2025 Baeksang Awards Nominations Out with When Life Gives You Tangerines Leading the Pack with Most Nominations Followed by Lovely Runner
With so much distraction the last few weeks in K-ent it’s nice to get back to regular business and none bigger than the 2025 Baeksang Awards nominations which came out this week. On the drama side, When Life You You Tangerines led the pack with the most nominations across Best Drama, Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and the writing and directing awards as well. The second most noms went to Lovely Runner which just missed the cut off for the 2024 awards but clearly didn’t leave the minds of the voters who rewarded it a year later with a host of noms. So the choices for Best Drama are between Tangerines, Lovely Runner, The Tale of Lady Ok, Doubt (Such A Close Traitor), and Trauma Code: Heroes on Call. I think Tangerines has this one in the bag. It’s being called a case of “when gods battle” for the Best Actor award with Park Bo Gum, Byun Woo Seok, Lee Joon Hyuk, Joo Ji Hoon, and Han Suk Kyu vying for the win and yes this will be highly competitive. On the lades side, Best Actress is between Go Min Si, Kim Tae Ri, Kim Hye Yoon, IU, and Jang Nara. Check out the full television side nominations list below.
Best Supporting Actor Nominees
- Kim Jun Han – Good Partner
- Roh Jae Won – Squid Game 2
- Yoon Kyung Ho – The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
- Choi Dae Hoon – When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Hyun Bong Sik – Dongjae: The Good or the Bastard
Best Supporting Actress Nominees
- Kim Kook Hee – Family Matters
- Kim Jae Hwa – The Tale of Lady Ok
- Yeom Hye Ran – When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Oh Kyung Hwa – Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born
- Jung Eun Chae – Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born
Best New Actor Nominees
- Kim Jeong Jin – Doubt
- Song Geon Hee – Lovely Runner
- Cha Woo Min – Study Group
- Choo Young Woo – The Tale of Lady Ok
- Heo Nam Jun – Your Honor
Best New Actress Nominees
- Kim Tae Yeon – When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Roh Jeong Eui – The Witch
- Jo Yoon Su – The Tyrant
- Chae Won Bin – Doubt
- Ha Young – The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Best Director Nominees
- Kim Won Suk – When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Kim Hee Won – Light Shop
- Song Yeon Hwa – Doubt
- Lee Do Yoon – The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
- Jung Ji In – Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born
Best Screenplay Nominees
- Kim Jung Min – Family Matters
- Park Ji Sook – The Tale of Lady Ok
- Lee Si Eun – Lovely Runner
- Lim Sang Choon – When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Choi Yuna – Good Partner
I felt so happy to see both IU and Park Bo Gum nominated for When Life Gives You Tangerines. That was my first reaction to the Baeksang news yesterday. They were both really good in that drama. Well deserved nomination. Sad that Park Hae Joon and Moon So Ri aren’t there though but the line up is pretty solid overall.
My prediction WLGYT will win TV Daesang, Best Screenplay and Best Actress. While I love Bo Gum, I think Best Actor will be Han Suk Kyu.
It would be interesting to see if Byeon Woo Seok and IU win the popularity award, what a great way to indirectly promote their upcoming drama.
I would love the director fot WLGT but it’s rare to have both director and screenplay to win. I feel like this might go to Light Shop director. Then, best drama might be Doubt or who knows even Lovely Runner.
A little bit sad that lee junyoung didn’t get any nominations, I guess it’s bit hard to be nominated as best supporting actor with choi daehoon there. Choi daehoon as bu sanggil was such a complex character and he had to play him from 20s to old age.
I had hoped junyoung will get some recognition for his role at least
There are too many excellent actors in WLGYT. His screen time wasn’t much compared with others.
Yeah it’s unfortunate.. I thought he would at least get best new actor nomination but wlgyt already has too many nominations, it would be too hard for him to qualify
Congrats to WLGT for all the nominations. Well deserved!
Among all the noms, best actors and best actresses included, WLGT’s Choi Daehoon stands out the most to me. The honor of his nomination for the best supporting actor is minimal relative to his craft. I already had him in mind thinking about Baeksang nomination. His performance in WLGT is phenomenal.
WLGT also deserves a Daesang. If not, then the director of WLGT deserves it. Like Moving in 2024, WLGT is just way better by miles in everything vs. other dramas, and all other competitors are not comparable in the overall quality.
I should check The Tale of Lady Ok, Doubt! How could I miss this interesting drama given that I’m always impressed by the leading lady, Lim Ji Yeon? I’ve been binging her real bf’s dramas and love his acting in all the dramas. This couple have intrigued me with their onscreen presence and acting chops.
No opinions about best actor and best actress noms. No one particularly stands out than the others. Some of the dramas they are nominated for aren’t interesting to me,, e.g., The Star Is Born and Good Partner. So, no comments.
I would love to say Park Bo Gum for best actor but although both IU and him did a phenomenal job together, i think IU did a better job individually. His role here reminds me a bit of Reply 1988. PBG excel and has a face for it, this type of role where he’s a bit brilliant but a bit slow, loyal to the core and pure. I prefer BWS because I really think Sun Jae was made for him. Sun Jae is BWS, BWS is Sun Jae. The actors who played the older versions of Geum-sik and Ae-Sun did a decent job but it’s the early years that really set the tone. I wish that we had more episodes with the younger Geum Sik and Ae Sun. The Tale of Lady Ok, the male lead is captivating, he should win the new actor award.
Surprised to not see Park Shin Hye or Park Eun Bin nominated. Also, no Yoo Yeon Seok or Lee Dong Wook?
I think WLGYT for best drama and supporting actress, maybe screenplay and director.
Choo Young Woo is a frontrunner for best new actor.
Han Suk Kyu for best actor
Kim Taeri for best actress, although it is a tough category.
Lovely Runner to win a popularity award
Low-key would like Culinary Class Wars to win the Daesang because it put a spotlight on Korean food and chefs.
When will the winners be announced?