I still remember when the Korea Drama Awards started and it seemed like a joke but now it’s been 15 years and still going strong as part of the annual Korea Drama Festival. It’s also good that it happens in the fall as an outlier as the prestigious awards are usually in the spring while the network prizes are awarded at year end. This year Honey Lee won the Daesang for her role in Knight Flower, which also won her the Baeksang Best Actress earlier this year. Queen of Tears won for Best Drama and of course cue the yay-nays on this selection. Best Actress went to Jung Ryeo Won for The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (Korean title Graduation) while Im Shi Wan got the award for Best Actor for his performance in Boyhood. Rounding out the acting awards in the Top Excellence category were Lee Yi Kyung for Marry My Husband and Ji Seung Hyun for Korea–Khitan War and on the lady side it was Go Min Si for Sweet Home 2. Some random fun awards were Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won as Best Couple in QoT and this year’s breakout Byun Woo Seok getting the Hot Star (Male) award.
I think regardless of what people feel (subjective) about QOT which obviously varies, it is in fact the best drama of the year purely from a numbers standpoint (objective). Its the exact same with DOTS or CLOY. They weren’t great for me either but the world doesn’t revolve around me. Never questioned their crowns either as only an absolute idiot would do that.
Happy for Lee Honey. Over the years she has improved so much and absolutely deserves the Daesang. She carried Knight Flower to 18% and that’s no small feat. I can’t wait for Fiery Priest 2!
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Korea Drama Awards used to be another popular awards like APAN or AAA. Some A-listers and popular stars even attend the show but now even the winners some categories didn’t attend…..Most of korean awards shows really have been downgraded
I wonder why though? I don’t even hear much about this award now
I’m hoping this brings her one step closer to winning the Daesang at the MBC Drama Awards. If the drama was more than 12 episodes, it definitely would’ve reached 20% ratings and would’ve been the first MBC Drama to reach those ratings in years. The drama definitely wouldn’t have been the hit that it was without her. I also hope a win gives her more of an incentive to come back for a 2nd season of the show if MBC can get the whole team back on board to do it. I just want to see more of her character’s journey. Thank goodness the MBC Drama Awards and the SBS Drama Awards aren’t the same day. It would give me flashbacks to Nam Goong Min’s 2019 drama when he couldn’t be present for the KBS Drama Awards and won nothing for Doctor Prisoner because he had to promote his drama Hot Stove League at the SBS Drama Awards which aired the same day.
Basically no big stars was at this award show, ksh & kjw should just go ahead with the denial to this dating rumor already so these shippers can move on and the solo’s can stop being so toxic to each other lol they caused a big ruckus on X just because they both didn’t show up even calling kjw ungrateful lol
They both are ungrateful since fans dedicated hrs to voting, even to ksh if he did go to a wedding, he knew about this month’s before and could’ve recorded a quick 10 second video. Kjw no comment she always seems nonchalant and entitled. BWS and Im Siwan recorded a video despite their busy a schedules. On the dating rumour, it’s something made by shippers, and there’s no pics so what use is denying. I pity these shippers since both costars dgaf about eachother even if they look like they like eachother like love next door leads I get it haha nope, such a sad bunch the shippers are. 😂
kjw is too famous now to be giving a 10 sec video for an award that isn’t a daesang she’s on the level of shk/jjh now and she was probably too busy shooting magazine covers to be at this award show.
@Doe
Son Yejin is also on the level of SHK and JJH and has been a star since her 20s but sent a video to APAN when she won a non Daesang award in 2021. Took the video while on set at her CF filming and still in costume. Guess some actresses or agencies have their own choice of which award to recognize and which not to.
What a joke stop setting up kjw haha, bws is getting so many cf’s and magazine covers too. Also she’s not more famous than im siwan, don’t be delusional. It could be an agency thing, but it’s not a good look.
@Pooh – KJW is in the level of JJH and SHK?!
🤣🤡🤣
Delulu fans everywhere it’s hilarious. Girl had her FIRST true hit as a lead in 2024(!!) as a 30+ yo actress and is yet to win a Daesang even in some unknown award function. And they think it’s sane to compare her with actresses who have Baeksang Daesangs. Damn, the delusion is truly astounding.
@Pooh
LMFAO. Do you believe your own BS… or do you need to repeat that to yourself a million times and hope its manifested somehow?
KJW’s not even *close* to the level of KGE or KTR, let alone getting anywhere in the vicinity of JJH. Too famous now to be thanking her fans? So your point is she’s too arrogant, just like her fans? Makes sense.
It is funny how qot is her first mega hit, when it’s garbage. All her projects before that are better even litc. Like compared to love next door and lovely runner especially the chemistry, qot pales in every way. What qot has come with is annoying new fans and shippers,I’m hoping love next door doesn’t suffer the same toxicity.
Yup jjh does play the same chaotic roles but has daesang atleast same with shk and her stoic roles, both actresses acting wise, many non famous ones are way better. Problem is new fans of a Netflix hit move like kpop stans, why are they desperate for their fav to be at top, just enjoy good acting. I saw this last time with yeobeen fans, even goeun fans (with her cringe acting in King eternal monarch) and now kjw. I do think though objectively, K-ent is shallow, KJW’s looks need improving, she needs to consider a face lift, also not do romance, cause her partnership with ksh falls short compared to his/her previous drama.
Fan wars between costars seems to be a outcome of big shows haha. Wooseok/hyeyoon, Lee seyoung/junho, 4 yrs later minho and goeun still at it with eachother,just highly amusing how silly it is.
From KJW’s side, the agency hasn’t acknowledged brand awards either which was voted by Korean fans and nothing about qot winning awards for SDA and KDA, but the agency should release a video next time no matter how busy she is.
