Baeksang Arts Awards is one of the most prestigious entertainment awards in South Korea. They honor and present awards to the most excellent Korean films, dramas, theaters, and actors on a yearly basis.
The Grand Prize (Daesang) is considered the highest honor in the ceremony.
Here’s a rundown of Baeksang’s winners for Grand Prize (Daesang) and Best Dramas from 2012 to 2021:
2012 Best Drama | Moon Embracing The Sun
Synopsis: A historical drama about a woman who is betrothed to a crowned prince, until she loses her memory and becomes a shaman.
Based on: Moon Embracing the Sun
by Jung Eun-gwol
Genre: Historical, Romance, Fantasy
No of episodes: 20
Starring: Kim Soo-hyun, Han Ga-in, Jung Il-woo and Kim Min-seo
Written by: Jin Soo-wan
Directed by: Kim Do-hoon, Lee Seong-jun
Date: January 4 to March 15, 2012
Network: MBC
2012 Grand Prize (Daesang) | Deep Rooted Tree
Synopsis: When King Sejong the Great embarks on a quest to devise a writing system for his subjects in 15th-century Korea, intrigue ensues.
Based on: Deep Rooted Tree by Lee Jung-myung
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance
No of episodes: 24
Starring: Han Suk-kyu, Jang Hyuk, Shin Se-kyung
Written by: Kim Young-hyun, Park Sang-yeon
Directed by: Jang Taeyoo
Date: 5 October to 22 December 2011
Network: SBS
2013 Best Drama | The Chaser
Synopsis: Detective Baek Hong-suk world is shattered by the death of his daughter in political conspiracy.
Genre: Action, Thriller, Procedural
No. of episodes: 16
Starring: Son Hyun-joo, Kim Sang-joong
Written by: Park Kyung-soo
Directed by: Jo Nam-kook, Jin Hyuk, Jo Young-kwang
Date: 28 May – 15 July 2012
Network: SBS
2014 Best Drama | Good Doctor
Synopsis: An autistic savant becomes a paediatrician and tries to prove himself in the face of conflict with patients and peers. A hot-headed surgeon dislikes him, while he develops an understanding with two other colleagues.
Genre: Medical drama, Romantic comedy
No. of episodes: 20
Starring: Joo Won, Moon Chae-won
Written by: Park Jae-bum
Directed by: Ki Min-soo, Kim Jin-woo
Date: August 5 to October 8, 2013
Network: KBS2
2015 Best Drama | Heard It Through The Grapevine
Synopsis: Follows the way of life of Korea’s upper class, who wield enormous power and thrive on inherited wealth and lineage.
Genre: Drama, Satire, Black comedy, Family, Romance
No. of episodes: 30
Starring: Yoo Jun-sang, Yoo Ho-jeong, Go Ah-sung, and Lee Joon
Written by: Jung Sung-joo
Directed by: Ahn Panseok
Date: February 23 to June 2, 2015
Network: SBS
2016 Best Drama | Signal
Synopsis: Detectives from the present and a detective from the past communicate via walkie-talkie to solve a long-time unsolved case.
Based on: Frequency by Toby Emmerich
Genre: Procedural, Thriller, Fantasy, Drama
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, Cho Jin-woong
Written by: Kim Eun-hee
Directed by: Kim Won-seok
Date: January 22 – March 12, 2016
Network: TVN, Netflix
2016 Grand Prize (Daesang)| Descendants Of The Sun
Synopsis: A love story between Captain Yoo Shi Jin, Korean Special Forces, and Doctor Kang Mo Yeon, surgeon at Haesung Hospital. Together they face danger in a war-torn country.
Genre: Romance, Melodrama, Action
No. of episodes: 16
Starring: Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji-won
Written by: Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok
Directed by: Lee Eung-bok, Baek Sang-hoon
Date: February 24 – April 22, 2016
Network: KBS2, Netflix
2017 Best Drama | Dear My Friends
Synopsis: Several friends share personal stories with Park Wan, hoping that she will write a novel about them.
Genre: Drama
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Go Hyun-jung, Kim Hye-ja, Na Moon-hee, Go Doo-shim, Park Won-sook, Youn Yuh-jung, Joo Hyun, Kim Young-ok, Shin Goo
Written by: Noh Hee-kyung
Directed by: Hong Jong-chan
Date: May 13 to July 2, 2016
Network: TVN
2018 Best Drama | Mother
Synopsis: A school teacher sees a child facing abuse, to become the only adult to show her kindness in fight for her safety. Her ways are not too natural and her choices debatable, but it is what the small child needed.
Based on: Mother by Yuji Sakamoto
Genre: Drama, Suspense
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Lee Bo-young, Heo Yool, Lee Hye-young, Nam Ki-ae, Ko Sung-hee
Written by: Chung Seo-kyung
Directed by: Kim Cheol-kyu
Date: January 24 – March 15, 2018
Network: TVN
2018 Grand Prize (Daesang)| Stranger
Synopsis: With the help of a gutsy female detective, a prosecutor who has almost lost the ability to feel emotions tackles a strange murder case amid political corruption.
Genre: Crime, Thriller
No of episodes: 2 Seasons, 32 episodes
Starring: Cho Seung-woo, Bae Doona
Written by: Lee Soo-yeon
Directed by: Ahn Gil-ho (Season 1), Yoo Je-won (Season 1), Park Hyun-suk (Season 2)
Date: June 10, 2017 – October 4, 2020
Network: TVN
2019 Best Drama | My Mister
Synopsis: A man in his 40’s withstands the weight of life. A woman in her 20’s goes through different experiences, but also withstands the weight of her life. The man and woman get together to help each other.
Genre: Drama
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Lee Sun-kyun and Lee Ji-eun
Written by: Park Hae-young
Directed by: Kim Won-seok
Date: March 21 – May 17, 2018
Network: TVN, Netflix
2020 Best Drama | Stove League
Synopsis: Two managers seek to move their team out of the bottom of the league and toward success.
Genre: Sports, Drama
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Namkoong Min, Park Eun-bin, Oh Jung-se, Jo Byeong-kyu
Written by: Lee Shin-hwa
Directed by: Jung Dong-yoon
Date: December 13, 2019 to February 14, 2020
Network: SBS
2020 Grand Prize (Daesang)| When The Camellia Blooms
Synopsis: Dongbaek, an orphan who grew up to become a single mom, meets and falls in love with Yongsik, a do-gooder police officer in their small town.
Genre: Romantic comedy, Thriller
No. of episodes: 40
Starring: Gong Hyo-jin, Kang Ha-neul, Kim Ji-seok, Son Dam-bi, Kim Kang-hoon
Written by: Lim Sang-choon
Directed by: Cha Yeong-hoon
Date: September 18 to November 21, 2019
Network: KBS2, Netflix
2021 Best Drama | Beyond Evil
Synopsis: As a killing resembling a cold case resurfaces in a small town, the chase for the truth falls on two policemen who each harbour secrets of their own.
Genre: Psychological thriller, Procedural drama
No of episodes: 16
Starring: Shin Ha-kyun and Yeo Jin-goo
Written by: Kim Su-jin
Directed by: Shim Na-yeon
Date: February 19 – April 10, 2021
Network: JTBC
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