2011 MBC Drama Awards

by javabeans

Oh, MBC. I can always count on you for some awards-time whatthefuckery. Three years ago it was split Daesangs (daesang = Grand Prize), giving the same award to Kim Myung-min and Song Seung-heon and doubling awards in every category. Two years ago, there were more split awards, and last year we had the bizarre “Character Daesangs” (“Crude Language Award,” “Hot Temper Award,” and so forth).

This year, no actors were forced to share the Daesang…because it basically went to a drama instead. What the what? (Last year, Drama of the Year was a viewers’ pick award. This year it took the place of the Daesang, even if it wasn’t officially called one.)

Part of what makes MBC such a weird award in my opinion is that they never seem to know what they’re doing. If you’re going to make weird categories a thing, then stick with it — but if you’ll compare past years with each other, you’ll see that they keep changing things around. It makes them seem desperate, scrambling to appease everyone. Add to that the fact that in recent years, MBC has typically had the weakest drama performances of the three broadcast stations (remember when MBC was the Drama Kingdom?). So with weak competition, you get awards being doled out to some middling dramas, while others are overlooked entirely.

It must be noted that these awards are hardly ever based strictly on merit. They’re given out by the broadcaster, so they’re more a measure of which dramas and stars they want to thank/bribe/flatter. It’s partially a popularity contest, and partially politicking; it’s a given that the big ratings hits will rake in a lion’s share of awards. I still reserve the right to gripe about their choices.

You’ll see that this year, the broadcaster has once again introduced new categories and done away with others. They’ve gotten a lot of flak in past years for splitting awards, so this year they haven’t split many… because instead, they split award categories, which essentially achieves the same thing. Oh, MBC, always trying to please everyone and therefore pleasing no one. Maybe you’ll get a decent hit in 2012.

WINNERS LIST

Drama of the Year: Best Love
Top Excellence, Miniseries, Actor: Cha Seung-won (Best Love)
Top Excellence, Miniseries, Actress: Gong Hyo-jin (Best Love)
Top Excellence, Serial Drama, Actor: Kim Seok-hoon (Twinkle Twinkle)
Top Excellence, Serial Drama, Actress: Kim Hyun-joo (Twinkle Twinkle), Shin Aera (Indomitable Daughters in Law)

Excellence Award, Miniseries, Actor: Kim Jae-won (Can You Hear My Heart)
Excellence Award, Miniseries, Actress: Lee Bo-young (Hooray For Love), Hwang Jung-eum (Can You Hear My Heart)
Excellence Award, Serial Drama, Actor: Ji Hyun-woo (A Thousand Kisses)
Excellence Award, Serial Drama, Actress: Lee Yuri (Twinkle Twinkle)

New Actor, Miniseries: Lee Ki-kwang (My Princess), Park Yoo-chun (Miss Ripley)
New Actress, Miniseries: Seo Hyun-jin (The Duo), Hyo-min (Kye Baek)
New Actor, Serial Drama: Park Yoon-jae (Indomitable Daughter in Law)
New Actress, Miniseries: Honey Lee (Indomitable Daughter in Law)

Best Couple Award: Cha Seung-won, Gong Hyo-jin (Best Love)
Popularity Award: Kim Jae-won (Can You Hear My Heart), Gong Hyo-jin (Best Love)
Golden Acting Award, Miniseries: Jung Bo-seok (Can You Hear My Heart, Stormy Lovers), Bae Jong-ok (Hooray For Love)
Golden Acting Award, Serial Drama: Cha Hwa-yeon (A Thousand Kisses), Gil Yong-woo (Twinkle Twinkle)

Special Award: Kim Young-ae (Royal Family), Yoon Tae-young (Late Night Hospital)
Producer’s Award: Kim Jung-tae (Miss Ripley, Can’t Lose), Choi Jong-hwan (Kye Baek, The Duo), Song Ji-hyo (Kye Baek)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Kang Bu-ja (Indomitable Daughter in Law)
Child Actor Award: Kim Yoo-bin (Hooray For Love), Yang Han-yeol (Best Love)

Writer of the Year Award: Bae Yumi (Twinkle Twinkle), Hong Jung-eun, Hong Mi-ran (Best Love)
Foreign Film Dubbing Award: Park Sun-young

On to the clothes:

 
Now, I love Best Love as much as MBC probably does, and I have no qualms with it winning Drama of the Year. But if you’re going to essentially give the Daesang to the show, why not just throw it to Cha Seung-won, who was a shoo-in to take it and won the top acting award anyway?

In any case, here he is, looking fine. 2011 was the year of facial hair for him, wasn’t it? He demonstrated that he can have too much (Athena) and too little (Best Love), and also just enough (keep it like this forever, please?).

 
Gong Hyo-jin takes home her third Top Excellence Award from MBC; this year it’s for Best Love, but she’s also got one for Pasta last year and Thank You in 2007. I admit I was iffy on the dress until I realized it had pockets (dresses with pockets = best thing ever), and then it was all-out love.

 
Twinkle Twinkle / All That Glitters / Sparkling was a pretty successful show for MBC, so despite how convoluted the plot reportedly became, it still got its fair share of awards. Lead actress Kim Hyun-joo got one of them, and came dressed in a burn orange gown with some killer strappy heels. One thing I can say about these awards is that I was a big fan of all the color.

