Snowflakes fall on the lake and over the palace, creating an enveloping and peaceful scene.
This is a photo of snow falling on the Anapji Pond in Gyeongju, where the royalty of Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) used to enjoy the beautiful view and cultivate their artistic spirit. This photo has now become the winner of the Korea Tourism Photo Contest 2015, run by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and marking its 43rd year this year.
The theme of this year’s contest was the so-called “five K keywords”: K-Food, K-Wave, K-Spirit, K-Place and K-Style. About 10,000 applications were submitted in the contest.
In the food category, the runner-up photo captured the dynamics of a market and merchants at the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul. Titled “Colors of Life,” this photo won second place.
The other seven winners mostly took picturesque shots of the Korean landscape. Among them, two silver prize winners focused on the one-of-a-kind and stunning landscape of Jeju Island.
Unlike past years’ events, this year’s contest introduced two new prizes in the categories of “foreigners” and “Internet users.” Photos that won the new prizes show a canola flower festival and snow falling at Naejangsa Temple in Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla Province).
The nine prize-winning photos will be used to promote Korean tourism through many channels, including at the KTO’s online photo gallery. http://gallery.visitkorea.or.kr
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: KTO
arete@korea.kr