The 60th Baeksang Arts Awards, known as one of the most prestigious award shows in the Korean entertainment industry, has announced this year's nominations and netizens are not too happy.

The Baeksang Arts Awards are highly anticipated every year, as they recognize excellence in Korean film, television, and theatre. Not just artists but fans also look forward to this night, hoping for acknowledgment for their favorite works and actors. While it is not possible for everyone's favorite artist to receive a nod or take home an award, this year, the nominations have been causing quite the controversy all over the world.

Korean netizens and global fans are unanimously discontent with the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards nominations, especially in the TV category. So, this article and analysis focus exclusively on the controversy surrounding the TV nominations.

 

60th Baeksang Arts Awards Nominations - Sentiment Analysis

We pulled and analyzed posts from all over the internet, such as on X, Instagram, and NATE PANN, to understand this controversy and highlight fans' opinions, concerns, and protestations. What we noticed was that fans from all over the world, regardless of whether they are Korean or international, shared similar opinions on the nominations this time, particularly in regards to actors who were snubbed.

Before we get into our findings, let's take a brief look at the nominations that are causing the most contention with the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards. 

Categories under "TV" that are taking the most heat are "Best Actor" and "Best Actress".

In the "Best Actor (TV)" category, the nominations are Kim SooHyun for "Queen Of Tears", NamKoong Min for "My Dearest", Ryu SeungRyong for "Moving", Yoo YeonSeok for "A Bloody Lucky Day", and Yim SiWan for "Boyhood".

In the "Best Actress (TV)" category, we have Ra MiRan for "The Good Bad Mother", Ahn EunJin for "My Dearest", Uhm JungHwa for "Doctor Cha", Lee HaNee for "Knight Flower", and Lim JiYeon for "Lies Hidden In My Garden".

Rather than directly expressing disapproval of the nominated actors, fans are more upset with the actors and actresses who deserved nominations but were not named. You can check out our sentiment analysis chart below for more clarity.

As depicted in the chart, an overwhelming majority of netizens, constituting 78.7%, voiced dissatisfaction with the nominations. Conversely, only a marginal 5.8% displayed enthusiasm, while 15.5% remained neutral, neither impressed nor disappointed.

 

Criticism Of Selection Criteria

Netizens who showed a negative response raised questions about and criticism of the selection process, including doubts on whether the process was fair after all. The criteria used for nominations were brought into discussion alongside factors like viewership ratings and OTT ranking.

For those who might not know, the Baeksang Arts Awards nominees were chosen from K-Dramas that aired between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. A K-Drama will have to have aired at least one-third of its episodes by March 31 to qualify for a nomination. That is why the ongoing K-Drama "Queen Of Tears" was considered for the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards.

However, many fans were not too fond of the fact that a K-Drama that hasn't even finished airing was chosen for a category, whereas actors from several popular and beloved K-Dramas were not.

As many netizens disagreed with the standards of the Baeksang Arts Awards by which nominees are decided, they renounced the credibility of the same.

 

Actors Who Deserved Nominations, According To Global Fans

Six names stood out among the numerous posts we analyzed - Kim JiWon, Kim TaeRi, Ji ChangWook, Lee DongWook, Park BoYoung, and Shin HaeSun.

Among them, Kim JiWon is the actress fans are advocating for the most, even more so because Kim SooHyun has been nominated for the "Best Actor" category, but Kim JiWon did not get a "Best Actress" nomination. Fans are quite upset and disconcerted about the reasoning behind such a decision when Kim JiWon, who is playing the title role of one of the most successful K-Dramas right now, has not been nominated.

Comparisons between the ratings of "Queen Of Tears" versus those of "Lies Hidden In My Garden", intended to highlight Kim JiWon's snub, were also drawn, although the argument was quickly shut down when other comments emphasized that the Baeksang Arts Awards does not present awards based on ratings as last year, Kim JiWon's own drama "My Liberation Notes" was nominated for "Best Drama" despite its considerably lower ratings. Both Son SukKu and Kim JiWon were also nominated for "Best Actor" and "Best Actress" respectively.

Another upsetting snub this year, according to fans, was that of Kim TaeRi, who delivered a spellbinding performance in "Revenant". Netizens are mentioning that if Kim TaeRi had been nominated, she would undoubtedly have taken the award home. However, it's a pity that her performance was overlooked.

Similarly, Park BoYoung was brought up in discussion, with many pointing out that Park BoYoung has consistently been snubbed by the Baeksang Arts Awards despite her excellent performances, such as in "Daily Dose Of Sunshine".

Shin HaeSun was also mentioned by several fans, who asserted that the actress' performance in "Welcome To Samdal-ri" was deserving of a nomination.

