‘Firefighter 2001: The Truth of the Battle’ Wins Top Prize at 33rd Korea PR Awards with 119 Donation Challenge

The Korean film ‘Firefighter 2001: The Truth of the Battle’ (Korean title ‘소방관’) has won the top prize in the Corporate Marketing PR (Entertainment/Film) category at the 33rd Korea PR Awards, becoming the first film or OTT project to achieve this recognition.

Founded in 1993, the Korea PR Awards selected 35 winning projects across categories this year. The ‘Firefighter 2001’ campaign was honored alongside major corporate projects from GS Retail (Grand Prize winner), OpenAI Korea, LG Electronics, Samsung Life, and others.

The ‘119 Donation Challenge’ converted each paid movie ticket into a 119 KRW donation to support firefighter equipment and welfare. More than 3.85 million viewers participated, raising approximately 450 million KRW in total, which was donated to the National Fire Agency.

The judging committee noted that the campaign extended beyond theatrical release by encouraging public participation through donations, actor involvement, media exposure, viral content, and outdoor ads. Its strong blend of public impact and mass appeal made it the first film/OTT project ever recognized at the Korea PR Awards.

The awards ceremony was held on November 21 at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul, alongside the annual ‘PR People’s Day’. Additional honors such as PR Company of the Year and Public Interest PR Person of the Year were also announced.

The film depicts the realities of frontline firefighters and the pressures of high-risk rescue operations. By incorporating a donation-driven PR strategy, the campaign allowed its public safety themes to extend beyond the film, creating a positive cycle between content and real-world impact.

The campaign is now regarded as a model for combining entertainment with ESG-oriented messaging and public interest themes, signaling new possibilities for film and streaming platforms in future promotional strategies.