‘The 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci’ Honorees. HLL

Marking its 62nd year, the Baeksang Arts Awards wrapped up in great success, highlighting outstanding works and popular culture artists with results that felt convincing and resonant.

‘The 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci’ was held on May 8 at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. As the only all-encompassing arts awards in the nation that span television, film, theater, and musicals, the outcomes across all categories drew intense attention.

▲Television

The Grand Prize in television went to Ryu Seung-ryong. In ‘Manager Kim Who Works at a Major Company and Owns a Home in Seoul’, he portrayed Kim Nak-su, a breadwinner in his fifties, and moved viewers with a strikingly realistic performance. Having internalized the pathos of an intensely real figure, Ryu painted a portrait of the times with his signature, deeply human touch, once again imprinting his irreplaceable presence. With this, he set a first by sweeping both the Film Grand Prize at the 49th Baeksang and now the Television Grand Prize. Embracing the Daesang trophy, Ryu said, “Seung-ryong, well done. And to all the Naksus across the nation, be happy,” leaving a lasting afterglow.

The Drama Program Award went to ‘Eunjong and Sangyeon’. In a rapidly changing content market, it proved the power of a quiet, deeply felt story. From the message to the direction and the cast performances, every component harmonized into a highly complete drama. With a bold attempt, it captured both artistry and popularity to claim the honor.

The Variety Program Award was given to ‘Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung’. ‘Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung’ was the driving force behind last year’s women’s volleyball boom. The show followed world-class volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung as she became the rookie head coach of the ‘Pilseung Wonder Dogs’ and grew alongside the players, generating huge buzz. As the program’s popularity spread across women’s volleyball overall, it drew praise for proving variety TV’s positive influence.

The Culture/Informative Program Award went to ‘Docu Insight: Our Time Is Shining’. It is a documentary capturing the friendship and parting of 70-year-old Grandfather Kim Jong-do in Hongseong, South Chungcheong, and eight-year-old Uri-e who lives next door. By calmly portraying how the two become friends across generations, it was credited with conveying the values of coexistence and communication with care.

Director Park Shin-woo of ‘Unknown Seoul’ was named Best Director. His steadfast, weighty touch in depicting twins who swap lives and set out to find a true definition of happiness was highly acclaimed. The Screenplay Award went to writer Song Hye-jin for ‘Eunjong and Sangyeon’. The way she unfolded the love-hate and friendship of two friends like a novel moved many viewers to tears. Music director Kang Seung-won, who helms ‘The Seasons’ series, was recognized for preserving the program’s identity and took home the Artistic Achievement Award.

Best Actor went to Hyun Bin of ‘Made in Korea’, and Best Actress went to Park Bo-young of ‘Unknown Seoul’. Hyun Bin calibrated the drama’s tension with a keen performance that charged straight through the rough storms of the era, showing grave charisma. Park Bo-young undertook the bold challenge of playing dual roles. By finely tracing the contours of her characters, her uniquely emotive acting completed the lyrical depth of ‘Unknown Seoul’. The selves, others, and togetherness she depicted delivered empathy, emotion, and solace.

Yoo Seung-mok of ‘Manager Kim Who Works at a Major Company and Owns a Home in Seoul’ and Im Soo-jung of ‘Fine: Country Bumpkins’ won Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress, respectively. Their radiant presence carried the dramas’ messages and moved many hearts. Lee Chae-min of ‘Chef of the Tyrant’ and Bang Hyo-rin of ‘Aema’ became the once-in-a-lifetime New Actor and New Actress winners. Lee Chae-min struck the right balance between period drama and romantic comedy, while Bang Hyo-rin heralded the birth of a star with bold, intense energy far beyond her newcomer status.

The keyword for the variety performer awards was ‘authenticity’. Kian84, who has carved out a unique niche with a ‘no-frills’ concept, achieved a third win following 2023 and 2024. Lee Su-ji lifted the variety trophy for a second straight year. Her sharply honed satirical edge, channeled through characters like a Daechi-district mom and a kindergarten teacher, led to victory.

The television jury said, “It was a year full of works and characters that elicited empathy across eras and generations. From the worries of those in their twenties, to concerns about the middle-aged approaching retirement, to human desires, friendship and love, and even reflections on death that everyone faces at least once, a wide range of stories were fully captured,” adding, “Across genres, content even facilitated communication between generations.”

