The Baeksang Arts Awards is an important event that started in 1964. It celebrates achievements in TV, film, and theater. The 59th Baeksang Arts Awards happened on April 28th, 2023, at the Paradise City Resort in Incheon. It was broadcasted live in Korea and on TikTok for international viewers. Around 1,723,992 people watched it on TV, and 1,982,420 watched it on TikTok, which is about 430,000 more than last year.
This special awards ceremony is like a festival for stars who have worked in TV, film, and theater throughout the year. It’s a great way for stars to connect with their fans and for everyone to have a good time. Shin Dong-yeop, Suzy (a singer/actor), and Park Bo-gum (an actor) hosted the show.
Park Eun-bin won the highly competitive Grand Prize in the TV category. She portrayed a character with autism spectrum disorder with brightness and love in the drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” and received excellent reviews. People said her performance wouldn’t have been possible without her.
The Best TV Drama award went to “The Glory” on Netflix. This drama shed light on the issue of school violence and showed how TV shows can change people’s perspectives and bring about social change.
Here is the list of the winners for the Baeksang Arts Awards 2023.
2023 Film Category of the Baeksang Arts Awards
Decision to Leave – The Grand Prize, The Best Director, and The Best Actress
Director: Park Chan-wook (The Best Director)
Starring: Tang Wei (The Best Actress), Park Hae-il, Lee Jung-hyun, and Go Kyung-pyo
Genre: Suspense, Crime, Drama, and Romance
Summary: From a mountain peak in South Korea, a man plummets to his death. Did he jump, or was he pushed? When Detective Hae-joon arrives on the scene, he begins to suspect the dead man’s wife Seo-rae. But as he digs deeper into the investigation, he finds himself trapped in a web of deception and desire.
The Night Owl – The Best Film, The Best New Director, and The Best Actor
Director: Ahn Tae-jin (The Best New Director)
Starring: Ryu Jun-yeol (The Best Actor), and Yoo Hae-jin
Genre: Period Thriller
Summary: Kyeong-Soo (Ryoo Jun-yeol) is a blind acupuncturist. He is unable to see anything during the daytime, but, strangely, he is able to see like a normal person at night. One evening, Kyeong-Soo happens to witness the death of the crown prince. This death leads King Injo (Yoo Hae-Jin) into madness. Kyeong-Soo attempts to reveal the truth behind the crown prince’s death.
Next Sohee – The Best Screenplay, The Best New Actress, and Gucci Impact Awards (Special Awards)
Starring: Kim Si-eun (The Best New Actress), and Bae Doona
Genre: Drama
Summary: The film revolves around a high school student, Sohee, who has to go on field training at a call center to receive her high school diploma. However, the call center company is just interested in scooping up cheap labor, not caring about their young employees.
Hunt – The Technical Award
Director: Lee Jung-jae
Starring: Lee Jung-jae, and Jung Woo-sung
Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure, Mystery
Summary: The International Unit and The Domestic Unit of the Korean Spy Agency are tasked with the mission of uncovering a North Korean Spy known as Donglim who is deeply embedded within their agency.
Hansan: Raising Dragon – The Best Supporting Actor
Starring: Park Hae-il, Byun Yo-han (The Best Supporting Actor), Ahn Sung-ki, Son Hyun-joo, and Kim Sung-kyu
Genre: Period Action
Summary: In 1592, Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his fleet face off against the might of the invading Japanese navy and its formidable warships. As the Korean forces fall into crisis, the admiral resorts to using his secret weapon, the dragon headships known as Geobukseon, in order to change the tide of this epic battle at sea.
6/45 – The Best Supporting Actress
Director: Park Gyu-tae
Starring: Go Kyung-pyo, Lee Yi-kyung, Eum Moon-suk, Park Se-wan (The Best Supporting Actress), and Kwak Dong-yeon
Genre: Comedy
Summary: A comical encounter occurs between South and North Korean soldiers over a 5.7 billion-won lottery ticket that crosses the Military Demarcation Line by a gust of wind.
Christmas Carol – The Best New Actor
Director: Kim Sung-Su
Starring: Jin Young (The Best New Actor)
Genre: Comedy
Summary: Joo Il-Woo (Jin Young) and Joo Wol-Woo (Jin Young) are identical twin brothers. One Christmas morning, Joo Wol-Woo is found dead. His death is classified as accidental but Joo Il-Woo is unable to accept the finding. He decides to take revenge on whoever is responsible for his brother’s death. Joo Il-Woo has one clue about his brother’s death. He heard a background voice when he last talked to his brother on a cell phone call. To find the culprit, Joo Il-Woo intentionally gets placed in the juvenile detention center.
