Soprano Sumi Jo holds commemorative medals made in her honor by the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, in Seoul, Friday. (Yonhap) Commemorative medals for Sumi Jo (KOMSCO) Soprano Sumi Jo joined a list of Korean cultural and sporting icons — among them BTS, Son Heung-min, Faker, Seventeen and An Se-young — honored with commemorative medals by the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO), which last week released a medal marking the 40th anniversary of her debut on the world stage.Her portrait appears on the medal's face, while the reverse depicts her performance in the title role of Gilda in the opera "Rigoletto," the performance that launched her international career in 1986.KOMSCO has produced commemorative medals for more than 50 years, beginning with one marking the Bank of Korea's 25th anniversary in 1975. Unlike commemorative coins, the medals carry no face value and can't be used as currency. They simply mark an event, person or date.Ahead of Korea's Liberation Day, KOMSCO unveiled a medal marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of independence activist Kim Koo, who is known by his pen name Baekbeom, with the release timed to UNESCO's designation of this year as a commemorative year for his anniversary. Commemorative medals for Kim Koo (KOMSCO) Lately the subjects have broadened beyond national events and historical figures to cover culture, the arts and sports, tracking K-culture's growing global reach.A medal marking the 10th anniversary of pianist Cho Seong-Jin's victory at the International Chopin Piano Competition, released last September, depicts him performing in front of the pipe organ at the Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, the competition's venue. Commemorative medals for Cho Seong-Jin (KOMSCO) In sports, a medal honoring badminton star An Se-young was released in July, commemorating her run of major titles from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2023 BWF World Championships to the 2024 Paris Olympics and this year's Asia Badminton Championships.Other recent subjects include Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, esports' biggest star, and Jung Eun-hye, a painter and actor with a developmental disability, both honored last year. Earlier medals featured K-pop boy groups BTS and Seventeen and soccer player Son Heung-min. Commemorative medals for soccer player Son Heung-min (left) and esports player Lee Sang-hyuck, better known as Faker (KOMSCO) KOMSCO treats these medals as more than collectibles. They are a durable record, in gold and silver, of individuals who have raised Korea's international profile. Subjects are chosen through advisory committee input and public feedback, with the design then developed with the honoree in mind.Most are issued in two editions: a 32-millimeter gold medal of about 15.55 grams, and a larger 40-millimeter silver medal of about 31.1 grams.The medals have also generated social impact. Proceeds from the Cho Seong-Jin medal went to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, and proceeds from the Son Heung-min medal supported youth soccer programs. Commemorative medals made for BTS's 10th anniversary (KOMSCO) Commemorative medals for boy group Seventeen (KOMSCO)