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IU and Park Bo Gum snubbed at Baeksang Arts Awards; fans express outrage despite multiple wins for When Life Gives You Tangerines
When Life Gives You Tangerines won big at the Baeksang Awards, but IU and Park Bo Gum were snubbed, causing fan outrage over their overlooked performances.
IU and Park Bo Gum's emotional drama, When Life Gives You Tangerines, has captured hearts far beyond Korea’s borders. At the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards held on May 5 at COEX Hall D in Seoul, the two leads still walked away without personal trophies. This outcome left fans stunned and vocal across social media.
Many had anticipated a sweeping night for the pair, given the depth and nuance of their performances. IU portrayed Ae-soon, a spirited woman navigating life's harsh tides with resilience. Park Bo Gum, as the steadfast and kind-hearted Gwan Sik, delivered a quietly powerful performance that resonated deeply with audiences.
The disappointment online was immediate, and they called it a snub. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) were filled with posts mourning the lack of recognition, with fans calling it one of the “biggest snubs of the century.”
One post read, “IU walking out empty-handed at Baeksang baffles me. She played two timelines and nailed both.” Another added, “IU didn’t lose the award — the award lost her.”
Well, another fan shares that Kim Tae Ri was good in her character she portrayed, but IU made an impact. "Kim Tae-ri was great, as she always is; that’s unquestionable! But IU truly deserved the Best Actress award. She has given a globally praised performance and played TWO very different roles with so many layers and so much depth. What more does she need to do to be respected as an actress?"
Some even share that the Baeksang Awards did injustice to IU: "They could have easily given best actress to IU and Taeri the daesang for her performance + career, but they choose to keep snubbing IU and award a cooking show instead lol." Another shares, "It breaks my heart to see Park Bo Gum not winning any award."
Despite the 4 major wins at the Baeksang Awards 2025, IU and Park Bo Gum went home without the recognition.
The four major wins are:
Best Supporting Actress: Yum Hye Ran
Best Supporting Actor: Choi Dae Hoon
Best Screenplay: Im Sang Chun
Best Drama: When Life Gives You Tangerines
When Life Gives You Tangerines, set in Jeju and inspired by the everyday lives of a generation past, reflects on parents' sacrifices, the weight of tradition, and the enduring importance of love and family.
Its poetic storytelling and grounded performances helped it dominate Netflix Korea’s Top 10 for four weeks while charting in 39 other countries.
Though IU and Park Bo Gum may have left the ceremony without trophies in hand, their performances in When Life Gives You Tangerines have won something greater: the hearts of a global audience.
