Korea Arts Awards.

This awards show began in 1965 and is counted among Korea’s big three film-and-TV ceremonies.

What sets it apart from the other two is the TV division.

Unlike the two that judge only films, the Korea Arts Awards also scores and awards TV—both variety and drama.

Because of that, for drama actors and variety entertainers it’s as important as the terrestrial networks’ year-end Drama Awards or Entertainment Awards.

At the network year-end shows, works compete within the same broadcaster. Here, the three terrestrial networks and the OTTs all compete together for a single trophy.

It’s like the difference between first in class and first in the entire country.

"Crk!"

Our maknae beamed as we pulled into the COEX parking lot.

"I finally made it here. Ever since I was little I dreamed of standing he—"

"We’re here as variety entertainers. Us."

"Ah. Right. As variety entertainers."

He tilted his head.

"In this case, do we say my dream came true?"

"Let’s call it ‘basically came true.’"

"Waaah!"

Jiho laughed like a sparkler and dashed through the garage, and we and the staff burst out laughing.

A security guard standing in the lot picked up his radio.

"NewBlack has arrived. ...Please follow me this way."

With an austere, imposing face, the guard led us along and then, seeing our behind-the-scenes camera, asked,

"Is that NewBlack TV?"

"Yes."

"I’m a fan..."

He couldn’t grin on the job, so he answered with the tiniest twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you. Fighting!"

We bumped fists and headed into the vast hall.

Before entering COEX D Hall where the formal ceremony would take place, there was a space where attendees and staff milled about.

"Mmm."

Ri Hyuk adjusted his bow tie.

"I’m nervous. For real."

"Same. It’s my first film awards show too, so I’m a bit..."

It’s one of those shows where every year you see the list of winners on the news, so our shoulders squared up on their own.

At these big-three awards, when actors win they sob, ‘I can’t believe I’m receiving this...!’ and all that.

Maybe because my name is up for TV, Best New Actor, I’m a little nervous too.

Biju mimed sticking a mic in my face.

"Do you want the New Actor award?"

"Of course I’d love to. But the competition is so fierce..."

"You did top the online vote for Best New Actor last year."

"Our Souffles made that happen."

Honestly, I want it badly.

The sitcom I was in, “Our Family Is Alien,” was classified under Entertainment at the network year-end shows, not the Drama Awards.

I want to win in measure with the work I put in... but one of the truths I learned from Ms. Kim Deoksun is that life is happier when you keep expectations low.

"To be honest, I worried a lot just being nominated."

"Oh~ why’s that?"

"Our maknae and his rice cake— aack!"

The maknae grabbed me and rattled me like a maraca.

rattle rattle rattle.

It never used to faze me, but now that he’s almost my size, the kid’s gotten scary strong.

"Jeez, King Jiho. Why are you so strong."

"Hmph."

Watching him shake me with a smug grin, I called for Junhyun.

"Junhyun."

"Yes, hyung."

"Remove him."

"Yes."

So what if he’s strong.

I have Kim Junhyun.

"Argh! You always take Wooju’s side!"

Soon our maknae was pouting and straightening his bow tie. I slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Jiho."

"Yeah?"

"If I win, you’re not going to bawl and eat tteokbokki out of spite, right?"

"...Ha. Are ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ you really going to tease me for three years over eating tteokbokki once."

"It’s only because it was so cute it stuck in my head~"

It was a joke, but I asked just in case.

If Sun Wooju won a New Actor award before he did when he hasn’t— he might jab his skewers into the tteokbokki and tremble with rage.

He shook his head.

"Hyung. I’m twenty. Twenty."

"Right."

"Do you think I’m the kind to get jealous over something like this?"

"You always get jealous when some kid takes an Academy or other big award as the youngest ever and you mutter about how young they were."

"...Th-that’s different."

Jiho said,

"Honestly, you deserve the nomination. Your Kim Uju was really good."

"Hrm."

"And I can’t be nominated anyway because of my category. I mean, if I had been, I would’ve beaten you easily, but..."

The web drama “Shin-i” he starred in couldn’t be considered at the Korea Arts Awards because the platform was “web.”

It hasn’t been long since the scope extended to OTTs like Netplus. I’ve heard the judges are still debating whether adding a web division is premature or overdue.

He clicked his tongue.

"Do they think I’m a child."

"Want a snack?"

"Yes."

I put one of the mini snacks the organizers handed out into his palm, and we calmly waited our turn.

We waited to be called for the red carpet slot, and our eyes met with everyone passing by.

And—

"Huh?"

We knew them all.

"Whoa! Celebrities!"

"Hello, sunbae!"

Lee Gangjin, who starred in “Sleep,” came over twirling his mustache.