In response, some netizens who are neutral about the nominees mentioned that while it is true that there are other deserving candidates, the actresses who have been nominated are also incredible, and none of them can be replaced.

In the "Best Actor" category, netizens expressed the most frustration over Ji ChangWook and Lee DongWook being snubbed. Ji ChangWook, who impressed with his brilliant acting skills and range in the Disney+ K-Drama "The Worst Of Evil" and Lee DongWook, who made viewers fall in love with him all over again in "A Shop For Killers", also on Disney+, definitely deserved nominations, according to netizens. International netizens were most vocal about this exclusion.

Once again, there were opinions that these actors were outstanding in their respective roles but the current nominees simply cannot be replaced.

What do you think about the Baeksang Arts Awards nominations this year? Tell us on X!

The 60th Baeksang Arts Awards will be held on May 7, 2024 (Tue) at 5:00 PM KST in COEX Hall D, Seoul.

One of the most polarising K-Dramas released in recent times is "Chicken Nugget" on Netflix. Viewers who have watched "Chicken Nugget" have been divided into two categories: one, completely loving it, and the other, totally unimpressed.

For those who might not know, "Chicken Nugget" is a sci-fi comedy K-Drama about a young woman who turns into a chicken nugget after entering a mysterious machine.

You read that right! Kim YouJung's character MinAh, turns into a chicken nugget and remains a chicken nugget for the majority of the drama!

To bring MinAh back to human form, her father Choi SunMan (Ryu SeungRyong) and her secret admirer Ko BaekJoong (Ahn JaeHong) join hands and risk their lives, even if that means having to unravel the deepest secrets of the universe.

The cast is phenomenal and was reason enough for many viewers to tune into "Chicken Nugget". However, for many others, even the cast could not make them watch the show.

Amidst mixed reviews, I am of the stance that "Chicken Nugget" is meant for a very specific audience. I personally thought it was a joyride that is not only worth watching but worth rewatching!

A kooky "Rick And Morty"-esque comedy with a strangely comforting and hopeful tone and a distinct humor code reminiscent of absurdist stage plays, "Chicken Nugget" perfectly mirrored the webtoon's unique offering and left me wanting more.

However, I know there are many who couldn't even complete the drama.

So, if you're wondering whether you should watch "Chicken Nugget", you've come to the right place!

Here are 3 very specific types of people who would enjoy "Chicken Nugget" on Netflix!

Of course, this is just for fun and not meant to stereotype viewers of the drama. 

 

Who Should Watch "Chicken Nugget"?

1. People who don't/don't want to take life too seriously

A prerequisite for watching fantasy or sci-fi dramas is the suspension of disbelief. However, "Chicken Nugget" takes it one step further. There's a limit to which viewers can suspend their disbelief, and "Chicken Nugget" is the type of work that tests this limit. So, to watch and enjoy "Chicken Nugget", you need to suspend not only your disbelief but also your seriousness.

None of the characters in "Chicken Nugget" take themselves too seriously. None of the character designs are serious, none of the settings are serious, and of course, the very premise itself is the definition of unserious.

Even the so-called villain is the most tropey mad scientist joined by his 45-year-old-looking 25-year-old nephew, and the two basically have a Pokémon battle towards the end of the drama!

"Chicken Nugget" is filled with parodies of K-Drama tropes, subverting expectations at every turn without a single dull moment.

You simply cannot take anything seriously if you want to enjoy "Chicken Nugget" and if that's not in your nature, this might not be the right K-Drama for you to watch.

On the other hand, if you WANT to take things less seriously than you do, "Chicken Nugget" will be perfect for you too!

 

2. People who don't like playing by rules & logic

Sci-fi and fantasy are two genres where world-building and logic can make or break the plot. However, "Chicken Nugget" does away with this idea entirely.

After all, what else would you expect from a K-Drama that refuses to take itself seriously?

"Chicken Nugget" constantly establishes certain rules, breaks them, throws in a few red herrings, introduces a new logic, turns it around, forgets it for a bit, brings it back again, catapults it to another universe (literally), and finally hands it to us on a platter. Do with it what you will!

So, if you're the type of K-Drama viewer who needs some sort of universal logic to hold the worldview of the story together, you are probably not going to like "Chicken Nugget".

However, if you're ready to be one with the chaos, embrace the illogical, and happily let go of loopholes, then you definitely need to give "Chicken Nugget" a try.

There's an eccentric order in this K-Drama's seemingly nonsensical unpredictability, and that is exactly what will help you sail through the episodes and reach the sweet ending like the last bite of a chicken nugget.