Television Grand Prize winner Ryu Seung-ryong. HLL

Film Grand Prize winner Yoo Hae-jin. HLL

Television Best Actor Hyun Bin. HLL

Television Best Actress Park Bo-young. HLL

Film Best Actor Park Jung-min. HLL

Film Best Actress Moon Ga-young. HLL

▲Film

The film Grand Prize that drew intense interest right up to the ceremony went to Yoo Hae-jin of ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’. As the title role of ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’, which has amassed 16.8 million admissions, and as an actor who has been part of five films surpassing 10 million admissions, his stature as a national actor carried him to the Baeksang Daesang. Though long renowned as a consummate actor, Yoo Hae-jin in ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’and his character Eom Heung-doetched a sincerity that can hardly be called mere ‘acting’ in everyone’s minds. After taking Supporting Actor in the film category at the 51st Baeksang and being a perennial nominee since, Yoo returned after 11 years to once again move audiences with the big swing of the ‘Grand Prize’. Yoo also said, “To the 17 million moviegoers who came to ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’, thank you. The theaters had a healthy glow,” crediting the audience.

‘The Man Who Lives with the King’, which gave Yoo Hae-jin his first Grand Prize, was selected for this year’s Gucci Impact Award themed ‘The Stage of Impact (The Stage of Impact)’ under the rubric of “works that expanded audience perception and helped shape social discourse through powerful cinematic messages,” and, by sparking ‘Danjong fever’ and ‘Danjong syndrome’, not only prompted a reappraisal of a historical figure everyone knows but also played a decisive role in rewriting Korean box-office history. Park Ji-hoon added Best New Actor, making it a final tally of three crownsthe most this year.

Best Picture went to Park Chan-wook’s ‘It Cannot Be Helped’, a black comedy that captured the global imagination by portraying the real-world challenges the entire planet facesmass unemployment due to AI and a brutal job market. Its story, which soberly and heavily embraces moments when life refuses to go as intended, struck squarely home. Within that story, Lee Sung-min, who delivered masterful acting, took Supporting Actor after winning Best Actor in both film and television, underscoring a boundaryless spectrum.

‘Master of the World’, last year’s most acclaimed work in the independent sector and a magnet for attention at home and abroad, also shone with two crowns. Director Yoon Ga-eun, recognized for a directing power that pulls audiences deep in with nothing more than a character’s gaze while delivering a twist-that-isn’t-a-twist, convincingly claimed Best Director. Seo Soo-bin, who became the master of Yoon Ga-eun’s cinematic world, embraced the once-in-a-lifetime Best New Actress with her vividly realistic character work, yielding a result no one could dispute.

With ‘growth’ another keyword running through this year’s Baeksang results, Best Actor and Best Actress further solidified that identity. Park Jung-min of ‘Face’ and Moon Ga-young of ‘If We’ won side by side, proving themselves the new generation now at the center of Korean cinema. In particular, Park Jung-min achieved the first-ever ‘grand slam’, progressing from Best New Actor to Supporting Actor and now Best Actor with an intense dual role in ‘Face’. Moon Ga-young of ‘If We’ translated the melodramatic craft she honed on the small screen to film with delicate nuance, securing a universally acknowledged place as a melodrama queen.

Best Supporting Actress went to Shin Se-kyung of ‘HUMINT’, praised for a persuasive, impassioned turn as a North Korean waitress and for being the final puzzle piece that completed the film’s genre. Best Screenplay was awarded to directors Byun Sung-hyun and Lee Jin-sung of ‘Good News’, who rewrote a famous true story with cinematic wit. Best New Director went to Park Joon-ho of ‘3670’, who centered a protagonist that is a minority within a minoritya North Korean defector who is also a sexual minoritybringing out both realistic resonance and cinematic allure, raising hopes for the future of independent film. The Artistic Achievement Award (Music) went to music director Lee Min-hwi of ‘Pavane’, who moved hearts with music steeped in cinematic sensibility.

The film jury said, “The film category, which left big and small assignments every year, briefly broke the mood of a declining industry this year and, for the first time in a while, returned lively theaters to audiences. There was also great variety, from commercial films to independent films to OTT films,” adding, “We extend sincere thanks to the filmmakers who never gave up and continued to present quality films, and to the audiences who, even as they sometimes offered unsparing criticism without compromise, waited with unchanging affection for the revival of film and the film industryand answered the call.”

▲Theater

The Baeksang Theatre Award, equivalent to this year’s top honor in theater, went to ‘Jellyfish’, produced by the Korea Disability Arts & Culture Center and Creative Table Seok-Young and based on a play by British dramatist Ben Weatherill that portrays the love and independence of Kelly, who has Down syndrome. The Young Theatre Award went to Theatre Troupe Fire Chariot, praised for “revealing an exploration of theatrical language more clearly than any other teams and offering hope,” and the Acting Award went to Kim Shin-rok of ‘Prima Facie’, who drew audiences powerfully even amid the current wave of solo shows. Adding the theater trophy to her 58th Baeksang TV Supporting Actress award, Kim Shin-rok now stands at the true center of popular culture and the arts.

