[News Article] Disney+ and Netflix win big as Baeksang Arts Awards celebrates 60th edition
Disney+
and Netflix win big as Baeksang Arts Awards celebrates 60th edition
BY YOON SO-YEON, Korea JoongAng Daily - It was a
glorious night for grave diggers, military usurpers and webtoon-based dramas on
Disney+ and — once again — Netflix as they took home major honors at the 60th
Baeksang Arts Awards held Tuesday evening at southern Seoul's Coex, bustling
with Korea's biggest stars filling the halls. The film category saw a tie between last year's hit
historical drama "12.12: The Day" (2023) and Korea's monumental
occult film "Exhuma" splitting the majority of awards. The Grand Prize of the film section went to director
Kim Sung-su, who helmed "12.12: The Day," a modern historical drama
portraying nine hours during the historic day of Dec. 12, 1979, when Chun Doo
Hwan began a military coup to take control of the country. Actor Hwang Jung-min, who played the role of Chun, took
home the Best Actor award, while "12.12: The Day" received the Best
Film award. "It was a work that demanded the courage of
everyone involved," Hwang said upon receiving the award. "I had
lacked that courage but the director helped me find it within myself, telling
us that we all have that spark in us. Thank you so much." "And to my loving family and my wife, my forever
partner and my best friend Kim Mi-hye — I want to tell you that I love you so
much," Hwang said, tearing up as he closed his speech. The first domestic occult film to see 10 million
admissions in Korean cinema, "Exhuma," took home four awards,
including Best Director for auteur Jang Jae-hyun, Best Actress for lead actor
Kim Go-eun, Best Rookie Actor for Lee Do-hyun and Best Art award for sound
director Kim Byeong-in. "Exhuma" became the first-ever Korean occult
film to hit 10 million tickets and won eight nominations at this year's
Baeksang. "Last year was a very painful one for me,
personally," actor Kim Go-eun said, accepting her award. "But the
work was so fortunately happy — I felt excited and healed going to work. I
always work with a grateful heart, but 'Exhuma' made me do so even more. Thank
you to everyone at 'Exhuvengers.' I will always endeavor to be an actor who
tries hard and takes gratitude in everything." Rookie actor award winner Lee made a special thanks to
his family and Lim Ji-yeon, the fellow actor famed for her portrayal of the
cruel villainess in 2023's hit Netflix series "The Glory." Lee also
took part in "The Glory." "Thank you to my father, mother, sibling, dog
Gaeul and Jiyeon," he said. Best New Director went to Lee Jung-hong, who released
his first feature film "A Wild Roomer" (2023) to critical success.
Netflix original film "My Name is Loh Kiwan" saw actor Lee Sang-hee
take home the Best Supporting Actress award, while "Hopeless" (2023)
actor Kim Hyeong-seo, who is better known as singer Bibi, received the Best
Rookie Actress award. Netflix also won big in the television category as it
came face to face with Disney+, perhaps the biggest winner of this year.
Disney+ original fantasy action series "Moving" (2023) took home the
Grand Prize, as well as the Best Script and Best Rookie Actor. "Moving" is a fantasy action series based on
the Daum Webtoon — currently known as Kakao Webtoon — series of the same name
by webtoonist Kang Full. Kang took part in writing the script for the Disney+
original and received the Best Script award, the first webtoonist to do so at
Baeksang. "There are three cartoonists here today, including
myself," Kang said, receiving the award, mentioning fellow cartoonists and
entertainers Kian84 and Chimchakman. "But none of us are making cartoons,
which may be evidence of how difficult the job is. I want to send my support to
all fellow, junior and senior cartoonists out there." Another Disney+ original crime series, "The Worst
of Evil" (2023), had its producer Han Dong-wook take home the Best
Production award. Netflix original "Mask Girl" (2023) also took
home two awards, both for supporting roles. Ahn Jae-hong received the Best
Supporting Actor and Yeom Hye-ran was the winner of the Best Supporting Actress
award. "Mask Girl" is another webtoon-based drama
series, inspired by the crime thriller webtoon series of the same title on
Naver Webtoon. "We received such great responses after the
release of 'Mask Girl,' and I know everything was possible thanks to the best
staff out there," Yeom said. "It wouldn't have been just me — it would have
made any actor great. I felt the magical moment where I would just put on the
makeup, the costume and receive the spotlight and that would be enough to make
everything look like a picture-perfect scene. I really want to tell the staff
this has been the biggest honor of my life." Television programs didn't miss out. MBC's drama series
"My Dearest" (2023) took home Best Drama, and "Adventure By
Accident 2" garnered the Best Entertainment Program award. KBS 1TV's
two-part documentary program "The Japanese Man, Ozawa" was given the
Best Educational Program award. Best Actor went to "My Dearest" lead actor
Namkoong Min and Best Actress to Lee Ha-nee for her lead role in MBC drama
series "Knight Flower." Best Actress went to child actor Yuna of ENA
drama series "The Kidnapping Day" (2023). The Best Entertainer awards went to Nah Yung-suk and
Hong Jin-kyung. Nah became the first TV producer to win an entertainer's award
at Baeksang. “I would have never expected this to happen; I really
didn't see this coming," Nah said. "I have been focusing on my
YouTube communications rather than producing something. I think people actually
liked that. I'll keep trying everything I can. Thank you." The Baeksang Play award, given to the best play or
theater troupe, went to Theater Miin. Kang Hae-jin of Theater Miin received the
Best Actor award. Special popularity awards given by this year's sponsor
and stream platform Prizm went to actor Kim Soo-hyun and singer — and
entertainer these days — Ahn Yu-jin of girl group IVE. The Baeksang Arts Awards recognizes excellence in film,
television and theater in Korea and is one of the three most prestigious awards
ceremonies in the country, along with the Daejong International Film Awards and
the Blue Dragon Film Awards. This year's awards ceremony was broadcast live
simultaneously on local cable channels JTBC, JTBC2 and JTBC4, and digitally on
streaming platforms Tving and Prizm. Comedian Shin Dong-yup and actors Suzy and
Park Bo-gum were the hosts again, just as they were for the past seven years,
with the exception of 2021 when Park was serving in the military. Content on traditional broadcasters, cable channels,
streaming services and YouTube between April 1, 2023, until March 31 this year
was eligible for nomination, as well as Korean feature films and plays
performed domestically during the same period. Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-08/entertainment/television/Disney-and-Netflix-win-big-as-Baeksang-Arts-Awards-celebrates-60th-edition/2042013
2024.05.09