Was ‘Queen of Tears’ really left out of the 61st Baeksang Awards due to Kim Soo Hyun controversy?
As South Korea’s entertainment industry enters its most prestigious award season, the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards has released its list of top contenders across television, film, and variety categories. While shows like ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ led the pack with eight nominations, and ‘Lovely Runner’ followed with five, netizens were quick to point out the glaring absence of one of 2024’s most talked-about dramas—’Queen of Tears.’
The missing giant
With record-breaking viewership peaking at 24.9%, ‘Queen of Tears’ emerged as one of the most-watched Korean dramas on Netflix in 2024. Its success had many expecting multiple Baeksang nods, particularly for lead actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won. However, the series was nowhere to be found in any acting or technical category in the 2025 nomination list, sparking widespread speculation online.
Fans and observers linked the omission to the ongoing controversy surrounding lead actor Kim Soo-hyun. In early 2025, late actress Kim Sae-ron was found dead by suicide. Following her death, reports surfaced alleging that Kim had been romantically involved with her during her teenage years—a claim he has firmly denied. Nonetheless, the scandal has cast a long shadow over the drama’s legacy, leading many to question whether ‘Queen of Tears’ was deliberately sidelined by the awards committee.
Timeline rules: What really happened?
Despite the conspiracy theories, the truth behind ‘Queen of Tears’ Baeksang's absence may lie in the awards’ eligibility criteria. The 61st edition considered projects released between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. Only those dramas that aired at least one-third of their episodes before the March 31 cut-off date were eligible for nomination.
‘Queen of Tears’ premiered on 9 March 2024 and was still airing when the nominations for the previous year’s Baeksang Awards were announced. Its final episode aired on 28 April 2024, which technically positioned it outside the full evaluation period for the 2025 edition. Notably, Kim Soo-hyun had already been nominated for Best Actor in the 2024 Baeksang Awards, although the honour ultimately went to Namkoong Min for ‘My Dearest.’
Therefore, based strictly on the eligibility framework, ‘Queen of Tears’ was not a contender for this year’s awards. Yet, the timing of its release—combined with the brewing controversy—has led some fans to question whether off-screen events may have also played an unspoken role.
Fans rally behind Kim Ji-won
While Kim Soo-hyun faced public backlash amid the controversy, many fans have turned their support to co-star Kim Ji-won, believing she may have suffered collateral damage from the situation. Despite her acclaimed performance, her name, too, was absent from this year’s list of nominees.
Still, it’s worth noting that ‘Queen of Tears’ has earned a slew of accolades at other ceremonies over the past year, cementing its place as one of the defining dramas of 2024.
Baeksang remains silent
The Baeksang Arts Awards committee has not issued any official explanation regarding the exclusion of ‘Queen of Tears.' However, its rigid selection standards are well-known within the industry, and several other productions that had been ineligible in prior years due to release timing were included this year under the same rules.