Yoo Jae Suk Baeksang Snub Sparks Outrage

There is controversy among the entertainment industry and fans regarding the exclusion of Yoo Jae-suk from the nominee list for the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards. The eligibility period for nominations covers terrestrial, general programming, cable, OTT, and web content released from April 2025 to March 31, 2026.

The nominated works for Best Variety Program include MBC's 'Welcome to the World', 'Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung', SBS's 'The Girls Who Play Soccer', Netflix's 'Chef's Table: France Season 2', and Coupang Play's 'Office Workers Season 2'. Nominees for Best Male Entertainer are Kwak Beom, Kian84, Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Won-hoon, and Lee Seo-jin, while nominees for Best Female Entertainer are Kim Yeon-koung, Seol In-ah, Lee Su-ji, Jang Do-yeon, and Hong Jin-kyung.

However, questions are being raised about the exclusion of Yoo Jae-suk and his works from the nominee list. Yoo Jae-suk was actively involved during the eligibility period, appearing in tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block', MBC's 'What Do You Play?', and SBS's 'If You Have a Chance'. Notably, his YouTube channel 'DdeunDdeun's 'Pinggyego' garnered millions of views and significant buzz.

Consequently, critical comments regarding the selection criteria are flooding the official Baeksang Arts Awards social media accounts. Netizens have commented, "It's hard to accept Yoo Jae-suk's absence," and "I don't know what the exact selection criteria are." Some are pointing out the inconsistency in Baeksang's selection criteria, comparing it to the past case where PD Na Young-seok was recognized for his contributions to new media content and became the first entertainer to win the Grand Prize in the TV category.

Some speculate that the awards ceremony's intention to have an actor win the Grand Prize may have led to Yoo Jae-suk's deliberate exclusion, as his nomination would have made him a strong contender for the award. In addition to Yoo Jae-suk, the omission of critically acclaimed actors such as Kim Yoo-jung from 'Dear X' and Park Shin-hye from 'Undercover Miss Hong' adds to the disappointment.