Held in a subdued, reflective atmosphere on Parents' Day, 'The King's Warden' and 'The Dream Life of Mr. Kim' lead major wins
Amid a relatively quieter year for K-content without a major global breakout title, the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards kicked off Friday with the historical drama "The King's Warden" and "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim" emerging as one of the night's biggest winners.
Held Friday at Coex in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the ceremony began at 7:50 p.m. and ran for over four hours under the theme "the stage," spotlighting the shared platform where artists across television, film, theater, and musicals showcase their work. The awards honored pop culture content aired between April 2025 and March 2026, spanning TV series, variety shows, films, and live performance including plays and musicals.
The ceremony unfolded in a notably solemn and reflective atmosphere, coinciding with Parents' Day. A special tribute segment honored late cultural icons including Lee Soon-jae and Ahn Sung-ki, with recordings of their voices resonating throughout the venue to lend a contemplative tone to the ceremony.
In the film category, the Grand Prize went to Yoo Hai-jin for his performance as the empathetic village leader Heung-do in "The King's Warden." The film also made history as the first in years to surpass 10 million admissions, marking a major box office milestone.
On the television side, the Grand Prize was awarded to "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim," a human drama chronicling a middle-aged man's sudden layoff and his attempt to rebuild his life, which resonated widely with viewers during its run. Ryu Seung-ryong reflected on the win, saying the series contained elements that could easily have been overlooked in traditional drama frameworks -- adding gratitude to those who supported a project that took creative risks.
The Best Film award went to auteur Park Chan-wook for "No Other Choice." In his acceptance speech, he said he believed the judging was fair, describing the film as one filled with humor. He added that in moments of anger or sadness, it is important to keep attempting humor, including self-deprecating jokes, as a way to release emotional pressure and find an outlet.
He continued, noting his past international results, saying he had not won at the Venice Film Festival nor reached the Oscars, but had won at Baeksang, and joked that audiences could "trust what I'm saying."
In television acting, Hyun Bin took home Best Actor for "Made in Korea." On stage, he delivered a personal note of thanks to his wife Son Ye-jin, who was present in the audience for her role in "No Other Choice," and their son, expressing gratitude for their support throughout filming.
In the film category, there was a notable upset in the Best Director race, with director Yoon Ga-eun taking the honor for the indie film "The World of Love," prevailing over a competitive field that included Park Chan-wook of "No Other Choice" and Jang Hang-joon of "The King's Warden." The independent film centers on a high school girl named Joo-in, a survivor of sexual violence, as she confronts the prevailing notion that a victim's life is irreparably destroyed and instead seeks to reclaim agency over her life and learn to love herself on her own terms.
In her acceptance speech, Yoon reflected on the inherently collaborative nature of filmmaking, emphasizing that cinema is never the work of a single director alone.
"I learned so much throughout making this film -- from books about cinema, to online articles, posts, and even comments," shared Yoon.
Meanwhile, in the television category, Best Director went to "Our Unwritten Seoul," a contemporary drama about twin sisters living distinctly different lives between the city and the countryside.
Accepting the award, director Park Shin-woo offered a pointed reflection on the industry and society at large, saying, "We live in an era where, if you are deemed useless, you are pushed aside and left behind. Even so, I believe television dramas should exist for those who have nowhere to rely on and nowhere else to go -- that is the true purpose of drama. I will work even harder toward that."
The television variety award went to Kian84, who edged out strong contenders including Kim Won-hoon Kwak Beom, and Lee Seo-jin. He credited his decade-long career as a webtoon artist and the production team behind his variety work, noting that every appearance at Baeksang still feels new to him, while the female variety award went to Lee Su-ji for the second consecutive year.
Initially appearing on stage as a presenter, Lee was overcome with emotion after being announced as the winner, struggling to deliver her acceptance speech. She reflected on moments of exhaustion and pressure, recalling advice from senior entertainer Shin Dong-yup that approaching others with warmth leads to personal growth.
This year's ceremony also marked a first for the inclusion of musicals, expanding Baeksang's scope as a platform recognizing excellence across all forms of popular culture, from screen to stage.
In the newly established Best Musical category, "Arang" took home the inaugural award, while the Best Musical Acting award went to longtime musical performer and K-pop singer Kim Jun-su for his role in "Beetlejuice."
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
