Shin Se-Kyung's Baeksang Win Triggers Online Debate Around Yeom Hye-Ran - Controversy EXPLAINED

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62nd Baeksang Arts Awards became an unexpected talking point online, not only for Shin Se-Kyung’s win as Best Supporting Actress but also because of actor Lee Sung-Min’s candid remarks. While accepting his Best Supporting Actor award for No Other Choice, Lee openly referenced Yeom Hye-Ran’s disappointment at not winning, sharing an unfiltered glimpse into the emotions behind the nominations. His on-stage omments, along with Yeom Hye-Ran's humorous admission of defeat and Shin Se-Kyung's shocked reaction, created a series of spontaneous and real moments that sparked widespread discussion on social media.

Shin Se-Kyung's Baeksang win becomes viral

Actress Yeom Hye-Ran’s loss for Best Supporting Actress at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards has sparked heated online discussion, largely due to actor Lee Sung-Min’s candid comments during the ceremony. The event, held at COEX in Seoul’s Gangnam District, celebrated achievements in film and television, with nominees for the Best Supporting Actress in the film category including 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. However, Shin’s transformative performance drew widespread attention, and she appeared visibly stunned when her name was announced. ““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 during her acceptance speech.

What is Yeom Hye-Ran, Lee Sung-Min, Shin Se-Kyung controversy?

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. “As soon as Yeom Hye Ran was announced as a nominee, I was so nervous. Hye Ran even swore after she didn’t win,” he said candidly on stage. His remarks drew attention for placing the spotlight on the loss rather than celebrating the winner.

Later in the ceremony, Kyung also referenced the results during her speech, and Yeom Hye-Ran appeared as a presenter for the television supporting acting category. She greeted the audience with humour, introducing herself as “Yeom Hye-Ran, who just lost,” which drew laughter but also highlighted the emotional undertones of the night.Public opinion quickly divided online as many viewers who had expected Hye-Ran to win praised Lee Sung-Min for expressing what they felt was shared disappointment. Others criticized the tone of the remarks, arguing that publicly highlighting someone’s loss in front of the winner could be uncomfortable or inappropriate. Meanwhile, the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards (2026) recognized both seasoned performers and emerging talent, with Netflix’s You and Everything Else taking home Best Drama. Top acting honours went to Hyun Bin for Made in Korea and Park Bo-Young for Our Unwritten Seoul.