 

3. People who like side quests

"Chicken Nugget" gets more and more flavorful with time. You really need to get the hang of this drama's outrageous ideas and peculiar humor, familiarize yourself with it, and re-adjust your expectations to watch and start enjoying "Chicken Nugget".

In other words, "Chicken Nugget" is like an acquired taste, an experience, and it takes some time to get to the good part.

So, if you're the type of K-Drama viewer who enjoys tight plots with no fillers or detours and prefers getting to the crux of the matter as soon as possible, "Chicken Nugget" will probably not be your cup of tea.

However, if you're willing to take a leisurely stroll with the K-Drama, stop and smell the roses, a.k.a the star-studded cameos, don't mind diving into little back-stories, are happy to complete some side-quests, meet some loveable NPCs, giggle at some good old references, and could do with some Dad jokes sprinkled along the way, then "Chicken Nugget" might just be your favorite K-Drama of the year.

It's quite literally the most stress-free K-Drama you'll find!

Do you fall into any of these three categories? Did you watch "Chicken Nugget" on Netflix and enjoy it? Tell us on X!

You can watch "Chicken Nugget" here.

Netflix has been on a hot streak of excellently produced K-Dramas. They consistently up their game, bringing on award-winning cast members, directors, and staff to produce some of the best series around. Just recently, they released the newest show to join their ever-growing catalogue of Korean entertainment: "Chicken Nugget".

This seems like a far cry from what we're used to from the streaming giant, however, the ridiculousness of it all adds to the series' novel appeal. The Netflix-produced show stars Ryu SeungRyong, Ahn JaeHong, and Kim YouJung. There are also guest appearances from notable names like Jung HoYeon, GOT7's JinYoung, and Lee JooBin.

It tells the strange, yet comedic story of how youthful and innocent Choi MinAh (Kim YouJung) transforms into a chicken nugget after entering into a strange machine. It then falls onto her father, Choi SunMan (Ryu SeungRyong) and his company's intern, Go BaekJung (Ahn JaeHong), to uncover the secrets of the machine and revert MinAh back to her human self.

Their journey is anything but ordinary and raises a lot of questions, but it's a show that will have you smirking in delight.

 

A Hilariously Comedic Duo

If the trailer was evidence enough, audiences were in store for a wildly comedic ride, all with the help of Choi SunMan and Go BaekJung. They make an amazingly quirky duo that provide you with laughter from beginning to end. Whether it's their interactions with each other or whimsical habits, there's always something to laugh about when it comes to these two.

 

Sheer Ridiculous Situations

회사 로고송 작곡해 주는 인턴사원, 채용하시겠습니까?

간주 중부터 리듬 타고 있는 나를 발견. 못하는 게 없는(뒷말 생략) 고백중이 작곡, 작사, 노래합니다. <닭강정>, 3월 15일 넷플릭스에서 스밍해 주세요. pic.twitter.com/E9a4378v6J

— Netflix Korea｜넷플릭스 코리아 (@NetflixKR) March 13, 2024

Then there comes the entire premise of "Chicken Nugget" that throws everyone for a loop. There's twists and turns at every corner that may have you scratching your head, but also keep you smiling all throughout.

From Go BaekJung's various catchy jingles to More Than Machines' staff's laughter, "Chicken Nugget" contains various situations that you would not expect from a typical Korean series. However, the strange moments serve as just the foundation of the oddly enjoyable Netflix K-Drama.

 

Uncovering A Well-Guarded Mystery

Comedy aside, there's a growing mystery that all starts with a strange machine. Although the duo of Choi SunMan and Go BaekJung start off scared and shaken up, they quickly gather their wits and dive right into the many question marks surrounding Choi MinAh's sudden transformation.

In their pursuit to change her back to human form, our unlikely duo uncover answers that have eluded human kind for decades. This mystique will have audiences curious and willing to sit through all 10 episodes to reach its final conclusion.

 

Unsuspectingly Heartfelt And Sincere

There's no denying that "Chicken Nugget" is widely bizarre and will have many people turning away within the first episode. However, there's a hidden sincerity from the Netflix series that will have you clutching your heart.

We catch a glimpse of Choi MinAh's upbringing, under the supervision of Choi SunMan. He's played both roles of a father and mother, and although he clumsily waddled his way through parenthood at times, it always resulted in precious memories of a happy family. With the ridiculous nature of "Chicken Nugget", these small instances hit you like a truck, causing you to appreciate the tender familial love that the drama presents.

"Chicken Nugget" is unusual in every sense of the word. But underneath its whimsical nature, audiences will find it held together by a looming mystery and soft tenderness that will provide an all-encompassing warmth all throughout your body.

Have you watched the entirety of "Chicken Nugget"? What did you think of the Netflix series?