Yoo Hae-jin wins Buil Film Awards best actor, skips ceremony amid 'Assassin(s)' row
In short
Actor Yoo Hae-jin won best actor at the 35th Buil Film Awards in Busan on October 7 for 'The King's Warden' ('Wang-gwa saneun namja'), but did not attend the ceremony. The film's producer accepted on his behalf, citing his filming schedule; Hankook Ilbo linked his absence to the controversy over another film he stars in, 'Assassin(s)'.
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Actor Yoo Hae-jin won the best actor award at the 35th Buil Film Awards, hosted by the Busan Ilbo, for his role in 'The King's Warden' ('Wang-gwa saneun namja'), according to Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo. The ceremony was held on October 7 at the grand ballroom of Signiel Busan in Haeundae district, and the organiser released the list of winners on October 8, Yonhap reported. [ 3 , 4 ]
Yoo did not attend. Im Eun-jung, head of production company Onda Works, accepted the award in his place. "Yoo Hae-jin could not be with us because of his filming schedule," Im said, according to Hankook Ilbo, thanking the jury, director Jang Hang-jun, the cast and staff, and audiences, and adding that she would pass the award on to him. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that Yoo's side had earlier announced he would skip the awards, and interpreted the absence as a consequence of the dispute over 'Assassin(s)', in which Yoo also stars. Yonhap described that film as embroiled in controversy and said only that Yoo did not attend. According to Hankook Ilbo, 'Assassin(s)' depicts the August 15, 1974 shooting of Yuk Young-soo, and claims that some elements differ from historical fact led to a historical-distortion controversy. The film's team cancelled its official schedule and stage greetings at the 31st Busan International Film Festival after the dispute turned into threats against people connected to the film, the paper reported. [ 3 , 4 ]
'The King's Warden', released in February, drew 16.93 million viewers; Hankook Ilbo said this made it the second-highest-grossing film on record in Korea. Yoo played Eom Heung-do, who attends to the deposed King Danjong, a village chief watching over the exiled king, as Yonhap described the role. [ 3 , 4 ]
Among other winners, Yonhap reported, best film went to Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love' and best director to Na Hong-jin for 'Hope'. Seo Su-bin won best actress, Yeom Hye-ran best supporting actress and Eum Moon-suk best supporting actor, while Park Ji-hoon and Jeon Mi-do of 'The King's Warden' received the star of the year awards. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The award recognises the lead of a film that Hankook Ilbo and Yonhap say drew 16.93 million viewers. His absence shows the dispute over 'Assassin(s)', which outlets describe as a historical-distortion controversy, reaching his other public appearances.
Key facts
- Yoo Hae-jin won best actor at the 35th Buil Film Awards for 'The King's Warden'. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The ceremony was held on October 7 at Signiel Busan in Haeundae district, Busan. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Yoo did not attend; Im Eun-jung, head of production company Onda Works, accepted the award on his behalf. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Im said Yoo could not attend because of a filming schedule. [ 3 ]
- Yoo is also the lead actor of 'Assassin(s)', a film about the August 15, 1974 shooting of Yuk Young-soo that faces claims of historical distortion. [ 3 , 4 ]
- 'The King's Warden', released in February, drew 16.93 million viewers. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Best film went to Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love' and best director to Na Hong-jin for 'Hope'. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Why Yoo skipped the ceremony. The producer cited his filming schedule, while Hankook Ilbo interpreted the absence as a consequence of the 'Assassin(s)' controversy; Yonhap only noted that he did not attend.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Seoul Shinmun reports Yoo's best actor win and proxy acceptance amid the 'Assassin(s)' controversy. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports the win on October 8. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo publishes details of the producer's acceptance speech. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap reports the organiser's release of the full winners list. [ 4 ]