Baeksang Popularity Poll Chaos: Are Macros Really Behind the Voting Surge?

With the 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards around the corner, the race for the Popularity Award has sparked heated debates online. What was initially an exciting fan vote has turned into a full-blown controversy over suspected macro usage, shifting vote counts, and suspicious patterns tied to one specific name.

It all began as expected: from the start of voting on April 23, Lee Hyeri led the poll, followed closely by IU and Kim Hye-yoon. The rankings remained steady for about three days. Then, on April 26, things began to change. Kim Hye-yoon started gaining traction, eventually surpassing IU for second place.

But the real twist came on April 28 around 6 PM, when CAPTCHA was introduced to combat suspected bot activity. While Kim Hye-yoon and IU’s votes continued at a stable rate, Lee Hyeri’s votes suddenly plummeted leading many to suspect that macros had been boosting her numbers until then.

CAPTCHA, a common anti-bot mechanism, drastically slowed Lee Hyeri’s vote growth, while other candidates saw little to no change. This raised suspicions even more, especially after some fans reportedly admitted to automated voting methods. Interestingly, Chinese fans, who had been supporting Hyeri, suddenly began questioning other actresses for using macros, even though it was their side that seemed most affected by the new system.

Netizens pointed out that it’s not the total vote count that’s the issue—after all, actresses like Kim Seon-hyun broke 5 million votes last year—but rather the timing and drop post-CAPTCHA that’s telling.

As one user wrote, “It’s not about the numbers, it’s about how those numbers moved.”

IU is naturally popular, with a hit drama just wrapping up, and Kim Hye-yoon has been on a rising trajectory thanks to multiple awards and international buzz. Lee Hyeri, currently starring in a GL (Girls’ Love) drama, also has a passionate fanbase. But as with many niche fandoms, the line between enthusiasm and manipulation may have blurred.

The drama world has seen this before. Some fans referenced past scandals involving BL (Boys’ Love) dramas where macro voting led to disqualifications in awards shows.

• Hyeri isn’t at the level to be in the top 3… Don’t be too greedy… It’s not a good look.
• The fact is, all three are being influenced by macros. Kim Hye-yoon’s macro is stronger, which is why they managed to break through, while IU’s side seems to be the weakest.
• Kim Hye-yoon’s macro power is impressive—could this be reality? Isn’t she the least known there?
• Are there still people ignoring Kim Hye-yoon? Her fandom organization is much stronger. Since last year, she has consistently ranked first in various polls.
• Honestly, female actors can’t compete with male actor fandoms. IU’s fandom is just hers, and maybe recently it’s been influenced by Park Bo-gum’s side. But with the IU-boyfriend issue, that chemistry didn’t lead to a couple fandom. As for Kim Hye-yoon, I think the strength of Byun Woo-seok’s fandom will play a big role. Byun Woo-seok still doesn’t have any upcoming projects, but both their fandoms were so strong, so the Byun Woo-seok effect is still there.

This post wasn’t written out of malice, but out of frustration at seeing actresses unfairly targeted. If we have time to tear down rising women, maybe we should instead direct that energy toward holding actual problematic celebs accountable.