Lim Ji-yeon’s Absence from “Baeksang Arts Awards” Best Actress Nominations Sparks Discussion

On April 7, the Baeksang Arts Awards Secretariat revealed the nominees for the “61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci” through its official website and SNS. Starting this year, the “TV Category” has been renamed to the broader “Broadcast Category”, encompassing terrestrial channels, cable, general programming, OTT and web content.
For the evaluation period from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the nominees for Best Actress in the Broadcast Category included Go Min-si (The Frog, Netflix), Kim Tae-ri (Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, tvN), Kim Hye-yoon (Lovely Runner, tvN), IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines, Netflix) and Jang Nara (Good Partner, SBS).

However, viewers were quick to question the exclusion of Lim Ji-yeon, who earned high praise for her role in JTBC’s “The Tale of Lady Ok”. While the drama received nominations in categories such as Best Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best New Actor, its lead actress was notably absent from the list.
When the drama ended in January, it recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 13.6% and a metropolitan rating of 14.0%, its highest ever according to Nielsen Korea. At its peak, it hit 15.1% in the metropolitan area, ranking No.1 across all channels. The drama started with 4.2% viewership and ended with a major success.
Lim Ji-yeon’s character, Ok Tae-young, was a strong, independent woman from the Joseon Dynasty who fought for the rights of the socially disadvantaged, earning immense support from viewers. The drama quickly rose to the top of the TV-OTT buzz ranking just two weeks after its premiere and was named the “Most Loved Korean Broadcast Program” in December 2024 and ranked second in January 2025, solidifying its status as a well-made hit.

One netizen commented, “Lim Ji-yeon acted incredibly well, and the drama was a hit—why wasn’t she included?” Another said, “It makes no sense that she’s not even a nominee.” Others wrote, “Leaving out Lim Ji-yeon is just absurd. It’s as if they already decided not to give her the award” and “She was expected to win… Not even being nominated is shocking.”
Although Lim Ji-yeon didn’t make the shortlist in the broadcast category, she did receive a nomination in the film category as Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Revolver”.
Meanwhile, fans also expressed disappointment that Park Shin-hye of SBS’s “The Judge from Hell” was not nominated either.
The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci will be held on May 5 at 8 PM at COEX D Hall in Gangnam, Seoul. With stars from hot dramas like “When Life Gives You Tangerines” (IU, Park Bo-gum) and “Lovely Runner” (Kim Hye-yoon, Byeon Woo-seok) in attendance, anticipation for the awards ceremony is running high.