2023 Television Category of the Baeksang Arts Awards
Extraordinary Attorney Woo – The Grand Prize, and The Best Director
Director: Yoo In-shik (The Best Director)
Starring: Park Eun-bin (The Grand Prize), Kang Tae-oh, Kang Ki-young, Jeon Bae-soo, Baek Ji-won, Jin Kyung, Ha Yoon-kyung, Joo Jong-hyuk, and Joo Hyun-young
Genre: Legal Drama
Summary: Brilliant attorney Woo Young-woo tackles challenges in the courtroom and beyond as a newbie at a top law firm and a woman on the autism spectrum.
The Glory – The Best Drama, The Best Actress, and The Best Supporting Actress
Starring: Song Hye-kyo (The Best Actress), Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon (The Best Supporting Actress) , Yeom Hye-ran, Park Sung-hoon, and Jung Sung-il
Genre: Drama
Summary: Years after surviving horrific abuse in high school, a woman executes an elaborate revenge scheme to make her bullies pay for their crimes.
My Liberation Notes – The Best Screenplay
Starring: Lee Min-ki, Kim Ji-won, Son Suk-ku, and Lee El
Genre: Drama
Summary: Three siblings, exhausted by the monotony of day-to-day adulthood, seek to find fulfillment and freedom from their unremarkable lives.
Little Women – The Technical Award
Director: Kim Hee-Won
Starring: Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun, and Park Ji-hu
Genre: Drama
Summary: Three sisters, who only have each other and never enough money, get entangled in a conspiracy involving the rich and powerful.
Reborn Rich – The Best Actor
Director: Jung Dae-yoon
Starring: Song Joong-ki, Lee Sung-min (The Best Actor), and Shin Hyun-been
Genre: Drama
Summary: Yoon Hyun Woo is a devoted, hard-working, and loyal secretary to the Jin family, which runs the lucrative Soonyang Group business empire. But one day, he is ruthlessly betrayed by the family, when they frame him for embezzlement. He dies shortly after – but is miraculously brought “back to life” when he wakes up inside the body of the youngest male member of the family – Jin Do Joon.
Narco-Saints – The Best Supporting Actor
Director: Yoon Jong-bin
Starring: Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin (The Best Supporting Actor), Yoo Yeon-seok, and Nubel Feliz Yan
Genre: Thrillers
Summary: An ordinary entrepreneur joins a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in South America. Based on true events.
Under the Queen’s Umbrella – The Best Rookie Actor
Director: Kim Hyung-sik
Starring: Kim Hye-soo, Kim Hae-sook, Moon Sang-min (The Best Rookie Actor), and Choi Won-young
Genre: Period Drama
Summary: A spirited queen tries to rein in her rowdy sons in order to make one of them the next king of Joseon, while her competitors vie to snatch the throne.
Crash Course in Romance – The Best Rookie Actress
Director: Yoo Je-won
Starring: Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Kyung-ho, Roh Yoon-seo (The Best Rookie Actress), Oh Eui-shik, and Lee Bong-ryun
Genre: Comedies
Summary: A mother with a heart of gold navigates the cutthroat world of private education when her daughter tries to join a celebrity math instructor’s class.
Here are all the winners of the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards:
Best Director (TV): Yoo Insik (Extraordinary Attorney Woo)
Best Director (Film): Park Chan Wook (Decision to Leave)
Male Rookie (TV): Moon Sang Min (Under The Queen’s Umbrella)
Female Rookie (TV): Roh Yoon Seo (Crash Course in Romance)
Male Rookie (Film): Park Jinyoung (Christmas Carol)
Female Rookie (Film): Kim Sei Eun (Next Sohee)
Rookie Director: Ahn Tae Jin (The Night Owl)
TikTok Popularity Award (Male): Park Jinyoung
TikTok Popularity Award (Female): IU
Best Technical Achievement: Little Women (TV), Hunt (Film)
Best Writer: My Liberation Notes (TV)
Best Screenplay: Next Sohee (Film)
Youth Award for Theater: We Now Archive
GUCCI Impact Award: Next Sohee
Best Entertainment Program: Psick Show
Best Entertainer (Male): Yoon Sieun
Best Entertainer (Female): Lee Eunji
Best Supporting Actor (TV): Jo Woo Jin (Narco-Saints)
Best Supporting Actress (TV): Lim Ji Yeon (The Glory)
Best Supporting Actor (Film): Byun Yohan (Hansan: Rising Dragon)
Best Supporting Actress (Film): Park Se Wan (6/45)
Best Actor (TV): Lee Sung Min (Reborn Rich)
Best Actress (TV): Song Hye Kyo (The Glory)
Best Actor (Film): Ryu Jun Yeol (The Night Owl)
Best Actress (Film): Tang Wei (Decision to Leave)
Best Educational Show: A Man Who Heals The City
Best Drama: The Glory
Best Film: The Night Owl
Best Drama Daesang: Park Eun Bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo)
Best Film Daesang: Decision To Leave
