South Gyeongsang Province mascot Byeori wins top prize at national public character festival

South Gyeongsang Province announced Monday that Byeori, its official promotional mascot, won the top prize in the government and local government category at the 2026 Korea Local Government and Public Character Festival, held Saturday afternoon. Byeori is modeled after the rabbit from "Byeoljubujeon," a classic Korean folk tale set on Bido Island in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.

The award was determined by combining expert judging scores with the results of a public online vote held from July 20 to Aug. 21. Competing against public mascots submitted from across the country, Byeori took the top prize in its category, with judges recognizing its approachable image and effectiveness as a provincial promotional character.

Since its launch in May 2024, Byeori has appeared at expos and festivals nationwide, spreading awareness of South Gyeongsang Province's appeal to residents and the broader public. The province has also consistently expanded the mascot's reach online and offline — opening up the character's intellectual property rights to small business owners in the province and operating pop-up stores.

"Thanks to the support we have received, we will continue to use Byeori to share the charm of South Gyeongsang Province in a friendly way and carry out a variety of promotional activities that residents and people across the country can enjoy together," said Jang Su-hwan, the province's public relations officer.