“I Hated the Competition”: Park Bo-young’s Tearful Win at Baeksang Awards

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[MyDaily = Reporter Han So-hee] Actress Park Bo-young took home the Baeksang Arts Awards’ Best Actress in Television, delivering a heartfelt, tearful acceptance speech. She spoke candidly about years spent under the strain of competition, anxiety and the constant pressure to prove herself—remarks that clearly struck a chord with the audience.

On the afternoon of May 8, the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards were held at COEX D Hall in Gangnam, Seoul.

The Baeksang Arts Awards, now in their 62nd year, were established in 1965 to honor and promote Korean popular culture and the arts. Historically recognizing achievements in television, film and theater, the ceremony this year added a musical category to mark the 60th anniversary of Korean musical theater.

On stage, Park admitted, \”I hated the competition.\” She described feeling overwhelmed at times by the need to constantly prove her value and purpose. The emotion in her voice gave way to tears as she paused to gather herself.

\”There are so many talented actors around me,\” she continued. \”I didn’t want to fall behind. I wanted to do better.\” She said that the stubborn determination not to lose helped shape who she is today. She also offered gratitude and respect to her colleagues, thanking those who became friendly rivals and, at times, acted as pacemakers for her.

She spoke warmly about this year’s winning project, Unknown Seoul. Having taken on two roles in the series, Park confessed, \”After I chose the project, I worried every day until filming began—’Can I really do this well?’\” But each time she read the script, she found renewed courage in the material.

\”I was truly happy playing Miji and Mirae,\” she said, thanking the director and writers for helping her stay grounded whenever she wavered. She also expressed appreciation for the body double and the production staff who worked behind the scenes, crediting everyone involved in bringing the project to life.

Park then addressed the drama’s central idea more plainly. \”Someone else’s life always looks better,\” she said. She admitted she used to envy other people’s talent without fully appreciating the effort behind it—and that realization ultimately pushed her to work harder.

She closed with an emotional message for family and fans. Choking up, she said, \”If there is a next life, I want to be born again as my parents’ daughter.\” She thanked viewers and audiences directly, noting that their support gives meaning to her work. \”Thank you sincerely for always cheering us on,\” she said.

Her final note was quiet and resonant: \”Yesterday is over, and tomorrow is still far off. I hope we can all live today well.\”

Meanwhile, the nominees for Best Actress in Television included Park Bo-young for Unknown Seoul, Kim Go-eun for Eun-joong and Sang-yeon, Park Ji-hyun for Eun-joong and Sang-hyun, Shin Hye-sun for Lady Dua, and Im Yoon-a for The Tyrant’s Chef.

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