10 million-ticket actor Yoo Hae-jin wins Buil Film Awards best actor prize for 'A Man Who Lives With the King' — Empty seat at ceremony

The true worth of a 10 million-ticket actor proven in 'A Man Who Lives With the King'

Actor 'Yoo Hae-jin' won the best actor trophy at the 'Buil Film Awards', one of South Korea's most prestigious film award ceremonies, hosted by the Busan Ilbo.

Organizers officially announced the final list of winners for the '35th Buil Film Awards' on the 8th, following the ceremony's successful staging the previous day at the Grand Ballroom of Signiel Busan in Haeundae-gu, Busan. The ceremony spotlighted the present and future of Korean cinema and drew close attention from filmmakers and critics.

'Yoo Hae-jin', who took home the coveted best actor award, delivered a commanding performance in 'A Man Who Lives With the King', which set a remarkable box-office record with 16.93 million cumulative admissions. He perfectly portrayed a village chief who secretly watches over a tragic king dethroned and banished to the countryside. Yoo won acclaim from audiences and critics alike by pairing his trademark warmth and humor with a sharp charisma.

Yet 'Yoo Hae-jin' was nowhere to be seen at the ceremony despite the honor. As outside controversy surrounding his recently launched next project and the film 'Assassins', in which he stars, intensified, he reportedly decided after careful consideration to stay away to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.

'The Master of the World' and 'Hope' shine with artistic excellence

This year's best picture honor at the 'Buil Film Awards' went to director Yoon Ga-eun's 'The Master of the World', which stood out for its nuanced direction. Na Hong-jin won best director for 'Hope', a film offering a singular genre thrill and signaling the return of a master of Korean cinema.

The acting categories also saw fierce competition. Seo Su-bin won best actress for her explosive emotional performance in 'The Master of the World'. In the supporting categories, Eom Hye-ran won best supporting actress for 'No Other Choice', while Eum Moon-seok took best supporting actor for leaving a powerful impression in 'Hope'. Both further cemented their standing as accomplished performers.

Park Ji-hoon and Jeon Mi-do, stars of 'A Man Who Lives With the King', which heated up the big screen over the past year, also proved their popularity and buzz by winning the male and female 'Star of the Year' awards, respectively.

[Key winners at the 35th Buil Film Awards]

• Best Picture: 'The Master of the World' (Director Yoon Ga-eun)

• Best Director: Na Hong-jin ('Hope')

• Best Actor: 'Yoo Hae-jin' ('A Man Who Lives With the King')

• Best Actress: Seo Su-bin ('The Master of the World')

• Best Supporting Actor: Eum Moon-seok ('Hope')

• Best Supporting Actress: Eom Hye-ran ('No Other Choice')