The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards was held on May 5, 2025. It’s a mix of first-time winners, repeat victories, and some heartbreaking misses.
In the television broadcast category, the Best Lead Actor award went to Joo Ji Hoon for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, a major milestone in his career. Known to many for his breakout role in Princess Hours over 20 years ago, this win feels like a long time coming. The 42-year-old actor had previously missed out on the Best Actor award despite being nominated. This was his first Baeksang win and a well-deserved recognition of his performance as the brilliant Dr. Baek Kang Hyuk.
Meanwhile, When Life Gives You Tangerines won big. It took home Best Drama, Best Screenplay, and both Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Yet, fans couldn’t help but feel a little sad. Just like Park Bo Gum, who was nominated but didn’t win, the drama’s lead actress IU also missed out on Best Lead Actress. It’s already the singer-actress’s third time being nominated at Baeksang without a win, following My Mister and Hotel Del Luna. This really seemed like it would be her well-deserved moment. It had the perfect drama and perfect cast—but it wasn’t meant to be.
That said, it’s not to say Kim Tae Ri didn’t deserve it. Her performance in Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born earned her a second Baeksang win after Twenty-Five Twenty-One in 2022. The 35-year-old actress is now the only one born in the 1990s to have won twice. Jeong Nyeon tells the story of a woman in 1950s Mokpo trying to turn her dreams of theater into reality.
In the film category, Harbin was named Best Movie. Jo Jung Suk won Best Actor for Pilot—another actor whose win was a long time coming after previous nominations. Meanwhile, seasoned actress Jeon Do Yeon, at 52, proved herself yet again by winning Best Lead Actress for her role in Revolver—her fifth time taking home the award.
Source: baeksang.official / Instagram
