Red Cross Mascot Nanumi and Gyeongnam's Byeori Win Grand Prizes at 2026 Character Awards

Nanumi, the blood donation mascot of the Korean Red Cross (Blood Services), and Byeori, the promotional mascot of South Gyeongsang Province, both won grand prizes at the 2026 Korea Character Awards. According to reports by Medical Newspaper and Welfare News, the ceremony was held on October 27 at the Korea Press Center.

Nanumi won the grand prize in the public representative character category. Welfare News described this year's awards as the second edition. Nanumi is the leader of Blood Friends, a group of blood donation mascots. Wearing a hat shaped like a drop of blood, it promotes blood donation at blood donation centers and on blood donation buses.

The awards were hosted by Digital Chosun Ilbo. Judges evaluated mascots entered in the local government, public institution and industry categories for originality and quality, and selected 30 outstanding characters. According to South Gyeongsang Province, mascots from nine organizations made the list in the local government field.

Byeori won the grand prize in the local government communication and promotion character category for the second year in a row, following last year. The mascot draws on the folk tale of Byeoljubujeon, which is linked to Bito Island in Sacheon, and reflects the province's push to grow its aerospace industry. Its ears are designed as the Korean letters "ㄱㄴ" in a heart shape, a sign that it listens to residents.

Unveiled in May 2024, Byeori is used to promote provincial policy online and offline. South Gyeongsang Province has also opened the mascot's economic copyrights so that small business owners can use it. The province's public relations officer said of the award, "This is a valuable achievement we made together with the residents who always love Byeori."