Park Chan-wook's satirical thriller "No Other Choice" has emerged as the frontrunner for the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards, securing an impressive 12 nominations across major categories. Close behind is Yeon Sang-ho's experimental microbudget whodunit "The Ugly," which earned 10 nominations at South Korea's most prestigious film awards ceremony. The nominations were announced Tuesday following a combined voting process that included expert panel evaluations from October 1-19 and online audience participation from October 2-19.
The Blue Dragon Film Awards, which originally ran from 1963 to 1973 before resuming in 1990, stands as one of South Korea's three most important film honors alongside the Daejong Film Awards and Baeksang Arts Awards. This year's competitive lineup spans 15 categories, showcasing the diversity and quality of Korean cinema.
"No Other Choice," featuring acclaimed actors Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin, dominated the nomination field with recognition in virtually every major category, including best picture, director, actor, actress, and supporting actor. Park Chan-wook's latest work has already garnered international attention, receiving a standing ovation at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and serving as South Korea's official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Should Park win the directing award this year, he would make history as the only director to claim the honor four times, having previously won for "JSA" (2000), "Oldboy" (2003), and "Decision to Leave" (2022).
Yeon Sang-ho's "The Ugly" made a strong showing after its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in September. The film, from the acclaimed "Train to Busan" director, secured nominations including best picture, director, and actor for Park Jeong-min's challenging dual role as both father and son. The innovative thriller centers on a documentary investigation into the decades-old disappearance of a mother, told through a series of conflicting interviews that challenge viewers' perceptions of truth.
The Best Picture category features a diverse slate of films representing various genres and storytelling approaches. Period drama "Harbin" earned eight nominations, while the year's box office champion "My Daughter Is a Zombie" secured six nominations after attracting 5.6 million viewers. The Berlinale-screened spy thriller "The Old Woman With the Knife" rounds out the category with five nominations. Notably, Kang Hyeong-cheol's fantasy action comedy "Hi-Five" earned six nominations despite not making the cut for the top prize category.
The best actor race promises to be highly competitive, featuring Park Jeong-min's dual performance in "The Ugly" against seasoned Blue Dragon winners Lee Byung-hun ("No Other Choice") and Sul Kyung-gu ("A Normal Family"). The category also includes Jo Jung-suk ("My Daughter Is a Zombie") and Hyun Bin ("Harbin"). Lee Byung-hun, who previously won the category twice for "Inside Men" (2016) and "Concrete Utopia" (2023), could add another victory to his impressive collection.
In the best actress category, Son Ye-jin ("No Other Choice") faces strong competition from Song Hye-kyo ("Dark Nuns"), Lee Jae-in ("Hi-Five"), Lee Hye-young ("The Old Woman With the Knife"), and singer-actor Lim Yoona ("Pretty Crazy"). Recent winners in this category have included Cho Yeo-jung for "Parasite" (2019), Tang Wei for "Decision to Leave" (2022), and Kim Go-eun for "Exhuma" (2024), highlighting the caliber of talent recognized by these awards.
The best director category showcases the cream of Korean filmmaking talent, with Park Chan-wook and Yeon Sang-ho joined by Min Kyu-dong ("The Old Woman With the Knife"), Woo Min-ho ("Harbin"), and Pil Gam-seong ("My Daughter Is a Zombie"). The competition reflects the diverse storytelling styles and genres that have defined Korean cinema in recent years.
The awards ceremony also recognizes emerging talent through its best new director category, which traditionally highlights promising indie and arthouse filmmakers. This year's nominees include Kim Hye-young ("It's Okay, It's Okay, It's Okay!"), Park Jun-ho ("3670"), and Jang Byung-ki ("After Summer Passes"). "3670," a groundbreaking film following a gay North Korean defector attempting to build a new life in the South, also earned lead actor Cho Yoo-hyun a best new actor nomination, demonstrating the awards' commitment to recognizing diverse stories and voices.
Final voting began Tuesday through the fan-voting app CelebChamp across 16 categories, with audience votes carrying equal weight to expert panel decisions in determining the winners. This democratic approach ensures that both critical acclaim and popular appeal factor into the final results. The 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 19 at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, where the Korean film industry will gather to celebrate another exceptional year in cinema.
