"When Life Gives You Tangerines" Sweeps Baeksang Arts Awards 2025

Here’s the full winners list and the night’s biggest highlights.

The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards, held on May 5 at COEX in Seoul, delivered a night of standout wins and unforgettable moments—but no title dominated quite like When Life Gives You Tangerines. The bittersweet drama emerged as the evening’s biggest television winner, taking home major awards and cementing its place as one of the year’s most compelling series.

Hosted by Shin Dong Yup, Bae Suzy, and Park Bo Gum, the Baeksang Arts Awards is South Korea’s biggest night for film and television. The ceremony honored the best in Korean film, television, and theater, celebrating outstanding artistic achievements and the cultural moment Korean entertainment now occupies on the global stage.

The Evening's Biggest Winner

When Life Gives You Tangerines

The television category’s undisputed champion was When Life Gives You Tangerines, a nuanced drama that walked away with Best Drama, Best Supporting Actor (Choi Dae Hoon), Best Supporting Actress (Yeom Hye Ran), and Best Screenplay (Im Sang Choon).

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PHOTO: Netflix/When Life Gives You Tangerines

Set against the backdrop of Jeju Island known for its tangerine orchards, the series offers more than just picturesque scenery—it delivers an emotional storytelling that tackles family, sacrifice, and resilience. When Life Gives You Tangerines unpacks generational divides, economic hardships, and buried secrets with understated, intimate moments hit just as hard as its broader social commentary, making it a standout not only among critics but also among viewers.

All the Winners at Baeksang Arts Awards 2025

Here’s a rundown of all the winners who took home trophies at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards:

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PHOTO: instagram/baeksang.official.

Television

Grand Prize (Daesang): Culinary Class Wars

Best Drama: When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Actor: Ju Ji Hoon (The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call)
Best Actress: Kim Tae Ri (Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born)
Best Supporting Actor: Choi Dae Hoon (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Best Supporting Actress: Yeom Hye Ran (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
Best New Actor: Choo Young Woo (The Tale of Lady Ok)
Best New Actress: Chae Won Bin (Doubt)
Best Director: Song Yeon Hwa (Doubt)
Best Screenplay: Im Sang Choon (When Life Gives You Tangerines)

Film

Grand Prize (Daesang): Harbin

Best Film: Harbin
Best Actor: Jo Jung Suk (Pilot)
Best Actress: Jeon Do Yeon (Revolver)
Best Supporting Actor: Yoo Jae Myung (Land of Happiness)
Best Supporting Actress: Claudia Kim (A Normal Family)
Best New Actor: Jung Sung Il (Uprising)
Best New Actress: Roh Yoon Seo (Hear Me: Our Summer)
Best Director: Oh Seung Wook (Revolver)
Best Screenplay: Park Chan Wook & Shin Chul (War and Revolt)
Best Technical Direction: Jo Young Wook (Uprising – Music)

Special Awards

Gucci Impact Award: The Land of Morning Calm

Prizm Popularity Awards: Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon (Lovely Runner)