Stars Byun Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon, the endearing leads of Lovely Runner, have already secured a significant accolade at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards by winning the esteemed PRIZM Popularity Awards. This achievement has fans speculating about their chances of clinching the titles for Best Actor and Best Actress in the TV category.
The awards ceremony took place on May 5 at COEX D Hall in Seoul, featuring a remarkably competitive roster of nominees. The event was hosted by a trio of talented individuals: Shin Dong-yup, Suzy, and Park Bo-gum.
Unprecedented Popularity Achievements
Byun Woo-seok distinguished himself by winning the male Popularity Award with an impressive tally of 2.4 million votes. In a remarkable display, Kim Hye-yoon garnered the female Popularity Award, amassing a staggering 7.87 million votes. Her nearest rivals included Lee Hyeri with 6.92 million votes and IU with 3.47 million votes.
Although the high vote counts for the leading female nominees raised eyebrows, the organizers at PRIZM firmly denied any allegations of voting manipulation. They clarified that the videos circulating online were manipulated to create the illusion of artificially inflated votes and assured that all legitimate votes were verified through stringent ad-viewing checks and ID restrictions.
Any votes deemed suspicious due to unfair practices were disqualified to maintain the integrity of the awards.
Competitive Landscape Among Korea’s Finest
The focus now shifts to the Baeksang Awards’ most prestigious categories, Best Actor and Best Actress in Television.
Byun Woo-seok faces formidable competition from:
- Park Bo-gum – *When Life Gives You Tangerines*
- Lee Joon-hyuk – *Dongjae, The Good or the Bastard*
- Joo Ji-hoon – *The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call*
- Han Suk-kyu – *Doubt*
In the running for Best Actress, Kim Hye-yoon will contend against:
- Go Min-si – *The Frog*
- Kim Tae-ri – *Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born*
- IU – *When Life Gives You Tangerines*
- Jang Na-ra – *Good Partner*
The Rise of *Lovely Runner*
Initially premiering with modest ratings at 3.1% nationwide, *Lovely Runner* saw a substantial increase in viewership, peaking at 7.2% in the Seoul metropolitan area. It dominated its time slot across all channels for a remarkable eight consecutive weeks. The series thrived on its emotionally engaging storyline and the undeniable chemistry between Byun Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon, which has contributed to its cult status.
Byun Woo-seok’s burgeoning fame has made him one of the most sought-after actors in Korea, with fan meeting tickets crashing online platforms as more than 700, 000 users attempted to log in simultaneously. Meanwhile, Kim Hye-yoon is enjoying similar success, securing lead roles in SBS’s upcoming series *Human From Today* and the anticipated film *Salmokji* (tentative title).
If both performers triumph in the Best Acting categories, they will mark a historic achievement as the first duo since Lee Jun-ho and Kim Tae-ri at the 58th Baeksang Awards to win both the Popularity and Best Actor/Actress awards concurrently.
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