Incheon City is enhancing its urban brand value and strengthening citizen-friendly communication by utilizing its representative characters, which embody the region’s unique history and ecological resources.

Incheon Metropolitan City announced that its representative character, “The Spotted Seal Friends Who Love Lighthouses,” won the Grand Prize at the “2026 Korea Character Awards” for the second consecutive year, following its 2025 win.

The “Korea Character Awards” is an awards ceremony that selects outstanding works through a comprehensive evaluation of a character’s creativity, business model, recognition, achievements, and value. Hosted by Digital Chosun Ilbo and sponsored by the Chosun Ilbo, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Presidential Committee on National Intellectual Property, and the Korea Creative Content Agency, the event contributes to enhancing the status of Korea’s cultural industry and advancing the character industry.

Incheon’s characters received high praise from the judging panel for their sophisticated designs—which elegantly embody local landmarks and nature—as well as their distinctive storytelling and consistent utilization and maintenance.

Among the characters, “Deungdaeri” was inspired by “Palmi Island Lighthouse,” Korea’s first lighthouse, and symbolizes the light that illuminates Incheon’s past and future. Additionally, “Bomi,” “Komi,” and “Aini” are modeled after the “spotted seal,” a natural monument inhabiting Baengnyeong Island in Incheon, and convey a message of peace through the ecological characteristics of these seals, which freely travel between North and South Korea.

A spokesperson for Incheon City stated, “We hope this award will help Incheon’s characters become even more familiar to citizens,” adding, “We will continue to develop diverse content and merchandise featuring these characters to bring joy to citizens and tourists alike.”

Meanwhile, Incheon City plans to continue raising awareness of its unique city brand by actively incorporating these characters not only into municipal promotional materials and merchandising initiatives but also into public engagement events and tourism marketing efforts across the board.