The Winner Broke the Rules, and It's Not Okay.
I'm truly impressed while reading certain comments on Instagram about the contest. I had never created an account here, and out of curiosity, I did. I'm surprised by the lack of empathy from some who feel frustrated. It's normal because, evidently, the girl who won the art category didn't meet one of the two fundamental criteria. I didn't even make it to the voting round with my modern hanbok design, but that's not the problem. It's frustrating that people like me, who followed the steps, were left out, and she, who didn't follow something elementary, won an all-expenses-paid trip to Korea. It's astounding.
I'm not writing this to stir up trouble, but I find it illogical that some have posted here that we should celebrate and not discuss. That sounds a bit ridiculous. Are we seeing something unfair and should we stay silent when an injustice happens? We're not doing anything wrong; it's just an observation that the winner should be aware of, because it's sad that many of us followed the steps and didn't even make it to the voting round, and instead of supporting this cause for it to be fair, others come and write things pointing fingers at fellow contestants who feel sad. It's disappointing. @Everyone
I agree with you, but I don't think the posts you mentioned are genuine, it feels like they’re coming from a coordinated group. I find it interesting that some people consistently questioned entries, including mine, which I don’t mind, but never the first-place winner, both on Instagram and here.
Even when they got replies, they didn’t follow up or discuss, which shows they weren’t really trying to understand anyone’s view... they just focused on other participants. Their “investigation” continued in separate posts by different accounts, picking up exactly where the previous ones left off and reinforcing each other, but still never mentioning the first-place entry.
They often talked about “fairness” yet never applied the same to the winner, which feels like a clear double standard.
After targeting others, new posts changed tone to praise the contest and organizers, sayin we should just celebrate and move on. Using that to stop discussing real concerns, framing them as bitterness, which feels strange and contradictory, especially when questions about the first-place winner are still not answered.
If a coordinated group like this exists, it raises serious concerns about the honesty and fairness of the voting process. @Keila De los Ángeles Navarrete-Rey The post you mentioned was deleted, but here’s what it said for context, so others can see what you replied to "Friends, I know there has been a lot of drama surrounding the results of the TalkTalk Korea 2025 contest, especially in the Art & Craft category. Some people are questioning the methods and choices of the winners, suggesting that certain elements weren’t fully original or were created with outside help. But let’s be honest, this contest is already over. The winners were chosen, and they will each receive wonderful prizes: a trip to Korea, $1,000 in Amazon gift cards, $600 in Amazon gift cards, and so on. That’s something to be grateful for! Many of us joined, poured our hearts into our work, and left empty-handed, not even a $20 gift card. Yet you don’t see us complaining or attacking each other. Now it’s time to let go of the bitterness. Be proud of your amazing creations, hold your head high, and know that you are deserving of the recognition you received. More opportunities will come in the future, and each contest is a new chance to shine. From the bottom of my heart, congratulations to all the winners, and to all the future winners who will continue to elevate Korean culture and spread love for it around the world."