Artist Nguyen Cong Hoai has won the first prize at a painting contest organised for Vietnamese young artists.

The awarding-painting by Nguyen Cong Hoai features three prominent people of Korea, Oil on canvas 450mm x 200mm. 

The contest aims to encourage Vietnamese artists under the age of 35 to discover South Korean culture and promote cultural exchange between the two countries.

Thirty-one-year-old Hoai, from the southern Dong Nai Province, drew his painting entitled Chan Dung Nguoi Han Quoc (Portraits of South Korea) within a week in October.

"I think the essence of culture is people. That's why I portray the three most prominent people in my painting," Nguyen Cong Hoai said.

The oil-on-canvas, measuring 450cm by 200cm, features Korean President Park Geun-hye, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and football player Park Ji-sung.

"Personally, I like football player Park because he is the first Asian player to win the European Champion Cup. He is a Korean idol."

"My family watches Korean dramas on television everyday and teenagers around me enjoy K-pop. I'm interested only in Korean football," Hoai said.

Hoai and the second-prize winner will visit Korea for a week. Hoai will organise his solo exhibition with support from the Korean Cultural Centre in 2016.

Duong Ngoc Ha and Ngo Van Sac won the second and the third prize, respectively, while four encouragement prizes were also handed out.

The third prize winner will receive a cash prize of US$300.

Launched in August, the two-month long contest by the Korean Cultural Centre and the Vietnamese culture, sports and tourism ministry's exhibition, photography and fine arts department received entries from 74 artists.

About 28 of the best artworks made on Vietnamese son mai, oil-on-canvas, and acrylic and do paper are on display at the Korean Cultural Centre, 49 Nguyen Du Street.

The exhibition will run till December 15.

"I'm glad to see many artworks by Vietnamese artists. I hope the contest helps Vietnamese artists get to close to Korea," the centre's director Park Nark-jong said.

The contest was judged by director Park; head of the exhibition, photography and fine arts department Vi Kien Thanh; Korean expat artist Choi Bong-sik and Dean of the Viet Nam Academy of Fine Arts Le Van Suu.

VNS