61st Baeksang Arts Awards

38 May 5, 2025May 5, 2025

by tccolb

Shin Dong-yup, Suzy, Park Bo-gum

The Baeksang Art Awards is upon us once again, this time celebrating its 61st installment, which coincided with Children’s Day in South Korea on May 5, 2025. To commemorate this special occasion, the night’s performance (found here) was put on by the most adorable group of child actors pretending to be adults at a future 91st Baeksang Arts Awards. Together, they sang a cover of Koyote’s Our Dream.

With Shin Dong-yup, Suzy, and Park Bo-gum taking up the mantle again as the show hosts, it’s now an 8-year tradition for the trio – though Park was away in 2021 to complete his army service. Suzy has also been in the game a little longer and reached her 10th year milestone as a Baeksang emcee.

This year’s nominees were selected from the various projects released over April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, covering films, theater, and TV/online content across a range of platforms. Marking a historic moment with unexpected choices on both the film and TV side, Culinary Class Wars ended up taking the big win for the latter and it’s the first time that a variety show won the Baeksang’s grand prize. The only other past daesang winners in the variety sphere were performers/hosts Kang Ho-dong and Yoo Jae-suk, in addition to PD Na Young-seok.

Congratulations to Culinary Class Wars as well as all the star-studded winners and nominees below!

TV:
Daesang (Grand Prize): Culinary Class Wars

Best Drama:

When Life Gives You Tangerines (Netflix)
Doubt (MBC)
Lovely Runner (tvN)
The Tale of Lady Ok (JTBC)
The Trauma Code – Heroes on Call (Netflix)

Variety Program:

Punghyanggo (Ddeun Ddeun, YouTube)
Ajossi Life (ChooSungHoon, YouTube)
Culinary Class Wars (Netflix)
Iron Girls (tvN)
Stage Fighter (Mnet)

Educational Program:

Hakchon Theater and Behind the Curtain, Kim Min-ki (SBS)
Modern Family (Wavve)
Shaman: Ghost Exhibition (TVING)
Where Will My Last Home Be (EBS)
With You Again After Becoming Wind (MBC)

Kim Tae-ri, Joo Ji-hoon, Yeom Hye-ran, Choi Dae-hoon

Top Excellence, Actress:

Kim Tae-ri (Jeongnyeon – The Star is Born)
Go Min-shi (The Frog)
IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Jang Nara (Good Partner)
Kim Hye-yoon (Lovely Runner)

Top Excellence, Actor:

Joo Ji-hoon (The Trauma Code – Heroes on Call)
Byun Woo-seok (Lovely Runner)
Han Seok-kyu (Doubt)
Lee Jun-hyuk (Dongjae the Good or the Bastard)
Park Bo-gum (When Life Gives You Tangerines)

Supporting Actress:

Yeom Hye-ran (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Jung Eun-chae (Jeongnyeon – The Star is Born)
Kim Gook-hee (Family Matters)
Kim Jae-hwa (The Tale of Lady Ok)
Oh Kyung-hwa (Jeongnyeon)

Supporting Actor:

Choi Dae-hoon (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Hyun Bong-shik (Dongjae the Good or the Bastard)
Kim Joon-han (Good Partner)
Noh Jae-won (Squid Game 2)
Yoon Kyung-ho (The Trauma Code – Heroes on Call)

Chae Won-bin, Choo Young-woo, Lee Soo-ji

New Actress:

Chae Won-bin (Doubt)
Ha Young (The Trauma Code – Heroes on Call)
Jo Yoon-soo (The Tyrant)
Kim Tae-yeon (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Noh Jung-eui (The Witch)

New Actor:

Choo Young-woo (The Tale of Lady Ok)
Cha Woo-min (Study Group)
Heo Nam-joon (Your Honor)
Kim Jung-jin (Doubt)
Song Geon-hee (Lovely Runner)

Variety, Female Performer:

Lee Soo-ji (Hot Issue, SNL Korea)
Hae-won (Work-dol)
Hong Jin-kyung (Screwballs, Study King Real Genius)
Jang Do-yeon (High School Mystery Club 3, Salon Drip)
Ji Ye-eun (Running Man, SNL Korea)

Variety, Male Performer:

Shin Dong-yup (SNL Korea, Zzan Brother)
Dex (Dex’s Fridge Interview, Fresh Off the Sea, Zombieverse)
Kim Won-hoon (Shortbox, SNL Korea)
Sung Shi-kyung (K-foodie Meets J-foodie, Let’s Eat)
Yoo Jae-suk (Punghyanggo, Whenever Possible)

Kim Hye-yoon, Byun Woo-seok

Directing:

PD Song Yeon-hwa (Doubt)
PD Jung Ji-in (Jeongnyeon – The Star is Born)
PD/Actor Kim Hee-won (Light Shop)
PD Kim Won-seok (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
PD Lee Do-yoon (The Trauma Code – Heroes on Call)

Script Writing:

Im Sang-choon (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Choi Yoo-na (Good Partner)
Kim Jung-min (Family Matters)
Lee Shi-eun (Lovely Runner)
Park Ji-sook (The Tale of Lady Ok)

Technical Art Award:

Jang Young-kyu (Music, Jeongnyeon – The Star is Born)
Jo Dong-hyuk (Fight Choreography, Study Group)
Lee Young-joo (Art, Culinary Class Wars)
Lee Jin-seok, Lee Deok-hoon (Cinematography, Doubt)
Hong Jung-ho, Lee Seung-je, Kim Dae-joon, and Kim Jung-min (Visual Effects, Hellbound 2)

PRIZM Popularity Award:

Byun Woo-seok (Lovely Runner)
Kim Hye-yoon (Lovely Runner)

FILM:

Daesang: Hong Kyung-pyo (Harbin) (the first ever cinematographer to win)

Best Picture:

Harbin
House of the Seasons
Love in the Big City
Revolver
Uprising

Best Director:

Oh Seung-wook (Revolver)
Lee Eon-hee (Love in the Big City)
Lee Jong-pil (Escape)
Park Yi-woong (The Land of Morning Calm)
Woo Min-ho (Harbin)

Best Screenplay:

Shin Chul, Park Chan-wook (Uprising)
Park Yi-woong (The Land of Morning Calm)
Oh Jung-min (House of Seasons)
Kim Hyung-joo, Yoon Jong-bin (The Match)
Oh Seung-wook, Joo Byul (Revolver)

Jeon Do-yeon, Jo Jung-seok, Soo-hyun, Yoo Jae-myung

Top Excellence, Actress:

Jeon Do-yeon (Revolver)
Jo Yeo-jung (Hidden Face)
Kim Geum-soon (Jeong-sun)
Kim Go-eun (Love in the Big City)
Song Hye-gyo (The Priests 2: Dark Nuns)

Top Excellence, Actor:

Jo Jung-seok (Pilot)
Hyun Bin (Harbin)
Lee Byung-heon (The Match)
Lee Hee-joon (Handsome Guys)
Yoon Joo-sang (The Land of Morning Calm)

Supporting Actress:

Soo-hyun (A Normal Family)
Gong Seung-yeon (Handsome Guys)
Han Sun-hwa (Pilot)
Im Ji-yeon (Revolver)
Jeon Yeo-bin (The Priests 2: Dark Nuns)

Supporting Actor:

Yoo Jae-myung (Land of Happiness)
Gu Kyo-hwan (Escape)
Jo Woo-jin (Harbin)
Jung Hae-in (I, the Executioner)
Park Jung-min (Uprising)

Roh Yoon-seo, Ha Seo-yoon, Hyeri, Park Ji-hyun

New Actress:

Roh Yoon-seo (Hear Me: Our Summer)
Ha Seo-yoon (Streaming)
Hyeri (Victory)
Lee Myung-ha (Mimang)
Park Ji-hyun (Hidden Face)

New Actor:

Jung Sung-il (Uprising)
Jang Sung-beom (Work to Do)
Kang Seung-ho (House of Seasons)
Moon Woo-jin (The Priests 2: Dark Nuns)
Noh Sang-hyun (Love in the Big City)

New Director:

Oh Jung-min (House of Seasons)
Jung Ji-hye (Jeong-sun)
Kim Se-hwi (Following)
Lee Mi-rang (Concerning My Daughter)
Nam Dong-hyup (Handsome Guys)

Technical Art Award:

Jo Young-wook (Music, Uprising)
Hong Kyung-pyo (Cinematography, Harbin)
Lee Seo-jin (Costume & Makeup, Pilot)
Park Byung-joo (Visual Effects, Wonderland)
Yoo Sang-seop, Jang Han-seung (Action, I, the Executioner)

Gucci Impact Award:

The Land of Morning Calm
Blesser
Jeong-sun
Love in the Big City
Voices of the Silenced