 
Another big show this year: Can You Hear My Heart. Here’s the crew, including Hwang Jung-eum, wearing white…

 
…and her co-star Kim Jae-won, he of the famous smile, making his first appearance after recovering from the injury that took him out of Me Too, Flower. At least his Can You Hear My Heart role netted him an acting award here.

 
Jung Bo-seok also took an award for Can You Hear My Heart, as well as the ill-fated Stormy Lovers:

 
And the crew is rounded out by Namgoong Min. Now, I’m not a fan of brown suits. But he wears his well.

 
Lee Bo-young is probably one of the best-dressed ladies of the event, with her asymmetrical black gown. More than the form-fitting gown, though, I think it’s the styling that makes the look — simple and chic. She won for her weekend drama Hooray For Love.

 
Here’s her Hooray For Love co-star Lee Tae-sung, who I swear is looking more and more like Rain:

 
Honey Lee was the host for the event alongside Jung Jun-ho, and also picked up an award for daily drama Indomitable Daughter in Law. I love the red color, but hate that dress — the sequins, the black belt, the cut, the not-quite-matchy red shoes. Slap a perm on that head and she’s a lounge singer in the ’80s. Tootsie was a movie, not a fashion statement.

 
Ji Hyun-woo was another winner, for weekend drama A Thousand Kisses. I refer the classic single-breasted tux on men (does anybody ever look better in a double-breasted suit?), but he looks crisp in his.

 
Yay for more color! Seo Hyun-jin (The Duo) wears a gorgeous peachy-gold color, though I think she could’ve looked better with a younger hairdo. I wish she’d gone for something either more sleek, or more tousled and flowy. Something less helmet-heady. It’s pretty… for prom, maybe.

 
My first thought upon seeing Lee Yuri (Twinkle Twinkle) is that her dress is the older, sluttier sister to Seo Hyun-jin’s similarly gold-colored dress above. You know — unni dress likes tighter, shinier, and sparklier, while her little sister dress prefers to show a little cleavage and leave it that.

 
Yoon Tae-young was in a late-night show that flew under the radar (Late Night Hospital), but he’s a big star for MBC, and was given a “Special Award.” Somehow calling something special makes it seem less special. Are you trying to appease him after cutting his last drama Strike Love down? I just hope Yoon gets a great part in a hit drama soon, because he’s a wonderful actor.

 
Sohn Dam-bi is in MBC’s currently airing drama Light and Shadow, playing an entertainer. I think she looks great… even though it also looks like she’s wearing a huge sparkly collar on an invisible leash. Like the kind that go zap when you get too far or close to something. Like a precaution against runaway bride syndrome. Oh god, what a horrible idea.

 
Shin Aera and Park Yoon-jae both won for Indomitable Daughter In Law, which took a large share of awards:

 
Kim Jung-tae has had a pretty big year, with lots of roles bringing him attention. In this case it was Miss Ripley; his Producer’s Award was technically also for Can’t Love, but everyone knows that playing a scene-stealing psycho-possessive villain is way more interesting than playing the good bumbling guy. He didn’t his reputation for being Scary Ajusshi (and hanging out in abandoned warehouses) for nuthin’. Can’t wait to see him running the school in Dream High 2.

 
Jo Yoon-hee‘s last drama was Lie To Me, but since that’s an SBS show she’s probably here at MBC because she was in Goldfish last year. She looks pretty, but the longer I look at her gown, the weirder it gets. The fit seems oddly loose up top, and mock turtleneck isn’t exactly a look you’d expect at a formal award show. On the other hand, shiny shoes! I’m a sucker for a strappy sandal.

 
Okay, I am not familiar with Kang Kyung-heon (Indomitable Daughters In Law), but I love her sass in this statement-maker. Now this is how to wear a red gown — Honey Lee, take notes! Love the black shoe, love her I-rock-and-I-know-it attitude.

 
Veteran actress Bae Jong-ok was given an award for weekend series Hooray For Love. As you know, I’m not a fan of the hairy yeti fashion trend, but yunno, some people like it.

 
Kim Yeon-joo (Man of Honor) has a pretty wispy pink on, and reminds me of Nam Gyuri. In fact, I half-expect to see Nam Gyuri wearing this at the SBS Awards. Maybe she’s scrambling right now to find another appropriate almost-bridal gown for her big night, now that she’s been scooped.

 
Ding Dong! I guess we ought to learn his name now — it’s Yang Han-yeol — and the adorable tyke from Best Love and Thousand Day Promise got a child actor prize for the former. Now here’s a kid who’s made the bowl cut work for him. I find it adorable how his vest buttons are straining at the bottom. He looks like a little maestro.

 
Ha Yumi (Queen of Reversals) wears a draped pink number that’s growing on me. Hate the clutch and the shoes, but the bubble-gum pink dress is fun and the cut flattering.

 
Erm… can’t say I like the lace back on this gown worn by Jeon Ik-ryung (Indomitable Daughter in Law, Sign), or the sleeves of this gown, which make her look matronly — apparently she’s only 30 years old. I would’ve pegged her for at least a decade older. Eep. On the upside, the color’s nice.

Eeeee, is this not the cutest thing ever? I think it’s my favorite thing of the night. These brothers should always go to events together. It’s the Cuteness Law of the Universe: Putting two things of similar cuteness together equals more cuteness than the sum of individual cutenesses. Or something.

Park Yoo-chun and Park Yoo-hwan were here at MBC’s event to pick up hyung’s newcomer award for Miss Ripley. Will they also show up as each other’s dates for little bro’s big night tomorrow at the SBS Awards? We can only hope.

Via Newsen

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