2026 Baeksang Awards Has Actor Heavyweights Yoo Hae Jin and Ryu Seung Ryong Taking Daesang in Movie and Drama Along with Expected Wins and Upsets
The 2026 Baeksang Arts Awards went off without a hitch today and the biggest win of the night was the Daesang for both categories going to individual stars (rather than project) and the two winners happen to be long time very good friends. Yoo Hae Jin took home the film Daesang for box office smash The King’s Warden while over in drama land the Daesang went to Ryu Seung Ryong for The Dream Life of Mr. Kim. One of them reminisced about the early days 30 years ago when they worked together on the street handing out flyers, and look how far they have come in their careers. Best Picture went to No Other Choice and Lee Sung Min was the only other acting winner from that movie taking home Best Supporting Actor. Both film actress wins went to younger actresses with Moon Ga Young as Best Actress for Once We Were Us and Shin Se Kyung as Best Supporting Actress with Humint. On the drama side, the big wins were You and Everything Else crowned Best Drama but the two amazing leads may have cancelled each other out in the Best Actress category with the win going to Park Bo Young for her lovely twin performances in Our Unwritten Seoul. Best Actor was Hyun Bin in Made in Korea and he sweetly thanked his beaming wife Son Ye Jin and their son. As for the outfits, as usual very boring but my favorite looks were Kim Go Eun and Moon Ga Young.
On the drama front, the overall output in 2025 was a little weak. It’s underwhelming. I’m surprised by all the wins except for best actor awarded to Hyun Bin. HB really slayed in Made in Korea.
Moon Ga Young and Shin Se Kyung surprised me even more. All these two ladies’ dramas are ok, but I wasn’t particularly moved by their acting in anything. The roles in the films must have played to their strengths and given them chances to shine.
I’m glad Park Bo Young earned the honor she deserves although I’m not a fan of either Jinyoung’s acting or the plot. I dropped the drama.
It’s glad to see actresses rising this decade compared to 2010s decade fully dominated by idols. So many 90s gen actresses have mega projects lined up and endorsements. It’s gud to see. Moon ga young , kim hye yoon having smash movie. Kim tae rae and kom go eun clear top actresses of gen. Han so hee has mega solo leveling project and global endorsements. Go yun jung etc. so many actresses taking the majority of apple pie now.
Agree.😊
I agree! Plus Kim Yoo Jung also has that upcoming period spy drama, while Kim So Hyun has one drama lined up and she’s in talks for another. While I wish KSH would do less romance dramas (tho romance seems to be the genre she’s most comfortable in), it’s still great to see her and KYJ thriving, along with the other rising actresses.
(P.S. KSH looked absolutely stunning and radiant as a Baeksang presenter! Glad she finally got rid of her bangs, and I’m hoping that’s a sign for a very long overdue image/styling overhaul)
I personally feel these two has lost quite the success they had earlim yoon jung had moonlight but her later dramas didn’t smash and Kim so Hyun still lack that big blockbuster
Congrats to the winners! Their acting were on point.
No K-drama premieres so far this year have caught my attention. I’m looking forward to The Wonderfools since I liked Moving. A drama in the superhero genre would do me good. Park Eunbin is a talented actress and Cha Eunwoo will serve as eye-candy for me, as long as his wooden acting isn’t severely marked. LOL.
Happy to see You and Everything Else win. The two leads wer great together and it was a very intelligent Drama. To me, it is like the younger and lesser sibling to the truly OUTSTANDING Taiwanese Drama Imperfect Us
I just checked Once We Were Us and realized I had watched the movie. lol. I think I watched the movie for the ML, Koo Kyo-hwan. He was so impressive in one of my all time favorite dramas, D.P., that I decided to check his works and came across this romance film. I’m not the one for the genre. I don’t even remember MGY as the FL. For me, the movie and MGY’s performance are forgettable. No offense to her fans! It’s my personal taste.
Thought Park Bo Young was excellent in Our Unwritten Soul, like her in everything.
Have only seen Humint out of the other winners so can’t really comment on anything/anyone but Shin Se Kyeung – puzzled why she was in supporting actress category. Not a fan but she was fine in this, wouldn’t say award-winning.