Korean actor Lee Min-Ho, 29, is on a roll. With the popularity of the SBS fantasy series "The Legend of the Blue Sea," its lead male star has received an award for improving South Korea's brand image.
On Feb. 22, Wednesday, Lee was awarded the grand prize at the 2017 National Brand Awards held at the National Assembly Hall in Seoul, The Korea Herald reported. He won the prize in the cultural sector for boosting Korea and the Korean wave to the world with his work.
In his acceptance speech, Lee thanked everyone who has helped him become one of the most recognizable personalities in the country. He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the fans for their unwavering love and support.
"I traveled around the globe so many times over the past few years," Lee added. "I was so touched to see people (overseas) trying to write or speak Korean to me. I will further try to contribute to Korea's brand image."
Hosted by Institute of Nation Brand Promotion, the annual ceremony was intended to acknowledge individuals and businesses who make an exceptional contribution to enhancing the country's image. In 2015, former figure skater Kim Yuna and actor Kim Soo-Hyun won the grand prizes.
The news comes as no surprise given the number of lucrative projects and endorsements Lee has done in the previous years. To give back the love that he has received from his fans, the actor held two meet-and-greet events over the weekend.
More than 6,000 fans did not miss the chance to personally see the Hallyu star when he held the "The Originality of Lee Min-Ho" in Kyung Hee University on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, Asia One reported. Highlight of the show was when he serenaded his fans with his new track "Always." Photos from the event were widely circulated on Facebook.
Check out Lee performs his new track "Always" below: