61st Baeksang Arts Awards Breaks Ground with Historic Wins and Global Impact
Historic Firsts at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci
The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci, held at COEX in Seoul, showcased a sweeping celebration of Korean entertainment spanning television, film, and theater. This year’s ceremony stood out not only for the heightened global attention but also for setting several historical milestones.
‘Culinary Class Wars’ Wins First Ever Variety Grand Prize
In a groundbreaking moment, Netflix’s ‘Culinary Class Wars’ became the first variety program to ever receive the Grand Prize in the TV category. Crossing generational and cultural boundaries, this unique cooking survival show echoed well beyond Korean borders, forming a cultural movement with spin-offs and viral popularity worldwide.
‘폭싹 속았수다’ Dominates Drama Category
Korean drama ‘폭싹 속았수다’ won Best Drama for balancing massive public appeal with critical acclaim. With stunning direction, storytelling from writer Im Sang-choon, impressive performances, and poignant musical scores, it was lauded as the year’s standout series.
New Stars Rise and Legends Shine
Notable performance awards included Ju Ji-hoon for ‘중증외상센터’ and Kim Tae-ri for ‘정년이’, both recognized with Best Actor and Actress. The “Scene-stealing” supporting awards went to Choi Dae-hoon and Yeom Hye-ran for ‘폭싹 속았수다’. Rising stars Choo Young-woo and Chae Won-bin were awarded for their breakout roles.
Film Awards Mark a New Era
In another first, a behind-the-camera figure claimed the film Grand Prize: celebrated cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo for ‘Harbin’. This visual epic which spanned Mongolia, Latvia, and Korea brought cinematic excellence recognized by both public and peers. ‘Revolver’ and ‘전,란’ also garnered top honors, with Jeon Do-yeon and director Oh Seung-wook winning for Best Actress and Director respectively.
Theater Excellence Also Recognized
On stage, ‘퉁소소리’ secured the Grand Prize for Theater, while Kwak Ji-sook from ‘몰타의 유대인’ won Best Acting. The emerging company Gongnori Club Theater Troupe took home the Emerging Theater Award for their art-driven performance ‘말린 고추와 복숭아향 립스틱’.
Byun Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon Win Popularity Vote
The popularity award, determined by public vote, went to the ‘Runaway with Sunjae’ couple, Byun Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon, signaling their rising influence in K-content popularity charts.
With powerful reminders of K-content’s global impact and creative resilience, the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards not only rewarded outstanding talent but also forecasted the dynamic future of Korean entertainment on the world stage.
