Winners and Highlights from the 2018 Blue Dragon Awards

Kim Yoon-seok, Han Ji-min

It’s that time of year again — awards season! The 39th Blue Dragon Awards took place on November 23 in Seoul and it was a glamorous and star-studded affair. Kim Hye-soo returned to host for the second year running, with Yoo Yeon-seok as her co-host.

Competition was stiff, but the critically acclaimed film 1987 managed to scoop the Best Picture prize. 1987 is based on the real-life events of the June Democratic Uprising, which saw mass protests break out against the country against the power of the authoritarian President Chun Doo-hwan. The movement successfully forced the government to make concessions that brought about democratic changes to the country. The veteran actor Kim Yoon-seok won Best Actor for his portrayal of a police commissioner. The film also won in the Best Lighting category.

The night’s other big winner was Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds. The fantasy film centers around a firefighter who dies and is guided through the underworld by three grim reapers. Kim Hyang-gi is just 18 but she already boasts an impressive filmography and a Blue Dragon Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of the youngest grim reaper. (How cute was her reaction to winning?!) The film also won Best Technical Effects and the Box Office Audience Award, which is a popularity award.

Song Kang-ho, Kim Yoon-seok

Han Ji-min won Best Actress for her portrayal of an ex-convict whose life is changed by a little girl. The other nominees in the category were Kim Tae-ri, Kim Hee-ae, Esom, and Park Bo-young.

The late Kim Joo-hyuk won Best Supporting Actor for his last film role in Believer. He won out against Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Dong-wook, Joo Ji-hoon, and Steven Yeun. Nam Joo-hyuk won New Actor for his role in the historical film The Great Battle and Kim Da-mi won New Actress for her lead role in the thriller The Witch.

Kim Hyang-gi picked up her second award of the night as she won the Popularity Award along with Joo Ji-hoon, Jin Seo-yeon, Kim Young-kwang. See below for the full list of winners.

Kim Dong-wook, Kim Hyang-gi, Joo Ji-hoon

WINNERS LIST

Best Picture: 1987
Best Director: Yoon Jong-bin (The Spy Gone North)
Best Actor: Kim Yoon-seok (1987)
Best Actress: Han Ji-min (Miss Baek)
Supporting Actor: Kim Joo-hyuk (Believer)
Supporting Actress: Kim Hyang-gi (Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds)
New Actor: Nam Joo-hyuk (The Great Battle)
New Actress: Kim Da-mi (The Witch)
New Director: Jeon Go-woon (Microhabitat)

Lighting: 1987, Kim Woo-hyung, Kim Seung-kyu
Editing: Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum, Kim Hyung-joo, Jung Bum-shik, Yang Dong-yup
Music: Believer, Dalparan
Art Direction: The Spy Gone North, Park Il-hyun
Technical Effects: Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds, Jin Jong-hyun
Screenplay: Dark Figure of Crime, Kwak Kyung-taek, Kim Tae-kyun
Short Film Award: New Record, Heo Ji-eun, Lee Kyung-ho
Box Office Audience Award: Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds
Popularity Award: Jin Seo-yeon, Joo Ji-hoon, Kim Hyang-gi, Kim Young-kwang