The Nominees Are In: 61st Baeksang Arts Awards Unveils This Year’s Contenders

Get ready for another star-studded evening—the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards is officially on its way, and the full list of nominees is finally here!

The prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards stands as a shining celebration of creative brilliance, honoring the very best across broadcasting, film, and theatre. Each year, it brings together Korea’s most captivating talents and groundbreaking productions, recognizing the stars who lit up our screens and the stories that moved hearts and sparked conversations. From powerful performances to unforgettable storytelling, the event applauds the artistry that defines an entire year of entertainment.

 

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Among the nominated works are fan-favorites like ‘Lovely Runner’, ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’, and ‘Revolver’, making this year’s lineup a thrilling mix of mainstream hits and critical darlings. The Netflix drama ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ emerged as a leading contender, earning eight nominations including Best Drama, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

Let’s dive into some of the major nominations:

In the TV/Drama categories:

From emotionally charged period pieces to genre-defining sci-fi thrillers, this year’s television nominees reflect the evolving landscape of Korean storytelling. Whether airing on traditional broadcasters or global OTTs, these dramas left lasting impressions on both critics and viewers.

Best Drama nods went to some of the popular titles:

1.  tvN’s ‘Lovely Runner’
2. Netflix’s ‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’
3. ‘The Tale of Lady Ok’
4. ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’
5. MBC’s ‘DOUBT’

Leading the Best Actor category are Powerhouse names:

1. Park Bo Gum (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
2. Byeon Woo Seok (‘Lovely Runner’)
3. Lee Jun Hyuk (‘Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard’)
4. Ju Ji Hoon (‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’)
5. Han Suk Kyu (‘Doubt’)

The Best Actress nods went to the Seasoned Powerhouse talents:

1. Go Min Si (‘The Frog’)
2. Kim Tae Ri (‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’)
3. Kim Hye Yoon (‘Lovely Runner’)
4. IU (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
5. Jang Nara (‘Good Partner’)

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Kim Jun Han (‘Good Partner’)
2. Roh Jae Won (‘Squid Game 2’)
3. Yoon Kyung Ho (‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’)
4. Choi Dae Hoon (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
5. Hyeon Bong Sik (‘Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard’)

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Kim Guk Hee (‘Family Matters’)
2. Kim Jae Hwa (‘The Tale of Lady Ok’)
3. Yeom Hye Ran (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
4. Oh Kyung Hwa (‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’)
5. Jung Eun Chae (‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’)

Best New Actor:

1. Kim Jung Jin (‘Doubt’)
2. Song Geon Hee (‘Lovely Runner’)
3. Cha Woo Min (‘Study Group’)
4. Choo Young Woo (‘The Tale of Lady Ok’)
5. Heo Nam Jun (‘Your Honor’)

Best New Actress:

1. Kim Tae Yeon (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
2. Roh Jeong Eui (‘The Witch’)
3. Jo Yoon Soo (‘The Tyrant’)
4. Chae Won Bin (‘Doubt’)
5. Ha Young (‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’)

Laughter, life lessons, and pure entertainment—this category celebrates the shows and stars who kept viewers engaged, uplifted, and binge-watching. Whether through heartwarming interviews or competitive flair, variety content continues to shine.

Best Male Entertainer:

1. Kim Won Hoon
2. Dex
3. Sung Si Kyung
4. Shin Dong Yup
5. Yoo Jae Suk

Best Female Entertainer:

1. Lee Soo Ji
2. Jang Do Yeon
3. Ji Ye Eun
4. Haewon
5. Hong Jin Kyung

Best Variety Show:

1. tvN ‘Iron Girls’
2. Mnet ‘Stage Fighter’
3. Choo Sung Hoon ‘Ajossi’s Life’ (literal title)
4. DdeunDdeun ‘Punghyanggo’
5. Netflix’s‘ Culinary Class Wars’

Best Educational Show:

1. EBS ‘Docuprime-Where Is My Final Home’ (literal title)
2. Wavve ‘Just Family’ Wonju
3. MBC ‘Saddle the Wind with You 2’
4. SBS ‘Special-Hakjeon’ (literal title)
5. TVING ‘Shaman: Whispers from the dead’

Behind every standout production are the creators shaping the magic—screenwriters, directors, and technical artists. These nominations recognize the creative visionaries and teams who crafted unforgettable stories, visually and emotionally.

Best Director:

1. Kim Won Seok (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
2. Kim Hee Won (‘Light Shop’)
3. Song Yeon Hwa (“Doubt’)
4. Lee Do Yoon (‘The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’)
5. Jung Ji In (‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’)

Best Screenplay:

1. Kim Jung Min (‘Family Matters’)
2. Park Ji Sook (‘The Tale of Lady Ok’)
3. Lee Si Eun (‘Lovely Runner’)
4. Im Sang Choon (‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’)
5. Choi Yu Na (‘Good Partner’)

Best Technical Direction: 

1. Lee Young Joo (‘Culinary Class Wars’ – art)
2. Lee Jin Suk, Lee Deok Hoon (‘Doubt’ – camera)
3. Jang Yeong Gyu (‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’ – music)
4. Jo Dong Hyuk (‘Study Group’ – stunt coordination)
5. Hong Jung Ho, Lee Seung Je, Kim Dae Joon, Kim Jung Min (“Hellbound 2” – VFX

In the Film division:

Korean cinema continues to push boundaries, and this year’s film nominations highlight powerful narratives, star-studded casts, and bold directorial visions. From historical retellings to gripping modern dramas, these works defined the past year in film.

