Yoo Teo wins Popularity Award at '2024 MBC Entertainment Awards,' honors late father in emotional speech

On January 28, the '2024 MBC Entertainment Awards' was held at the MBC Media Center Public Hall in Sangam-dong, Seoul. Actor Yoo Teo, who won the Popularity Award in the reality show category, delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech that moved the audience to tears.

Yoo Teo expressed his gratitude for his appearance on the variety show 'Adventure by Accident,' saying, “It felt like I was reborn through this program. As an actor, I once dreamed of starring in a Western, but I gave up because I learned that historically, Koreans couldn’t appear in Westerns.”

He also shared his initial hesitation about joining the show, revealing, “When I received the offer, I was hesitant because of the scars I carried from my early days as an unknown actor. But my spouse encouraged me, saying, ‘You have to do this.’”

In an emotional moment, Yoo Teo paid tribute to his late father, who passed away last month. “The music video featuring me riding horses and stargazing with Kian84, where I became a cowboy, was the last video my father saw of me. I am deeply grateful to the production team and MBC for creating such a special moment,” he said, holding back tears.

The awards ceremony, originally scheduled for December 29, was postponed due to the national mourning period following the Jeju Air passenger plane tragedy. As a result, Hyeri, who was initially set to host, was unable to attend, and Yoon Eun Hye stepped in as the MC, ensuring the event’s smooth and successful execution.