The 2023 Daejong Film Awards winners were honoured with one of the greatest prestige markers of Korean cinema, deemed an equally ranked counterpart of the Oscars. Also known as the 2023 Grand Bell Awards (대종상 영화제), the 59th edition of the annual ceremony was held at the Gyeonggi Arts Center Grand Theater and Convention Hall, South Korea, and hosted by actors Cha In-pyo and Jang Do-yeon. All domestic titles, including TV series as well, released in the timeframe October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023, were eligible for nominations.
While inaugurated in 1962, Daejong Film Awards 2023 had a 9-member judging panel with film critic Jeong Sung-il, novelist Kim Hong-shin, film producer Won Dong-yeon, Kyonggi University professor Kang Kyung-ho, Theatre Directors Association’s Sung Joon-hyun, Korean National University of Arts’ Park Jong-won, Women’s Filmmakers’ Associations’ Kim Sun-a and Chung-Ang University’s Jo Hye-jeong.
From the Korean film Cobweb rising high with the greatest number of nominations (14) to Concrete Utopia winning big, and with much-loved actors like Kim Seon-ho and Han Hyo-joo taking the lead as noteworthy victors of the night, the Daejong International Film Awards celebrated the best efforts of this year with ease.
2023 Daejong Film Awards Winners List
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jang Mi-hee
Best Film Editing
Kim Sun-min for The Night Owl
Documentary Award
Yang Young-hee for Soup and Ideology
Best Sound
Kim Suk-won for Concrete Utopia
Best Costume Design
Yoon Jung-hee for Killing Romance
Best Visual Effects
Eun Jae-hyun for Concrete Utopia
Best Cinematography
Choi Young-hwan for Smugglers
Best Music
Dalpalan for Phantom
Best Art Direction
Cho Hwa-sung and Choi Hyun-seouk for Concrete Utopia
Best New Director
Ahn Tae-jin for The Night Owl
Best Screenplay
Ahn Tae-jin and Hyun Eun-mi for The Night Owl
Best New Actor
Kim Seon-ho for The Childe
Best New Actress
Kim Si-eun for Next Sohee
Best Supporting Actor
Oh Jung-se for Cobweb
Best Supporting Actress
Kim Sun-young for Concrete Utopia
Best Actor
Lee Byung-hun for Concrete Utopia
Best Actress
Kim Seo-hyung for Green House
Best Film
Concrete Utopia
Best Director
Ryoo Seung-wan for Smugglers
Best Series
Moving on Disney+
Best Series Director
Kang Yoon-sung for Big Bet
Best Actor in a Series
Choi Min-sin for Big Bet
Best Actress in a Series
Han Hyo-joo for Moving
Congratulations to all the 2023 Grand Bell Awards Winners!
The awards ceremony was live streamed on the @iloveggac YouTube channel.