"What’s this? NewBlack TV?"

"Yes."

"Ohh. Like and subscribe~!"

"Turn on notifications~!"

We giggled, high-fived, and waved.

"See you later, Blackies!"

"Yes!"

That kicked off a small avalanche of familiar faces.

Actors who’d come on NewBlack TV to promote films, Music Director Kang Beomseok, a famous camera director we’d met on another shoot.

And—

"Mr. Kim Uju!"

"Mr. Seo Noeul...!"

We warmly greeted Director Woo Ga-oe, the writer, and the cast we’d worked with at TBC.

We even hugged Teacher Woo Jaeyong.

"Jooseon. Are you practicing your acting?"

"Yes, teacher."

"Take it slow. After you circle the States a bit... it still won’t be late."

Soon we ran into actors from other teams as well.

"I heard you’re winning Best New Actor... seriously, both our Mr. Wooju and Jiho— the future of acting is bright!"

"So our rookies were here!"

"Jiho, any thoughts about a drama? I really enjoyed ‘Shin-i.’"

After a wave of actors swept past, another set of faces found us.

"Yo! Jjooseon!"

"Junhyun! How’ve you been!"

"Well, look who it is!"

Cast members from MIF and Jusehan, and variety entertainers like Eunseong, stopped to say hi.

We hammed it up in front of the NewBlack TV camera.

"I hear you’re up for Best Male Variety? Netizens keep saying you should split the votes five ways—Woo, Bi, Jun, Ri, Ho. If you come as a unit it’s automatically NewBlack."

"The future of variety is bright. Bright!"

"We’re launching a new variety soon—if you’re interested, come guest sometime!"

Shaking hands with variety seniors, we started to have an identity crisis.

Biju murmured, dazed,

"Are we... actors... variety entertainers..."

"Uh-uh-uh...?"

"Actors... variety..."

We’d just filmed a heavy-hitting variety show last night... so maybe we’re leaning variety right now.

We were zoning out at the call to move to the red carpet when Min Gi hyung smiled.

"Kids."

"Yes?"

"You’re singers."

"Ah!"

"Idiots..."

Identity crisis.

Resolved.

Papapapapat!

"Great poses! Mr. Wooju! Love the outfit today! Who chose your look! ...that vicious spaceship face is fantastic!"

"How’s today feel? Think you’ll win?"

"Goodness! So handsome!"

We were basically beaten senseless by light as we crossed the red carpet.

At this level of flash, I felt like we could have dusted the Dracula duke we met yesterday no problem.

I wondered how Lucas and the other actors were doing—did they meet Hailey all right?

"Biju."

"Yeah."

"This way."

I snagged Biju before he wandered off and we entered the hall.

Rows of chairs stretched across the wide COEX space, and on stage a giant Korea Arts Awards trophy statue seemed to wave hello.

"Waaaaaa—!"

Just like on the red carpet, Souffles who’d slipped into the ceremony screamed, and everyone turned to look.

Audience members in the back stood, lifted their phones, and filmed.

Actors and variety folks sitting along our path to our seats greeted us.

"Hello, we’re NewBlack..."

"Oh!"

We bowed and tried to hurry to our row, but it wasn’t easy.

This time, actors and entertainers we’d missed earlier grabbed us and wouldn’t let go.

"Oh my! Our boys!"

"Want to meet Director Kim Ikhwan real quick? Director! NewBlack! Over here! NeewBlaaack! You said you wanted to meet them~ Ah, there he goes being shy."

"Our film opens soon... if you can have us on, please do. I’ll prepare lots of party tricks."

Half were people we already knew.

The other half we hadn’t met but knew each other from TV... acquaintances introduced acquaintances, and the place turned into a mini social hour.

I felt drained even before the ceremony started.

"Oof..."

Our seats were inconveniently placed in a middle zone between the actor section and the variety section, so a lot of folks stopped by.

One person came, then another, until I was dizzy.

"Love ‘Coin,’" "Congrats on heading to the Billboard Awards," and so on. We, of course, returned the courtesies.

"Eleven o’clock—PBS variety team."

"Three o’clock—team prepping a new film."

Jiho and I whispered quick briefings, and then we and the others smiled bright and said, we’re big fans~ nice to see you.

The greetings continued almost until the ceremony began.

"Huee..."

Biju smiled with damp eyes.

"Hyung, if I took an MBTI test now I’d come out I, not E."

"Same."

So many came over that I felt grateful to senior Lee Gyeonwoo, who waved shyly from afar.

A shy star going, hello... from a distance.

"Let’s go to him."

"Seoonbaeeeenim!"

We joked about whether he’d pre-gamed with calming pills and diligently cheered up the Hallyu star.

