Baeksang Arts Awards Honors Best In Film And Television

The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards celebrated the best in Korean television and film on May 5, 2025, at the COEX D Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The event, hosted by Shin Dong-yup, Suzy, and Park Bo-gum, marked a significant night for the entertainment industry, showcasing remarkable talents and productions.

The Grand Prize in the Film category was awarded to Hong Kyung-pyo, the cinematographer of the movie Harbin. He expressed his gratitude through a representative from Hive Media Corp., stating, "While filming Harbin, the director, actors, and staff all called each other comrades and filmed it happily despite the hardships. I will share this joy and honor with my comrades who worked on the set of Harbin." The film, which depicts the activities of Ahn Jung-geun in Harbin in 1909, also won the Best Film award.

Jeon Do-yeon received the Best Actress award for her role in Revolver, where she expressed her appreciation, saying, "Revolver is a film that both me and the director started when we had nothing to do, hoping to tell a cheerful and refreshing story. I am grateful to all the actors, staff, audience members, and families who worked on Revolver. I look forward to meeting the audience again with a great project in the future."

Meanwhile, Jo Jung-seok won the Best Actor award for his performance in Pilot. He remarked, "I wanted to receive the award, but I didn’t expect it. I’m so grateful to have received the award. I’m grateful to everyone who worked with me on Pilot, including the production company, fellow actors, and the director. Personally, Pilot was a challenge, and I was worried about whether I could do well while filming, but everyone believed in me and supported me. I’m grateful to the audience and my family who loved me and acknowledged that it was a success, not a reckless challenge. I will continue to be an actor who challenges myself."

In the Broadcast category, the Grand Prize went to the Netflix series Black and White Chef: Culinary Class Wars. The show's director, Kim Hak-min, expressed his gratitude, stating, "I’m grateful to the two judges, Baek Jong-won and Ahn Sung-jae, who centered the program, and the chef contestants who gave it their all. Ten years ago, when I saw senior Na Young-seok receive the grand prize, I wondered, 'What would it feel like to receive the grand prize as a PD?' But Baeksang went crazy. It seems like something unbelievable happened."

Kim Tae-ri won the Best Actress award in the Broadcast category for her role in Jeongnyeon. She shared her thoughts, saying, "It was an honor to be able to act in the most brilliant era of women’s national theater and to live in it. I still respect the teachers who are continuing our tradition in that place. I feel ashamed that I am lacking in everything to receive such a grand award. If I were to interpret it positively, I tried not to compromise. It wasn’t the right answer, but I think it was the romance of that time. I want to do better next time."

Joo Ji-hoon from Trauma Center received the Best Male Acting Award in the Broadcast category. He expressed his appreciation to the viewers, saying, "I am grateful to the viewers who enjoyed, loved, and cherished Trauma Center. As I continue to work on projects, I feel deeply that there is nothing an actor can do alone without his colleagues. I feel like I am receiving love as a representative of Trauma Center. I will show you good acting. Lastly, I love the entire Trauma Center team."

This year marks the 61st anniversary of the Baeksang Arts Awards, which is Korea’s only comprehensive arts awards ceremony encompassing broadcasting, film, and theater. The event aims to promote the development of Korean popular culture and arts.

The ceremony also recognized other outstanding talents and productions. Fooled by a Thing emerged as a significant contender, winning four awards, including Best Drama and Best Script. The competition for the Best Actress award was notably fierce, with Kim Tae-ri ultimately taking the honor, surpassing nominees such as IU and Go Min-si.

In a notable twist, Black and White Chef became the first entertainment program to win the Grand Prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards, a recognition that highlights the rising status of Korean entertainment. Studio Slam's representative, Yoon Hyun-joon, expressed, "It is a great honor to receive the Grand Prize at Baeksang for an entertainment program. I hope people who create and do entertainment programs will receive more awards."

The Baeksang Arts Awards continues to adapt to the evolving landscape of content consumption, expanding its judging criteria to include cable, general, OTT, and web content. This year, the TV category was renamed the Broadcasting category, reflecting the changing dynamics of the industry.

As the night concluded, the winners and nominees celebrated their hard work and dedication to their craft. The Baeksang Arts Awards remains a testament to the vibrant and diverse talent within the South Korean entertainment industry, showcasing the creativity and innovation that continues to captivate audiences both domestically and internationally.