Although a week has passed since the conclusion of the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards, controversy surrounding the ceremony continues to intensify. This time, debate has reignited over the Best Supporting Actress category in the film division.
On May 15, JTBC released detailed judging commentary and explanations regarding the winners in each category, shedding light on the internal voting process behind this year’s awards.
According to the revealed evaluations, actresses Shin Se Kyung from “Humint” and Yeom Hye Ran from “No Other Choice” competed closely for the Best Supporting Actress award until the final round. In the end, Shin Se Kyung reportedly secured the trophy by just one vote.
Reports stated that initial judging discussions appeared to lean toward Yeom Hye Ran. However, during the first round of voting, Yeom Hye Ran, Shin Se Kyung, and Jeon Mi Do from “The King’s Warden” entered a tight race. In the second and final round, Shin Se Kyung ultimately overtook Yeom Hye Ran to win the award.
The biggest source of controversy came from what many viewers considered contradictory judging standards. Several judges reportedly praised Yeom Hye Ran’s acting ability but questioned whether she fully matched the character itself. Comments included evaluations such as, “Her acting skills are already exceptional, so there’s little left to discuss there, but there are still questions about whether the character truly suited her,” and “*You could feel that this was a character carefully crafted through effort and acting technique.*”
Although some judges defended her performance by saying things like “I sensed an animalistic sensuality,” and “She’s an actress who personally extracted the character’s core keywords,” many viewers felt that the idea of her “building the character through effort” somehow became a disadvantage in the judging process.
In contrast, the judging comments toward Shin Se Kyung focused heavily on her personal aura and screen presence.
Judges reportedly stated, “Regardless of opinions about the film itself, Shin Se Kyung was utilized very effectively,” and “*The actress’s natural charm softened viewers’ potential resistance toward the character.” Another comment described her performance as “a case where an actress expanded a role that originally felt closer to a scene-stealer through her own abilities on set.*”
However, one judge’s remarks particularly drew criticism after they commented, “*The cinematographer likely deserves significant credit as well, but there was also a feeling reminiscent of old black-and-white films. In some scenes, she herself created the visual identity of the movie.*” Many viewers questioned why directing style and atmosphere appeared to be emphasized more than acting performance itself.
After the judging comments were made public, online communities quickly erupted with criticism over what netizens described as inconsistent evaluation standards.
Comments included reactions such as:
“After reading the judges’ comments, I understand even less why Shin Se Kyung won while Yeom Hye Ran didn’t.”
“It’s strange how the same criteria are applied differently depending on the actress. Yeom Hye Ran gets criticized because her character felt carefully crafted through effort, but Shin Se Kyung gets praised for using effort to highlight her own charm?”
“This is supposed to be an acting award. Shouldn’t the best actor simply win?”
“Since when did Baeksang become an award based on aura and charm rather than acting ability?”
Some viewers also questioned why praise directed toward the cinematographer was being interpreted as part of the actress’s achievement.
Still, not everyone disagreed with the final result. A portion of viewers admitted they partly understood the criticism directed at Yeom Hye Ran’s role compatibility, saying they also felt some disconnect between the actress and the character.
Nevertheless, many believe the released judging comments ultimately created the impression that the awards relied too heavily on subjective and abstract opinions rather than clear evaluation standards. In particular, the contrasting reasoning surrounding the Best Supporting Actress category has intensified debate about fairness and consistency within the Baeksang Arts Awards judging process.
Sources: Daum
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