@doe, you’re still carrying with this foolery I see…
It’s a disrespect to seniors like Lee Honey and Jung Ryeowon who went to the awards to have it dismissed just because Kim Soohyun and Kim Jiwon didn’t show up. And you can’t blame the fans for feeling disappointed or thinking the actors were ungrateful because KSH and KJW’s awards were by paid voting. KSH’s is valid though because he went to his co-star’s wedding but the feelings of disappointment from fans who did pay to vote for him and KJW are also valid. If Byeon Wooseok, Im Siwan and Go Minsi can send videos for thanks why can’t KJW and KSH.
You see sense fans baby actors too much even if ksh went to a wedding he knew about this in advance, he couldve easily recorded a quick message.
Honey Lee and Lee Yi Kyung deserve recognition, regardless of award is small or big, reputable or dismissed by some nugu fans LOL. Their acting has been pretty impressive and memorable, not only in the dramas that got them these awards. They are in the league of those great actors whose new projects I’ll be looking forward to. I believe I’m not the only one who think so. Therefore, the awards.
I agree with you… They deserve it.
@millie
MLN and FFMW were both hits.While MLN didn’t achieve high ratings, it garnered several Baeksang nominations and had so much buzz. Similarly, FFFMW, it had double-digit ratings and became a sleeper hit which is rare for a youth type show, and was very popular/viral , it also earned a few Baeksang noms. It’s her leading role in Arthdal Chronicles which basically flopped.
So did her role in Lovestruck in the City actually.
But yup. MLN is definitely a positive for her despite the very low ratings. It’s a well recieved drama and she got her first (and only till date) Baeksang nomination through it. FMW was as much of a hit as something like IOTNBO. As in, it has the hype, and middling numbers. Double digits in 2017 in a terrestrial channel is not the feat it is today.
But what I meant by calling QOT as her first real hit, is that none of her previous dramas are indisputable hits. And it was specifically in relation to her fame and star power being compared to JJH and SHK who has churned out some of the biggest dramas and movies of literally this century. KJW’s not there. She’s not even close to being there. She’s not even at the second of 10 steps to getting there. It’s audacious and hilarious for anyone to compare these women. It’s not about the age or even the talent as that was not the topic. It’s about the difference in achievements, stardom, reach, and how long they’ve been at the pinnacle and how many real hits they can produce. They aren’t an IT actress with a recent huge drama. They consistently deliver huge dramas and movies. Regularly for 25 years now.
In the past Daesang awards was big thing because stars valued and feared channels like KBS and MBC so they always mind their attitude but now that TV station means this much, with stars having more resources like Netflix no one cares ab these rewards anymore and they are all complaining ab their wages not being so high.
Happy for Im Siwan, he’s seriously talented and versatile, and he proves it every time. He deserves all the awards! I still wonder how stranger from hell not get any nominations?!
As for BWS, so well-deserved! Seeing him makes me miss Hyeyoon too; I really need to see them together soon! Manifesting that they win every award they can at AAA.Here I am, six months later, still in a slump. I don’t know what type of drug they put in the series. I tried watching other K-dramas, but nothing comes close to Lovely Runner. I’m praying for a Hyeyoon and Wooseok reunion in the future, Idc even about which genre.
And good for Jiwon, I didn’t finish QOT,but the episodes I caught showed she never disappoints with her eye acting and microexpressions. Lol at the comment that this is her first true hit. So a show has to break all sorts of records and hit 20% to be considered a hit #okay, by that logic, my mister and flower of evil aren’t hits either. Heck anyone would honestly be silly to say lovely runner is not a hit.
Also good for honey lee too only cause I like her and happy she’s getting the flowers she was overdue, I’m yet to watch knight flower lol, lovely runner ruined me
Some people here can’t bother reading the context of comments and just decide to wear their armours in defence mode for “Jiwon”. I’m a casual fan of her but the smugness is pathetic.
Completely agree with @Milie. KJW’s first real hit is in fact QoT with the context of her being in apparently the same level as JJH / SHK. Their first hits as leads were My Sassy Girl (1999) and Autumn in my Heart (2000). They were teenagers back then and have managed to keep their stardom unscathed 24 years later. They have led DotS, YFAS, LoBS, The Glory, Full House, etc etc etc etc. So if one truly believes MLN, FMW and Lovestuck or whatever can be taken in the same breath as any of those other dramas, or KJW as those two, all I can say is, my condolences L O L. Fansgirls grasping on theory that it’s because KJW is so much bigger than these awards to even say thank you to her fans who voted for her like it’s a positive thing L O L. Like shes been showered tons of accolades in the past and this is all beneath her that even her agency hasn’t acknowledged the awards QoT has gotten. Like she’s not finally seeing the success she deserves for being a very good actress with relatively in the mid level stardom until she broke through with a main stream drama that can start! off her A list career.
I am not sure if KJW is ungrateful or just actually busy, but her fans are so disgustingly arrogant and full of themselves so early on in her success it’s ridic. KTR is an actress who’s actually on her way to getting to JJH / SHK’s status, and yet I’ve never seen a single fan of hers act like this.
I’m sure I’ll get more fangirl keyboard warrior out to eliminate “Jiwon haters” or whatever. I wasn’t one, and so far am not one, but her fans definitely aren’t helping her image.
Congrats to all the winners! Not sure I would have picked JRW over LBY, PBY, KTR, or KNJ but these rando awards always pick those who can make it vs those who can’t. Lee Honey is fully deserving so there’s that.
And seeing as there is no separate post, congrats also to Jo Boa on her wedding! Hope they’ll share some pics with us.
The way they’re acting as if lee Yikyung is the only one in the drama is baffling to say the least. I get Song hayoon has scandals, but ignoring PMY as if she didnt hard carry this is weird to high ratings is weird.