The 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards was a massive celebration for the 10-million-viewer hit movie “The Man Living with the King” and a joyful look back at the year’s most diverse content. From Yoo Hae-jin, who has officially become a “10-million actor,” to Ryu Seung-ryong, who touched hearts with his portrayal of a resilient middle-aged man in “Story of Manager Kim at a Large Corporation,” the theme of humanism truly resonated with the audience.
Held on the night of the 8th at COEX Hall D in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the “62nd Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci” was hosted by Shin Dong-yup, Park Bo-gum, and Suzy.
This year’s awards recognized terrestrial, cable, OTT content, movies, and plays released between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
Kicking things off, Lee Chae-min, a lead in the global hit tvN drama “Tyrant’s Chef,” took home the Best New Actor award. He showed great humility, stating, “I didn’t do anything,” and credited the director and his senior co-star Lim Yoon-a for the success.
Writer Song Hye-jin of the Netflix series “Eunjung and Sangyeon” expressed her gratitude to the director for the meticulous direction of the long-context drama. She caught everyone’s attention by revealing that there was a real-life model for the character Eunjung, who appears as a producer. By sharing her heartfelt feelings for a female PD she has worked with for a long time, she proved how a writer’s personal experiences blend into their work.
The ceremony was further graced by the powerful acceptance speeches of choreographer Seo Byeong-gu for “Evita,” the passionate actress Kim Shin-rok from the theater stage, and Kim Junsu, who has found success as both a singer and a musical actor.
Many veteran actors were also in attendance. Specifically, Yoo Seung-mok, who played the villainous boss in the popular “Story of Manager Kim at a Large Corporation,” gained significant recognition for his realistic and unique character portrayal. He surprisingly confessed, “This is the first time I’ve ever been nominated for any award,” drawing warm applause from his colleagues.
There were several emotional highlights. Lim Soo-jung, who won Best Supporting Actress, calmly mentioned her late mother, which brought tears to the eyes of her colleague Son Ye-jin.
The team from the 10-million-viewer hit “The Man Living with the King” also attended to light up the event. When Shin Dong-yup jokingly asked Park Ji-hoon to pick either Jang Hang-jun or Yoo Hae-jin, Park expressed his affection for his senior, saying, “It’s Yoo Hae-jin sunbae. We shared the heat of the set together.”
In the variety category, Kian84 and Lee Su-ji took home the awards. Lee Su-ji shed tears, saying, “I will always strive to be funny for those who silently do their best in every field.” In a touching moment coinciding with Parents’ Day, she sent a heartfelt message wishing for the health of her parents-in-law, mentioning that her father-in-law is currently hospitalized.
The GUCCI Impact Award, a special honor, was awarded to the movie “The Man Living with the King” for reaching 10 million viewers. The film drew deep immersion and empathy from the audience by re-examining a tragic history and reviving the sorrow and frustration of the past.
Following a special joint performance by music director Lee Byung-woo and Yoo Yeon-seok, a tribute video for the late veteran actor Lee Soon-jae was shown. Many actors, including Lim Soo-jung, were moved to tears during this poignant moment.
Standing above all the powerful content, the long-awaited Grand Prize (Daesang) for the movie category went to Yoo Hae-jin. He took the stage with ease, saying, “I was expecting the Best Actor award, but when I didn’t get it, I was trying to compose myself. I thought I still had a long way to go. But then the camera slowly came toward me, and I thought it might be for Best Picture, but it turns out this is what a Grand Prize feels like.”
The Grand Prize for the TV category was won by Ryu Seung-ryong for “Story of Manager Kim at a Large Corporation.” The award recognized how his performance captured the stories of ordinary people who work silently in their positions despite high interest rates and economic downturns, facing adversity at every moment.
Having played a huge role as “Manager Kim,” Ryu Seung-ryong mentioned his days of obscurity, saying, “I struggled together with actor Yoo Hae-jin in the past. It reminds me of those times.” He added, “It is truly overwhelming that the two of us are receiving Grand Prizes together.”
List of Winners:
TV Grand Prize: Ryu Seung-ryong (Story of Manager Kim at a Large Corporation)
Movie Grand Prize: Yoo Hae-jin (The Man Living with the King)
Movie Best Actress: Moon Ga-young (If We)
Movie Best Actor: Park Jung-min (Face)
TV Best Actress: Park Bo-young (Unknown Seoul)
TV Best Actor: Hyun Bin (Made in Korea)
TV Best Drama: Eunjung and Sangyeon
Movie Best Picture: No Other Choice
Baeksang Play Award: Jellyfish
Musical Best Picture: Mongyu Dowon
GUCCI Impact Award: The Man Living with the King
TV Best Director: Park Shin-woo (Unknown Seoul)
Movie Best Director: Yoon Ga-eun (Master of the World)
TV Best Variety: PD Kwon Rak-hee (Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung)
TV Best Non-fiction: Hong Seong-jin (Documentary Our Time is Shining)
Best Female Entertainer: Lee Su-ji
Best Male Entertainer: Kian84 (I Live Alone, Around the World While Walking, etc.)
TV Best Supporting Actress: Lim Soo-jung (Fine: Country Bumpkins)
TV Best Supporting Actor: Yoo Seung-mok (Story of Manager Kim at a Large Corporation)
Movie Best Supporting Actor: Lee Sung-min (No Other Choice)
Movie Best Supporting Actress: Shin Se-kyung (Humint)
Musical Best Actor: Kim Junsu (Beetlejuice)
Musical Best Creation: Choreographer Seo Byeong-gu (Evita)
Play Best Actor: Kim Shin-rok (Prima Facie)
Naver Popularity Award: Park Ji-hoon (The Man Living with the King), Lim Yoon-a (Tyrant’s Chef)
TV Best Screenplay: Song Hye-jin (Eunjung and Sangyeon)
Movie Best Screenplay: Director Byun Sung-hyun (Good News)
TV Arts Award: Gang Dong-won (The Seasons)
Movie Arts Award: Music Director Lee Min-hwi (Pavane)
Movie Best Director: Park Joon-ho (3670)
Movie Best New Actress: Seo Su-bin (Master of the World)
Movie Best New Actor: Park Ji-hoon (The Man Living with the King)
Baeksang Play Award: Chariots of Fire
TV Best New Actress: Bang Hyo-rin (Aema)
TV Best New Actor: Lee Chae-min (Tyrant’s Chef)
