of Venezuela won with "Never Too Late to Discover Korea." Her piece conveyed the message that regardless of age, one can always discover new sources of excitement within Korean culture.

The official Talk Talk Korea website (talktalkkorea.or.kr) and its social media on Nov. 9 posted the winning entries. An exhibition of them is also slated from Nov. 17-22 at Pocket Lounge on the third and fourth floors of the publicity center HiKR Ground in Seoul's Jung-gu District.

Overseas, a traveling exhibition hosted by Korean Cultural Centers in Belgium, Austria and Spain runs from this month through March.

The ministry said exhibitions in Korea and abroad will allow visitors to connect with the stories presented in the works and share their own experiences through the medium of Korean culture.

dusrud21@korea.kr