Lee Sung Min’s on-stage remarks spark backlash after Yeom Hye Ran’s Baeksang loss to Shin Se Kyung

Actress Yeom Hye Ran not winning the Best Supporting Actress award at the '62nd Baeksang Arts Awards' has sparked online debate after comments made during the ceremony by actor Lee Sung Min and actress Shin Se Kyung.

The awards ceremony took place on May 8 at COEX in Seoul’s Gangnam District. Nominees for Best Supporting Actress in the film category included Shin Se Kyung for 'Humint,' Shin Hyun Been for 'The Ugly,' Yeom Hye Ran for 'No Other Choice,' Jang Hye Jin for 'The World of Love,' and Jeon Mi Do for 'The King's Warden.'

The award ultimately went to Shin Se Kyung for her role in 'Humint,' where she portrayed Chae Sun Hwa, a North Korean restaurant worker and intelligence operative surviving in the harsh environment of Vladivostok. Her unexpected transformation and performance drew significant attention.

Appearing surprised, Shin Se Kyung walked onto the stage with a stunned expression. “I really did not expect to receive an award at all, so my mind has gone completely blank,” she said, thanking the cast and production team of 'Humint' during her acceptance speech.

Controversy arose shortly after when Lee Sung Min, who won Best Supporting Actor for 'No Other Choice,' openly commented on Yeom Hye Ran’s loss during his speech. “As soon as Yeom Hye Ran was announced as a nominee, I was so nervous. Hye Ran even swore after she didn’t win,” Lee said candidly during his acceptance speech.

He then thanked the production team and reflected on his experience working on the project, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with director Park Chan Wook and the cast.

Later in the ceremony, Shin Se Kyung again joined the discussion when she referenced the result during her acceptance speech, and Yeom Hye Ran also appeared on stage as a presenter for the television supporting acting category. Greeting the audience with humor, she introduced herself by saying, “Hello, I’m Yeom Hye Ran, who just lost,” which drew laughter from the audience. The remarks quickly divided public opinion online.

Some viewers who expected Yeom Hye Ran to win expressed agreement with Lee Sung Min’s reaction, saying her performance was strong enough to deserve the award and that the result was difficult to understand. Others argued that all nominees were highly competitive and that Shin Se Kyung’s win reflected a different but valid evaluation of performances.

However, criticism also emerged regarding the tone of the comments made on stage. Some netizens said that publicly expressing dissatisfaction with the result in front of the winner could be seen as inappropriate and uncomfortable for Shin Se Kyung. Others added that repeatedly naming the winner while expressing disappointment might unintentionally place pressure on her achievement rather than simply celebrating it.

Meanwhile, the 'Baeksang Arts Awards' remains Korea’s only integrated arts awards ceremony covering television, film, theater, and musicals.

Film division judges stated that this year’s awards reflected a revival of the industry, noting that theaters had regained energy through a wide range of commercial, independent, and OTT films, and expressing gratitude to both filmmakers and audiences for their continued support of Korean cinema.