The theater jury said, “We placed the greatest weight on artistic excellence and popular reach, and added tailored criteria for each field,” and summed up, “Though the process of arriving at results was by no means easy, this year’s outcomes may serve as a turning point for gauging where the theater world stands now and where it is headed.”

▲Musicals

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Korean musicals, the newly added musical category at this year’s Baeksang awarded its first Best Production to ‘Mongyudowon’. Based on the legend of Domi, it was imbued with Koreanaesthetics, showcasing the strength of ‘K-musicals’. The Creative Award went to choreographer Seo Byoung-gu of ‘Evita’ for delicate yet dynamic choreography. Kim Junsu, who tackled black comedy with ‘Beetlejuice’ and even broke through his own limits, took home the inaugural Acting Award.

The musical jury said, “It is especially meaningful that a musical category was created in the 60th anniversary year of musicals,” adding, “Works that win over audiences across generations and would be competitive on the world stage have emerged, proving the qualitative and quantitative growth of K-musicals. As stage art expands its boundaries and the musical category embarks on a new leap, the industry’s attention is focused on the fruits it will bear at this year’s Baeksang.”

Meanwhile, the Baeksang Arts Awards Naver Popularity Awards, chosen 100% by voting, were conducted over 12 days from April 24 to May 5. Among nominees across television, film, theater, and musicals, 41 male and 38 female candidates were listed, and after fierce balloting, film ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’ actor Park Ji-hoon (1,095,330 votes) and tvN drama ‘Chef of the Tyrant’ actress Im Yoon-ah (406,877 votes) were chosen by fans as the Naver Popularity Award winners.

[Television] △Grand Prize: Ryu Seung-ryong (JTBC ‘Manager Kim Who Works at a Major Company and Owns a Home in Seoul’) △Best Program (Drama): Netflix ‘Eunjong and Sangyeon’ △Best Program (Variety): MBC ‘Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung’ △Best Program (Factual): KBS 1TV ‘Docu Insight: Our Time Is Shining’ △Best Director: Park Shin-woo (tvN ‘Unknown Seoul’) △Best Screenplay: Song Hye-jin (Netflix ‘Eunjong and Sangyeon’) △Artistic Achievement: Kang Seung-won (KBS 2TV ‘The Seasons’/Music) △Best Actor: Hyun Bin (Disney+ ‘Made in Korea’) △Best Actress: Park Bo-young (tvN ‘Unknown Seoul’) △Best Supporting Actor: Yoo Seung-mok (JTBC ‘Manager Kim Who Works at a Major Company and Owns a Home in Seoul’) △Best Supporting Actress: Im Soo-jung (Disney+ ‘Fine: Country Bumpkins’) △Best New Actor: Lee Chae-min (tvN ‘Chef of the Tyrant’) △Best New Actress: Bang Hyo-rin (Netflix ‘Aema’) △Variety Performer (Male): Kian84 △Variety Performer (Female): Lee Su-ji

[Film] △Grand Prize: Yoo Hae-jin (‘The Man Who Lives with the King’) △Best Picture: ‘It Cannot Be Helped’ △Best Director: Yoon Ga-eun (‘Master of the World’) △Best New Director: Park Joon-ho (‘3670’) △Best Screenplay (‘Screenplay Award’): Byun Sung-hyun, Lee Jin-sung (‘Good News’) △Artistic Achievement: Lee Min-hwi (‘Pavane’/Music) △Best Actor: Park Jung-min (‘Face’) △Best Actress: Moon Ga-young (‘If We’) △Best Supporting Actor: Lee Sung-min (‘It Cannot Be Helped’) △Best Supporting Actress: Shin Se-kyung (‘HUMINT’) △Best New Actor: Park Ji-hoon (‘The Man Who Lives with the King’) △Best New Actress: Seo Soo-bin (‘Master of the World’) △Gucci Impact Award (GUCCI IMPACT AWARD): ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’

[Theater] △Baeksang Theatre Award: ‘Jellyfish’ △Young Theatre Award: Theatre Troupe Fire Chariot △Acting Award: Kim Shin-rok (‘Prima Facie’)

[Musicals] △Best Production: ‘Mongyudowon’ △Creative Award: Seo Byoung-gu (‘Evita’/Choreography) △Acting Award: Kim Junsu (‘Beetlejuice’)

[Special] △Naver Popularity Award (Male): Park Ji-hoon △Naver Popularity Award (Female): Im Yoon-ah