Jung Sung-il, Jang Sung-beom, Kang Seung-ho, Moon Woo-jin, Noh Sang-hyun

Go Min-shi, IU, Jang Nara

Jung Eun-chae, Kim Gook-hee, Kim Jae-hwa

Hyun Bong-shik, Kim Joon-han, Noh Jae-won, Yoon Kyung-ho

Ha Young, Jo Yoon-seo, Kim Tae-yeon, Noh Jung-eui

Lee Jun-hyuk, Cha Woo-min, Heo Nam-joon, Song Geon-hee

Hong Jin-kyung, Jang Do-yeon, Ji Ye-eun

Dex, Kim Won-hoon, Sung Shi-kyung, Yoo Jae-suk

Jo Yeo-jung, Kim Geum-soon, Kim Go-eun, Song Hye-gyo

Hyun Bin, Lee Byung-heon, Lee Hee-joon, Yoon Joo-sang

Gong Seung-yeon, Han Sun-hwa, Im Ji-yeon, Jeon Yeo-bin

Gu Kyo-hwan, Jo Woo-jin, Jung Hae-in, Park Jung-min

Via 10 Asia, News1

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1 OldLawyer

May 5, 2025 at 10:02 PM

Those kids were utterly adorable. What a special way to start the night.

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Fiona

May 6, 2025 at 4:17 PM

The little girl in the white dress is from CLOY!! She posed for a cute photo with Hyun Bin later on.

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2 Bunny Sonaki

May 5, 2025 at 10:15 PM

This year's awards feel less controversial than last year or the one before it, when I couldn't wrap my mind around most of the awards. I didn't watch the reality show, so I can't say much. But as much as I believe Kim Tae-ri was the ultimate winner in the best actress category and no one could surpass her performance, I thought it might have been for the best if she took the grand prize and IU got the best actress award. That would have been a win-win for everyone.

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3 Aunt Tim

May 5, 2025 at 10:35 PM

I know that many are saying that IU was robbed given how iconic her character was, but Kim Tae-ri's performance and training for that role is simply LEVELS ABOVE everyone else in that category. Never doubted her one bit.

And hurray for Jo Jung-seok for finally winning his first Baeksang! Very solid list of winners this year compared to last year.🎉

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panshel

May 5, 2025 at 10:54 PM

Which winners were unsolid last year (Moving, My Dearest, Knight Flower, Mask Girl, Exhuma, 12.12: The Day)?

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Aunt Tim

May 5, 2025 at 11:43 PM

Knight Flower, Mask Girl (except YHR), Worst of Evil. For the films, I have zero issues.

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Bunny Sonaki

May 5, 2025 at 11:47 PM

Worst o Evil earned an eye roll from me too

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4 panshel

May 5, 2025 at 10:42 PM

I didn't even like Tangerines, and yet I was rooting for it to win everything, except Daesang, which Culinary Class Wars deserves, and Best Actor for Ju Ji-hoon. IMO Park Bo-gum's nomination was only due to his name recognition as he wasn't even in two-thirds of the drama. Lovely Runner being nominated was a choice, and their spots could've been given to more deserving dramas and actors like Byun Yo-han in Uncle Samsik or Black Out.

I knew Choo Young-woo would win Best New Actor but lowkey hoped Kim Jeong-jin would because I looooved his character in Doubt (yes, I know he was a red flag). Cha Woo-min barely had any screen time in Study Group, so I think the nominee should've been Lee Jong-hyun instead.

Lee Su-hyun in Family Matters was ROBBED of a Best New Actress nomination! She is my girl crush of the year.

Nana was the best dressed of the night.

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Soyesterday

May 6, 2025 at 2:34 AM

Genuinely shocked at UI losing, i thought she had it in the bag, perhaps her fame and popularity worked against her.

Can't be mad at Kim Tae-ri winning though, the girl has range and talent in spades!!!

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5 Lostpanda is now Sadpanda. 🪦 fanwall 🪦

May 5, 2025 at 10:45 PM

IU deserves a good heartfelt hug for a job well done. It was another best actress snub. Honestly- this was her best chance.

I volunteer. I’ll give her that hug. 🤗 🥰 🫂

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6 Isa is always time travelling

May 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM

I'm very happy for Choo Young Woo. He was fantastic in Tale of Lady Ok. 👏👏

And although I have not watched Doubt, I know Chae Won-bin is a very good actress since I saw her in Love Attack.

The movie Uprising has been on my list since it aired. It has won awards for New actor, Music and Screenplay so now I am even more interested.

Congratulations to all the winners!

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7 Lostpanda is now Sadpanda. 🪦 fanwall 🪦

May 5, 2025 at 11:48 PM

Kim Tae-Ri is an award magnet.
And she’s adorable

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8 Reply1988 - 🍊Mother Bean🍊

May 5, 2025 at 11:57 PM

The children were brilliant, so cute. I recognised a few of them as the young versions of some of the adult actors.

Roh Yoon-seo deserved the award, she has been exceptional in all her dramas and films and is definitely one to look out for.

How tough was the competition in some of these categories? I am glad that the Tangerines writer and the mum got awards. Poor IU in any other group I think she would have walked it.

So glad that the fight choreography from Study Group was nominated as some of them were exceptionally funny as well technically great to watch. The visual effects in Wonderland were worthy of nomination too.

The Gucci Impact Award films seemed to cover a wide range of social issues hopefully some of them will be available to watch internationally.

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9 kay4625

May 6, 2025 at 2:22 AM

Overall a solid list of winners I think (I was more disappointed in some of the nomination snubs).

I did say not to underestimate Kim Tae-ri. Very deserved winner in what was arguably the most competitive category. It's sad that IU specifically didn't win anything, but I don't really wanna says she was snubbed either. If you wanna talk about who was snubbed: Moon So-ri. An actress so good they snubbed her twice in the same year.

Also congrats to all the guys who didn't just wear 50 shades of black.

Other great moments:
- Park Bo-gum and Hyeri in the photobooth.
- Kim Tae-ri and Park Chan-wook interacting.
- Apparently Jung Eun-chae took a photo of Tae-ri and Go Min-si together, which I hope they post (Min-si looked very happy to hear that she lost to Tae-ri).
- Shin Ye-eun and Woo Da-vi quickly congratulating Tae-ri on IG (they were snubbed, and you won't change my mind on that).

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Bunny Sonaki

May 6, 2025 at 2:40 AM

Totally agree on Shin Ye-eun being snubbed. Her performance in Jeong-nyeon was the best since her debut.

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tccolb

May 6, 2025 at 7:16 AM

Moon Sori 100% deserved a nod, her performance in both Jeongnyeon and Tangerines was phenomenal and were completely different characters.

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10 jerrykuvira

May 6, 2025 at 4:01 AM

What were the competitions for Daesang in both categories? Wikipedia no longer gives this information.

I thought Han Suk-kyu was snagging Best Actor or even Daesang. But I'll say that I was surprised with the Daesang winners. A cinematographer winning... It is really nice to see their work appreciate in this manner of grand gesture.

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tccolb

May 6, 2025 at 7:05 AM

If I understand correctly, the daesang is chosen from the nominees in any of the categories (prob except popularity as that's voted by the public). In the past, it's mostly been one from best drama/picture/acting/director/writer... but I think they're trying to make more of an effort to make it equal opportunity.

I didn't mention it in the post bc I didn't want it to get too wordy, but there was also a segment honoring the production crew who are often unseen in the industry. It lines up with their choice for film daesang as well as choosing the Kim Min-ki documentary for best educational program.

Kim Min-ki was a famous singer/musician who founded a small theater company (Hakchon) in 1993 to provide a stage for his fellow artists and help train future generations. He famously called himself "back stuff" (roughly translated 😅), being behind the curtain, while his artists were "front stuff". Many actors like Sol Kyung-gu and Lee Jung-eun are rooted from there. But Hakchon has since closed, around the time of Kim Min-ki's death last year.

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jerrykuvira

May 6, 2025 at 7:33 AM

"If I understand correctly,"
Thank you ttcolb but nope you didn't.
I meant the competitors for the category of Daesang in both categories. I know that unlikely the other categories where we know who is competing with who, Daesang's isn't known until 3 days to the award if not the award ceremony itself.

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PYC

May 6, 2025 at 9:16 AM

Thanks for mentioning the segment that honoured the production crew. I was so impressed by it - long overdue but really appreciate the thoughts behind it, not to mention the superb editing to put it together. A big thumbs up!

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11 Gikata

May 6, 2025 at 6:42 AM

Yay for my man JJH!
Culinary show bagging THE Daesang sure does say a lot about the current state of kdramaland overall.

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bong-soo

May 7, 2025 at 7:24 AM

I agree @gikata and a glance at Ratings Report for awhile now is another indication.

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Gikata

May 7, 2025 at 7:52 AM

To be fair, late spring has always been a bad season for drama viewership. Let's see if things improve during summer break.

