2023 SBS Drama Awards Receives Backlash for ‘Controversial’ Winners: ‘Isn’t this disrespectful to Han Suk Kyu?’
Despite the recognition given by 2023 SBS Drama Awards to multiple stars, the event received backlash as fans were not satisfied by how the winners were chosen.
Keep on reading to know what people are saying.
Viewers Question 2023 SBS Drama Awards' 'Unfair' Selection of Winners
Hosted by Shin Dong Yup and Kim Yoo Jung, SBS recognized its greatest works this year at the 2023 SBS Drama Awards held on December 29.
However, the lineup of winners has been facing criticism.
Korean viewers were questioning the awards being offered to multiple winners.
First was the "Best New Actor" where the seven nominees received the title. Shin Dong Yup explained that these actors have done great in 2023 and that a special arrangement was made to acknowledge their efforts.
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Unfortunately, viewers did not believe the final results and criticized the broadcasting network for chopping up the categories into smaller categories, and giving trophies to all the shows and their respective nominated actors.
- "For real? Seven winners for the Best New Actor is surprising. So are six winners of the Top Excellence Actor award. SBS has been known for awarding whoever is popular. But 2023 is the worst."
- "What's the point of holding these ceremonies if the awards are going to be given out like this?"
- "I don't think I would feel that honored after winning an award being handed out like that."
Song Kang & Ahn Hyo Seop Receive Backlash for Winning Major Awards
Others were skeptical about how SBS chose the winners for this year's ceremony. Some were not satisfied and doubted that some actors deserved their wins over others.
In particular, they pointed out Song Kang, who won the Top Excellence Award for "My Demon" (he was against Kim Mu Yeol and Park Hee Seon), which the viewers claimed was because he was the most popular out of the nominees.
- "I love Song Kang, but his acting falls short."
- "Wouldn't it make more sense if it's 'Visual Award'? Song Kang is good-looking. But I don't think his acting was Top Excellence at all. It was okay in 'Navillera,' but I haven't seen improvements since."
- "Should have given him a Popularity Award instead or changed the show name to 'SBS Popularity Awards.'"
Aside from Song Kang, Ahn Hyo Seop was also targeted by the viewers after he won Top Excellence for a multi-season miniseries, over veteran actors Han Suk Kyu and Kim Rae Won.
- "Isn't this disrespectful to Kim Rae Won and Han Suk Kyu? And Ahn Hyo Seop is getting heat for no reason."
- "Song Kang and Ahn Hyo Seop's victories will make sense if you think of them as popularity awards. Don't expect SBS to award for acting, even if the award is literally called 'Top Excellence for Acting.'''
- "How did he win the award over Kim Rae Won?"
- "I can't believe he won over Han Suk Kyu for a drama that the veteran actor carried."
2023 SBS Drama Awards Disappoints Viewers
Above all, the viewers' biggest disappointment was the Daesang being split into two actors.
While many fans congratulated Lee Je Hoon and Kim Tae Ri for receiving the title, viewers remained unconvinced that SBS was fair and selective in choosing the winners, getting rid of the award show's prestigious image.
One of the media outlets pointed this out and released its report saying:
"The Best New Actor award being shared among seven winners, the Daesang was shared between two actors as well. Most of the titles were chopped into genres and then shared among all of the shows that SBS produced. In doing this, the network made the award less prestigious than the previous."
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Shai Collins wrote this.
