In Korea, every year, an end-of-year awards ceremony called "Year-End Acting Awards" is held to select the best dramas and actors of the year. The Acting Awards are held by each of the three major terrestrial broadcasting stations in Korea (MBC, KBS, and SBS). The Grand Prize, the most prestigious award at the Acting Awards, is given to the actor who has delivered the most outstanding performance, considering factors such as viewership, popularity, and artistic merit, among the dramas aired on that particular broadcasting station. Typically, the actors from the most popular drama of the year win the award. What were the winning dramas of 2023?

Namgoong Min from MBC's “Lovers (My Dearest)”

“Lovers (My Dearest)”, which aired on MBC in 2023, was the most talked-about drama of the year. It is a historical drama that tells a love story set against the backdrop of war. It is set during the Joseon Dynasty in the 17th century, during the Qing invasion, which marked the beginning of the Byeongjahoran War. The drama portrays the sorrowful love story of the protagonists, Lee Jang-hyun and Yoo Gil-chae, who face hardship amidst the turbulent times of war. Despite being a long-format drama with a total of 21 episodes divided into Part 1 and Part 2, which is a departure from the recent trend in Korean dramas, it garnered considerable attention with its relatively high viewership rating of 10%.

Namgoong Min is one of the actors who has been recognized for his acting skills by the public. He played the role of Lee Jang-hyun in “Lovers (My Dearest)” and contributed to the drama’s high level of immersion. Namgoong Min has showcased a wide range of acting abilities, displaying comical acting in dramas such as “Chief Kim (Manager Kim)” and “One Dollar Lawyer (One Dollar Lawyer)” and villainous acting in dramas like “Remember – War of the Son (Remember - War of Son)” and “A Girl Who Sees Smells (A Girl Who Sees Smells)”. Although this was his first starring role in a historical drama, he received praise for his natural and convincing performance. Namgoong Min won the Grand Prize for the third time, following his awards for “Stove League (STOVE LEAGUE)” in 2020 and “THE VEIL (THE VEIL)” in 2021. In his acceptance speech, he said, "I will never be complacent and I will remain humble."

“Lovers (My Dearest)” is available for viewing on Rakuten Viki, Hami Video, and Wavve.

Kim Tae-ri from SBS's “Revenant (Revenant)”, Lee Je-hoon from “Taxi Driver 2 (Taxi Driver 2)”

SBS awarded the Grand Prize to two actors. “Revenant (Revenant)”, which aired in the summer of 2023, is a work by Kim Eun-hee, a renowned Korean writer who penned the Netflix series “Kingdom (Kingdom)”. It tells the story of 'Yeom Hae-sang', a folklore professor who starts seeing evil spirits after an incident in his childhood, and 'Goo San-young', a poor civil service exam aspirant who becomes possessed by an evil spirit one day, as they chase after the evil spirits. The drama garnered attention for its solid storyline and acting, befitting its title of a Korean-style occult drama.

Kim Tae-ri, the recipient of the Grand Prize, played the role of 'Sook-hee' in director Park Chan-wook's film “The Handmaiden (The Handmaiden)”. She has consistently delivered impressive performances in films like “Little Forest (Little Forest)” and “1987 (1987: When the Day Comes)” and dramas like “Mr. Sunshine (Mr. Sunshine)” and “Twenty Five Twenty One (Twenty Five Twenty One)”, always starring in lead roles. In her acceptance speech, Kim Tae-ri stated, “I am still an actor who is learning. I hope that one day, I can share what I have learned and received with others.”

“Revenant” is available for viewing on Wavve, Disney+, and hulu.

The other Grand Prize recipient is Lee Je-hoon from “Taxi Driver 2 (Taxi Driver 2)”. “Taxi Driver 2 (Taxi Driver 2)” is the sequel to “Taxi Driver (Taxi Driver)”, a popular drama from 2021, and the sequel also garnered considerable attention, earning the Grand Prize for lead actor Lee Je-hoon. “Taxi Driver (Taxi Driver)” is a work that follows a group of people who carry out private revenge against evil-doers who cleverly evade the law. The “Taxi Driver (Taxi Driver)” series, which gained popularity by providing viewers with a sense of justice, is slated for a season 3.

Lee Je-hoon, who won the Grand Prize for his role as ‘Kim Do-gi’, is an actor known for his good looks and acting skills. He has showcased his acting talents in works such as Kim Eun-hee's “The Signal (The Signal)” and “Architecture 101 (Architecture 101)”. In his acceptance speech, Lee Je-hoon expressed his grief over the death of actor Lee Sun-kyun, who took his own life on December 27th, saying that he was "a role model."

The “Taxi Driver (Taxi Driver)” series is available for viewing on Coupang Play, Rakuten Viki, and Amazon Prime Video.

Choi Soo-jong from KBS’s “Korea-Khitan War (Korea-Khitan War)”

KBS awarded the Grand Prize to Choi Soo-jong, who plays the role of 'Gang Gam-chan' in the ongoing historical drama “Korea-Khitan War (Korea-Khitan War)”. “Korea-Khitan War (Korea-Khitan War)” is a historical drama that depicts, as its title suggests, the war between Goryeo and Khitan. The protagonist is General 'Gang Gam-chan', who defended the nation of Goryeo against repeated Khitan invasions. The role is played by Choi Soo-jong, who won the Grand Prize this year. The drama has gained popularity even among younger audiences who weren't interested in historical dramas, as it has been released on Netflix. In particular, the video of actor Kim Dong-joon, who plays the king, dancing with other actors in the drama, was released on YouTube, which also contributed to increased interest in the drama.

Choi Soo-jong has won the Grand Prize four times, making him the most awarded recipient in the history of the Korean Acting Awards. In his acceptance speech, Choi Soo-jong said, "I was lucky." Regarding “Korea-Khitan War (Korea-Khitan War)”, which is currently filming, he stated, "I admire how the actors and staff are all working without losing their smiles."

“Korea-Khitan War (Korea-Khitan War)” is currently being aired on KBS at 9:25 PM every Saturday and Sunday, and is available for viewing on Wavve, Netflix, and Rakuten Viki.