Best Film contenders include:

1. ‘Love in the Big City’
2. ‘Revolver’
3. ‘House of the Seasons’
4. ‘Uprising’
5. ‘Harbin’

Best Actor:

1. Yoon Joo Sang (‘The Land of Morning Calm’)
2. Lee Byung Hun (‘The Match’)
3. Lee Hee Joon (‘Handsome Guys’)
4. Jo Jung Suk (‘Pilot’)
5. Hyun Bin (‘Harbin’)

Best Actress:

1. Kim Go Eun (‘Love in the Big City’)
2. Kim Geum Soon (‘Jeong-Sun’)
3. Song Hye Kyo (‘Dark Nun’)
4. Jeon Do Yeon (‘Revolver’)
5. Cho Yeo Jeong (‘Hidden Face’)

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Koo Kyo Hwan (‘Escape’)
2. Park Jung Min (‘Uprising’)
3. Yoo Jae Myung (‘Land of Happiness’)
4. Jung Hae In (‘I, the Executioner’)
5. Jo Woo Jin (‘Harbin’)

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Gong Seung Yeon (‘Handsome Guys’)
2. Claudia Kim (‘A Normal Family’)
3. Lim Ji Yeon (‘Revolver’)
4. Jeon Yeo Been (‘Dark Nuns’)
5. Han Sun Hwa (‘Pilot’)

Fresh, fearless, and full of promise—this year’s breakout stars made their presence known with impactful debuts. Whether lighting up the screen or commanding the stage, these rising talents are ones to watch in the years to come.

Best New Actor:

1. Kang Seung Ho (‘House of the Seasons’)
2. Noh Sang Hyun (‘Love in the Big City”/’)
3. Moon Woo Jin (‘Dark Nuns’)
4. Jang Sung Bum (‘Work To Do’) 
5. Jung Sung Il (‘Uprising’)

Best New Actress:

1. Roh Yoon Seo (‘Hear Me: Our Summer’)
2. Park Ji Hyun (‘Hidden Face’)
3. Lee Myung Ha (‘Mimang’)
4. Hyeri (‘Victory’)
5. Ha Seo Yoon (‘Streaming’)

Best Scenario: 

1. Kim Hyung Joo, Yoon Jong Bin (‘The Match’)
2. Park Yi Woong (‘The Land of Morning Calm’)
3. Shin Chul, Park Chan Wook (‘Uprising’)
4. Oh Seung Wook, Joo Byul (‘Revolver’)
5. Oh Jung Min (‘House of the Seasons’)

Great stories are built by great minds. This category shines a spotlight on the directors, writers, and technical artists whose behind-the-scenes brilliance shaped some of the year’s most unforgettable moments in entertainment.

Best Director:

1. Park Yi Woong (‘The Land of Morning Calm’)
2. Oh Seung Wook (‘Revolver’)
3. Woo Min Ho (‘Harbin’)
4. Lee Eon Hee (‘Love in the Big City’)
5. Lee Jong Pil (‘Escape’)

Best New Director:

1. Kim Se Hwee (‘Following’)
2. Nam Dong Hyeop (‘Handsome Guys:)
3. Oh Jung Min (‘House of the Seasons’)
4. Lee Mi Rang (‘Concerning My Daughter’)
5. Jung Ji Hye (‘Jeong-Sun’)

Best Technical Direction:

1. Park Byung Joo (‘Wonderland’ – VFX)
2. Yoo Sang Seop, Jang Han Seung (‘I, the Executioner’ – action)
3. Lee Seo Jin (‘Pilot’ – makeup)
4. Jo Young Wook (‘Uprising’ – music)
5. Hong Kyung Pyo (‘Harbin’ – camera)

The Gucci Impact Award also returns for the third time, this year, recognizing socially conscious works that spark conversations, featuring nominees like ‘Blesser’ and ‘The Voices of the Silenced’.

Gucci Impact Award:

1. ‘Blesser’
2. ‘Love in the Big City’
3. ‘The Voices of The Silenced’
4. ‘The Land of Morning Calm’
5. ‘Jeong-Sun’

This year’s contenders were carefully selected from works released between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, with eligibility rules covering OTT releases, broadcast dramas, and films. With a balanced blend of debut brilliance and seasoned excellence, this year’s Baeksang nominees promise a ceremony full of excitement, surprises, and celebration.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 5 at 8 p.m. KST(4 PM IST) at COEX D Hall in Seoul, and will be broadcast live via JTBC, JTBC2, and JTBC4.

Written by Sharanya

 

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