The brightest names in K-entertainment come together in the industry’s biggest night.
It’s that time of the year again in South Korea. As springtime slowly makes way for summer, the country’s biggest stars—actors, directors, writers, and idols—come together for K-entertainment’s biggest night: the Baeksang Arts Awards. Now in its 61st year, it is widely considered South Korea’s equivalent of the Oscars and the Emmys rolled into one, as it’s arguably the country’s most prestigious honors in film and television.
This year’s iteration was hosted by Baeksang favorites Suzy, Park Bo Gum, and Shin Dong Yup, who are back for the seventh consecutive year of hosting the awards, and held at COEX in Seoul. As always, industry veterans and promising newbies were recognized in a ceremony which has proven over six decades that it’s more than just glamour— it’s a celebration of Korea’s creative excellence, cultural influence, and artistic achievement across film, television and theater.
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The Grand Prize in the television category went to Netflix’s mega-hit Culinary Class Wars. Over in film, the cinematographer of Harbin claimed the Grand Prize in the film category, while the movie also went on to bag the Best Film award.
The hit Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines had a stellar night, bagging multiple honors in the TV/Drama category including Best Drama, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and Best Screenplay. The feat is impressive considering that it went up against formidable productions including the hugely popular and just as well-loved Lovely Runner.
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When Life Gives You Tangerines, however, failed to bring home two of the evening’s other big awards, the ones for best actor and actress, which went respectively to Ju Ji Hoon who was a commanding presence in The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Kim Tae Ri, who was phenomenal in Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born. I’m sure fans of WLGYT’s IU and Bo-gum, as well as Lovely Runners’ Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye-yoon, were quite disappointed, but having watched the other actors in their respective dramas, I have to say their wins were well deserved. Oh well, at least Woo Seok and Hye-yoon won the Popularity Award!
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Check out the full list of winners below:
TV/Drama
Grand Prize: Culinary Class Wars
Best Drama: When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Actor: Ju Ji Hoon, The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Best Actress: Kim Tae Ri, Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born
Best Variety Show: DdeunDdeun “Punghyanggo”
Best Educational Show: Special-Hakjeon
Best Male Entertainer: Shin Dong Yup
Best Female Entertainer: Lee Soo Ji
Best Director: Song Yeon Hwa, Doubt
Best Supporting Actor: Choi Dae Hoon, When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Supporting Actress: Yeom Hye Ran, When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Screenplay: Im Sang Choon, When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best New Actor: Choo Young Woo, The Tale of Lady Ok
Best New Actress: Chae Won Bin, Doubt
Best Technical Direction: Jang Yeong Gyu, Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born– music
Film
Grand Prize: Hong Kyung Pyo (Harbin, cinematographer)
Best Film: Harbin
Best Actor: Jo Jung Suk, Pilot
Best Actress: Jeon Do Yeon, Revolver
Best Director: Oh Seung Wook, Revolver
Best Supporting Actor: Yoo Jae Myung, Land of Happiness
Best Supporting Actress: Claudia Kim, A Normal Family
Best Scenario: Shin Chul, Park Chan Wook, Uprising
Best New Director: Oh Jung Min, House of the Seasons
Best New Actor: Jung Sung Il, Uprising
Best New Actress: Roh Yoon Seo, Hear Me: Our Summer
Best Technical Direction: Jo Young Wook, Uprising – music
Special Awards
Gucci Impact Award: The Land of Morning Calm
Prizm Popularity Award: Byeon Woo Seok, Kim Hye Yoon, Lovely Runner
