Koo Kyo-hwan wins Best New Actor at 58th Baeksang Awards
2021 was an eventful year for the Korean entertainment industry as it was brimming with budding actors of high calibre. This was exemplified by Koo Kyo-hwan, the actor in the Netflix series D.P., who has just won the Best New Actor award at the 58th Baeksang Awards.
The award ceremony was hosted by actor Park Bo-gum, actress Bae Suzy, and comedian Shin Dong-yup.
Nominated for his role in D.P.
Image credit: Netflix
Koo Kyo-hwan was nominated for his role in D.P., a Netflix series based on the Korean webtoon titled D.P Dog Day.
D.P. reveals the ugly side and harsh reality of the Korean military. The drama follows Han Ho-yeol, played by Koo Kyo-hwan, and Ahn Joon-ho, played by Jung Hae-in, in their pursuit of soldiers who abandoned the military with no prior notice.
Koo Kyo-hwan took on the role of Han Ho-yeol, who appears to be a happy-go-lucky soldier at first blush.
But in reality, Ho-yeol is not only a competent soldier who shoulders his responsibilities and duties to the best of his ability, but also a sympathetic and thoughtful individual.
Intense competition for the Best New Actor award
Images adapted from: @t_js0813, @_choiiii__, Netflix and Netflix
It goes without saying that Koo Kyo-hwan was up against fierce competition for the Best New Actor award. The nominees were as follows:
- Koo Kyo-hwan in D.P.
- Shin Seung-ho in D.P.
- Yoo In-soo in All Of Us Are Dead
- Choi Hyun-wook in Twenty Five Twenty One
- Tang Jun-sang in Racket Boys
Image credit: Netflix
Shin Seung-ho was also nominated for his role in D.P. He took on the role of a bully named Hwang Jang-soo, who made the lives of some soldiers extremely difficult in the military.
Not only did he torture the soldiers physically, but he tormented them emotionally by hurling vulgarities and constantly preying on them.
Image credit: Netflix
Yoo In-soo was nominated for his role in All Of Us Are Dead, a zombie apocalypse series that took the world by storm at the beginning of 2022. He took on the role of Yoon Gwi Nam, an obnoxious bully who has no regard for those around him.
The drama follows a group of high school students confined to their school building following a zombie apocalypse. Although they do everything they can to make it out alive, they experience the most tragic losses and touching moments during their fight for survival.
Image credit: @_choiiii__
Choi Hyun-wook was nominated for his role in Twenty Five Twenty One, and he took on the role of Moon Ji-woong.
The nostalgic drama revolves around the themes of dreams, love, friendship, and loss. Twenty Five Twenty One is set during the Asian Financial Crisis, a time when the dreams of many youths collapsed and crumbled into pieces.
Choi Hyun-wook, who played Moon Ji-woong, was portrayed as the most popular boy in high school.
Image credit: @t_js0813
Finally, Tang Jun-sang was nominated for his role in Racket Boys. He played Yoon Hae-kang, a badminton prodigy who faces an unprecedented family crisis.
The heartwarming drama follows the growth and challenges of a group of middle school students.
As they chase their dreams to become the best badminton players, they undergo all kinds of events that force them to stretch to their limits. But more importantly, they eventually learn to be the best version of themselves.
Koo Kyo-hwan awarded the Best New Actor at 58th Baeksang Awards
Congratulations to Koo Kyo-hwan, the winner of the Best New Actor award at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards! We believe that this is just the beginning of his successful acting career, and we anticipate his upcoming projects with an eager heart.
Also check out:
- Twenty Five Twenty One episode one review
- All Of Us Are Dead review
- 12 All Of Us Are Dead facts you didn’t know
- All Of Us Are Dead ending explained
- 20 best Korean dramas of 2021
Cover image adapted from: Namoo Actors
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