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bong-soo

May 7, 2025 at 8:28 AM

The two kdramas I am live watching right now are the midweek PUMP UP THE HEALTHY LOVE and SPRING OF YOUTH (both available on Viki).
The ratings for both dramas are under 2%. Both are on big terrestrial networks: KBS and SBS. Perhaps the young folk are watching dramas on the big 3 networks less and less.

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Gikata

May 7, 2025 at 10:16 AM

Young folk long switched to streaming more or less. I'd say public channels have been doing better lately than they used to few years ago, altho not in regards to romcoms and youth dramas. Now cable, in other hand... Look at how tvN has fallen.

12 PYC

May 6, 2025 at 9:27 AM

I’m super happy at Choi Dae-hoon, Yeom Hye-ran and of course, Jo Jung-suk getting the long overdue gong! Very well deserved.

Much as I wish the Tangerines getting the Daesang, Culinary Class War is a global hit with a fresh concept that pushes Korean cuisine to the global stage.

Who are snubbed if you ask me - Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon!!

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peiyeelai

May 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM

They do deserve the nominations more than Park Bo Gum. More depth and emotions.

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13 bong-soo

May 6, 2025 at 10:09 AM

Bravo Yeom Hye-ran!

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panshel

May 6, 2025 at 11:09 AM

She is nominated almost every year.
2020 - When the Camellia Blooms
2021 - The Uncanny Counter
2023 - The Glory
2024 - Mask Girl
2025 - When Life Gives You Tangerines

Either she only chooses hits, or Best Supporting Actress has no competition.

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bong-soo

May 7, 2025 at 7:19 AM

Well, Yeom Hye-ran ‘Coming Attractions’:
1. Lee Jong-suk’s tvN’s legal drama LAW AND THE CITY
2. Han Suk-kyu’s new JTBC criminal profiler drama WHEN THE DAY BREAKS (which appears to be a Korean remake if the terrific crime cdrama THE LONG NIGHT
(2020) (iQIYI).
Perhaps the ‘hits’ choose YHR.

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Monapilou

May 14, 2025 at 3:42 AM

Comment was deleted

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Monapilou

May 14, 2025 at 3:43 AM

Yeom Hye-Ran IS the Queen of leading in a supporting role. If I see her in a Drama, I instantly know this cannot be a Bad show- she kills in every role. Love her!

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14 welh

May 6, 2025 at 10:54 AM

I read along with a newspaper’s live coverage of the Baeksang Awards. My few takes of the event:
1. It appears the prestige of film making has worn off as the drama broadcast awards were positioned as the top tier in recognition.
2. When Life Gives You Tangerines was headed for clean sweep, but none of the top actors won.
3. It seemed the voters and industry insiders pumped up studios and investors to keep making “theater films” (big budget films even if they are box office duds) by awarding Harbin two trophies.
4. 95 percent of the acting award winnings had no prepared acceptance speech. I understand the cultural humility of not expecting the award. Scriptwriters are needed in the future.
5. Before the show, there were a few people who thought certain actors were snubbed but no one has said that the winners did not deserve their awards. The next big award show, Blue Dragon, I believe is in the fall. The Grand Bell (the Korean version of Oscars) went bankrupt last year and its trademark was sold as part of the dissolution. It is unclear if it will hold an event in 2025.

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15 neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~

May 6, 2025 at 1:39 PM

YAY for Kim Tae-ri, remembering a few scenes from the drama still gives me goosebumps!! I loved WLGYT and happy that it won a few awards as well!

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16 Fiona

May 6, 2025 at 4:25 PM

A reminder that being nominated for one of these awards is already high recognition for these actors and performers - WLGYT won Best Drama so that celebrates everyone who contributed to its success.

I might check out Punghyanggo in the future.

Loved Kim Go Eun's dress and styling!

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IndigoRose

May 6, 2025 at 6:38 PM

Highly recommend PungyangGo. It’s only 4 episodes since it’s a spin off, but it is truly a delight to see these men travel to and navigate Vietnam (and each other) without using any apps. Also recommend watching the PinggyeGo episode which started it all when Hwang Jung-min had a slip of the tongue and ended up creating the spin off.

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17 Procrasti-NationFirstCitizen

May 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.
But somebody get them better Red Carpet lighting, for heaven's sake. It's so fluorescent, and the blue backdrop is not doing them any favours either. For a ceremony that gave the highest honour to a cinematographer, you'd think they would look closer at their on-ground optics as well.

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18 bomibeans

May 8, 2025 at 9:22 AM

Hong Jin-kyung in her leather-like dress takes the cake for best attire. She looks stunning!

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