MBC Drama Awards 2024 Result, “When the Phone Rings” Went Viral with Secret “Confession”?

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On the evening of December 30, the MBC Drama Awards 2024 were held quietly without a live broadcast, as South Korea observes a national mourning period to honor the victims of a tragic plane crash. Despite the lack of live coverage, images and results from the event were shared by attendees on social media, turning this year’s awards into a hot topic.

“When the Phone Rings” Couple Went Viral
The most talked-about aspect of this year’s awards was the presence and accolades received by the couple from “When the Phone Rings”. Not only did they win acting awards individually, but they were also honored with the Best Couple award, making them the most awarded individuals at the ceremony. That evening, rare images of Chae Soo-bin and Yoo Yeon-seok sharing the stage to receive the Best Couple award became a trending topic, dominating social media across Asia. In China, their appearance skyrocketed to the top of the hot search rankings, showcasing the immense influence of “When the Phone Rings”.

Additionally, fans suspected that Yoo Yeon-seok has secretly “confessed” to Chae Soo-bin using a secret gesture. In particular, the actor can be seen crossing his thumbs during Chae Soo-bin’s speech, which is the Korean sign language gesture for “You have done well”. Meanwhile, Chae Soo-bin crossed her pinky and index finger – a gesture suspected to be meant as a confession in ESL (English Sign Language).

While “couple fans” are enthusiastic upon noticing this, others argued that the two’s hand movements may just be coincidental gestures, instead of being an alleged “secret confession”, especially the ESL one – considering that the two actors are both Koreans.
A Daesang that Surpassed Expectations
Aside from the recognition of the main couple from “When the Phone Rings”, the announcement of the prestigious Daesang (Grand Prize) also garnered significant attention. This year, the Daesang was awarded to Han Suk-kyu for his role in “Doubt”. The audience widely agreed with the decision, as Han Suk-kyu is a veteran actor revered in the Korean entertainment industry. His outstanding performance in “Doubt” solidified his place as one of the irreplaceable icons in Korean cinema.

In addition to Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin and Han Suk-kyu, the other winners of this year’s awards were also celebrated as well-deserved choices. Fans are eagerly awaiting the official images and the full broadcast of the ceremony.
MBC Drama Awards 2024 Results
- Best New Actor/Actress: Heo Nam-jun, Lee Ga-sub, Chae Won-bin
- Excellence Award: Lee Jong-won, Chae Soo-bin
- Best Actor/Actress: Byun Yo-han, Kim Nam-joo
- Best Couple: Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin
- Top Excellence Award: Yoo Yeon-seok, Lee Je-hoon, Lee Ha-nee
- Drama of the Year: Chief Detective 1958
- Daesang: Han Suk-kyu