Yoo Jae-suk Kicked Out of Baeksang; Fans Outraged and Demand Explanation from Judges

South Korea's prominent award ceremony, the Baeksang Arts Awards, recently announced its 62nd list of nominees, but a bombshell quickly emerged. Yoo Jae-suk, considered the 'Nation's MC' and helming shows such as 'Running Man', 'Hangout With Yoo', 'Yoo Quiz on the Block', 'Excuse GO', and 'Whenever You Have Time'—all of which are highly popular—was completely absent from nominations this year. This is despite just last year being nominated for Grand Prize and Variety Show categories for 'Whenever You Have Time' and 'Direction GO'. This year, however, he scored zero nominations across Best Male Entertainer, Best Program, and all related awards. His omission stands in stark contrast to nominees such as Kwon Hyuk-soo, Kian84, Kim Won-hoon, Choo Sung-hoon, and others with less experience. As soon as the list came out, it went viral on Korean web forums, with fans blasting the lack of transparency in the judging criteria and demanding that organizers provide an explanation.

Fans posted statements on online communities, with titles explicitly requesting an explanation for how Baeksang Arts Awards nominees are selected. They pointed out that the issue is not merely about 'who didn't get nominated', but rather the overall opaque selection logic. In a climate where candidate pools have broadened and platform boundaries are blurred, it's hard to understand why shows and hosts with such high ratings and buzz were completely excluded. They hope the organizers will publicly disclose the judging criteria, comparative standards, and specific reasons for exclusion. Fans stressed that they're not arguing that 'someone must win', but when the results become incomprehensible to most people, the organizers have a responsibility to provide a reasonable explanation. Otherwise, the Baeksang's accumulated reputation and credibility will inevitably be affected.

Yoona Nominated for Best Actress Draws Criticism: 'For What Reason?'

In addition, Yoona of the hit drama 'Chef of the Tyrant'—the lead actress from Girls' Generation—was nominated for Best Actress at Baeksang for the first time. Originally a milestone moment, it instead triggered backlash from netizens, who blasted: 'Why her?', 'There are obviously much better candidates.' Commenters emphasized, 'It’s not that a romcom can’t be nominated,' but directly pointed to the main issue: 'The problem is her acting isn’t good enough.' They cited moments from the show: 'There were no tears in her emotional scenes, and the camera cut away,' or, 'If people are going to say her acting is good, who are they trying to convince?'

However, another group of voices quickly spoke up in support, arguing, 'High viewership, strong overseas response—her nomination is certainly representative,' 'Yoona did extensive prep for the role and trained as a chef,' and, 'Being nominated means the judges wanted to recognize diverse talents.' Fans gently countered, 'One day, her acting will win you over.'

Source: NOWnews Today's News Entertainment + Liberty Times Entertainment