In one of the funniest twists in the always controversial realm of Korean acting awards, the upcoming 52nd annual Grand Bell Awards (Daejong) just got a public and very major slap in the face today when it was announced that none of the Best Actor or Best Actress nominees would be attending the ceremony. This is not a shocker if one followed last month’s news that the Grand Bell Awards committee proclaimed that the award would only be given to a nominee who attended, so if the winner wasn’t present then the award would be given to the next highest vote getter.
So for the Best Actor and Best Actress nominees, banding together in a rare show of solidarity is pretty awesome if you ask me. The nominees not attending the ceremony are Yoo Ah In (nominated twice), Son Hyun Joo, Ha Jung Woo, Hwang Jung Min, Uhm Jung Hwa, Han Hyo Joo, Jeon Ji Hyun, Kim Yun Jin, Kim Hye Soo. And to pour salt on the wound, popularity vote winners like Kim Soo Hyun, Gong Hyo Jin, Yeo Jin Gu, and Seolhyun also won’t be present. Apparently excuses were given like busy filming a drama, pregnant, out of the country, etc., and now the Grand Bell committee has backtracked and said awards will be given to the winner even if not present.
Reportedly Hwang Jung Min might end up going, who knows, but Best New Actor nominees Lee Min Ho and Kang Ha Neul are confirmed to be in attendance. Also attending are Park Seo Joon and Lee Hyun Woo. I like the few that are going but this is turning into the saddest fan service awards ceremony ever.
I read the directors will not go too!
Total boycott would be the best
It is disaster if the big names won’t attend especially the winners .
I really loved how all the best actors/actresses nominees declined attending the ceremony, seriously what was the Grand Bell awards committee’s thinking coming up with the idea of giving the award to the attending actor but not to the real winner if he doesn’t show up?!!! it’s like an award for the actor’s attendance not for their hard work!!!
Hahahaha they boycotting the awards.
I understand the boycott perfectly. Everyone has always known that the awards were a mixture of cronyism and popularity contest, never a true award for great acting (really, some of the awards given out in the last few years have been laughable) but the polite fiction of “awards ceremony” was maintained by all. The awards committee, in effect, “broke character” by implementing a rule that clearly stated this was all about popularity and numbers – show your face or no new dustcatcher for your mantlepiece, buddy – so naturally the acting community was angry and annoyed. Only the newbies, too afraid of pissing off anyone, bent over for this latest indignity. And they can rescind the rule all they want, but the damage has been done…once an actor breaks character, it’s really, really hard to go back to that state where you really believe the story.
I’m glad they’re boycotting. Good for them! My question is this, why is LMH considered a best new actor? He’s been around for awhile now.
Gangnam Blues was his first leading role in a movie because his been busy on dramas since 09 but had 2 movies before 09 but was not the lead but after this year next year when his movie premiers he will contend for the best actor award. Movieland and dramaland are completely different. But his dramas has helped him land big budget movies for the long run in the future
I never follow his works but I think its his first movie? So he is considered new actor in movie field. Just like an actor can get best new actor each three years because its happen in different networks.
Because Daejong awards are for FILMS. And LMH had his first leading role in Gangnam Blues.
Thank you for clarification.
I actully don’t understand all this boycot thing? these who didn’t attend weren’t going to beat Jun Ji Hyun who is pregnant and about to give birth so she can’t attend no matter what and no actor was going to beat Hwang Jung-min from ode to my father for the best actor award attend or don’t attend because that guy and Ji Jun Hyun was clearly favorites to win this and the same goes for the Blue dragon Awards. there is no competition against these 2 right now. which puts all this controvers to sleep once and for all
Best Actor: Hwang Jung-min (Ode to My Father)
Best Actress: Jun Ji-hyun (Assassination)
Best New Actor: Lee Min-ho (Gangnam 1970)
Best New Actress: You-Young Lee (Late Spring)
Best Supporting Actor: Oh Dal-Su (Ode to My Father)
Best Supporting Actress: Kim Hae-sook (The Throne)
I don’t think they are going because they know they aren’t going to win. I think maybe it’s for some past issues they’ve encountered or future issues they may encountered that they want the awards ceremony to mean something rather than a head count of who attends, wins. Winning an award should be worthy but not because you showed up and you were the ‘next big thing’ on the list. There’s a bigger purpose on this and I’m glad they reacted.
Got to start somewhere…
So awesome. Good for them.
Most of the time the actors don’t go unless they get an award. I really don’t think it makes a difference. Plus Korean awards are a joke. I can’t think of any legit ceremonies that give out popularity awards.
I agree. I don’t even take Korean dramas seriously and I think that’s the problem and that’s why these actors are taking a stand… so it can change.
I don’t even take Korean award shows seriously**
I am proud of all the actors/actresses who had decided not to attend and united, they stand. But now it makes me question about all the previous winners who had won…like are they really the winners or was it because the actor could not attend?
Anyway, I respect the actors who decided to stand together!! FIGHTING!!!!
Finally some movements. The awards show are always biased anyway