Watching from the side, Lemon Entertainment’s flagship actor and major shareholder, senior Gwak Sihyun, smiled warmly.

"Our Gyeonwoo made a friend. Take good care of him, you guys."

"Yes!"

"He may not look it, but he’s a real one. He does flower arranging on his days off."

"Oh. Sunbae, what do you use? I use cacti."

He rubbed his temples, and people around us burst into laughter.

After we’d greeted practically every winner-to-be, we finally returned to our seats.

"NewBlack...!"

From a distance, the fake Souffle, Chu Giseok, sent us a wave; we shot a heart back and straightened our posture.

Time to lock in face control.

A reaction cam is bound to go up later, so I crossed my legs and held a polite smile.

"Jiho."

"Yup?"

"Angle the water bottle forward a bit."

"Ah. Okay."

Jiho adjusted the label on the bottled water, which looked sponsored, so the logo would face the cameras.

While we did that, the dim hall brightened.

Movie scenes played across the multiscreens installed around the venue.

"[Friends. Is noble birth some special seed set aside for a few?]"

Starting with a scene from the historical film “Manjeok” released this summer, the screen rolled through moments from films that lit up the year.

A bit from a comedy, a family hugging amid wartime chaos, and so on.

Clips full of actors’ raw, earnest performances—an awesome VCR.

Biju whispered,

"Our company studio did that edit."

"Really?"

A voiceover from a voice actor ran over it.

"Oh. That voice is..."

It was the voice actor who’d appeared on NewBlack TV for our voice-actor special.

— The living voice of Korean popular culture! The Korea Arts Awards! Please welcome today’s MCs!

The three MCs—two men and a woman—were all people we’d run into before.

I felt like Forrest Gump of the entertainment industry.

— Yes. Truly, all the stars of Korea are gathered here. The hall is absolutely sparkling.

Oh Hyungseok, the eldest of Jusehan, hosted smoothly, and the main ceremony started.

First category: TV, Best New Actress.

As the nominees for Best New Actress flashed up, the eyes of the Woo Ga-oe cast around us slid toward me.

Looks sent in anticipation of the upcoming Best New Actor.

‘Wooju.’

‘You have to take it. You have to.’

Senior Seo Noeul gave me a calm nod, and Director Hwang Jeonggu and Writer Hwang Jeongyeon did the same.

Everyone’s faces were serious.

No surprise—this awards show was the only place we could be judged for acting and drama.

Last year, “Our Family Is Alien” posted a ridiculous rating for its finale and swept awards at the TBC Entertainment Awards. But not at the Drama Awards.

Of course the Entertainment Awards are great, but for the people involved it left a pang. It’s like us singers winning a song award at the Drama Awards just because a music video involves acting.

So when we parted ways at year’s end, we said, "See you at the Korea Arts Awards."

— Congratulations, Ms. Oh Sehee.

— New actress Oh Sehee, who delivered a stunning performance in “I Blew Up My In-Laws,” is...

After the trembling new actress finished her speech and stepped down,

the men’s side began.

Ah.

Why am I nervous too.

I sipped from my water bottle with slightly shaky hands, and the nominee list rolled—putting me first.

— Wooju. Our Family Is Alien.

A clip sped by of Agent Kim Uju in a suit clutching the back of his neck at the aliens’ chaos, and later tearing up at the family reunion.

"Grrrrrrrrrr!"

Souffles who’d slipped into the hall howled, and actors and entertainers covered their mouths, laughing.

That started a reel of this year’s new male actors from HBS, PBS, TBC, and so on.

Five total.

The VCR ended, and the five nominees appeared in a split-screen.

"Hmm?"

Snuggled tight at my side, my minions had both hands pressed to their cheeks, breathing in and out.

As they scrambled to get out of my solo shot, a wave of laughter rolled through the venue.

The presenters rubbed their nose bridges, stifling their own smiles.

— Yes... ahem, the winner of the 53rd Korea Arts Awards, TV division, Best New Actor is...

— Congratulations. Mr. Wooju.

Applause rose around us and my brothers grinned as I stood and bowed.

A voiceover slipped in.

— “Our Family Is Alien,” whose finale exceeded 30% viewership last year and was hailed for writing a new page in sitcom history.

Come to think of it, this is deserved.

— Through the role of Agent Kim Uju, Mr. Wooju perfectly portrayed a colorless, odorless man changing as he comes to feel the warmth of an alien family and his neighbors. Congratulations on your award!

I accepted the trophy and a small bouquet from last year’s winners and stepped to the standing mic.

"Kwaaaaaa!"

The Souffles’ cheers made me smile without meaning to.

"Hello. I’m Wooju of NewBlack."

I was a bit shivery, but I’d given so many awards speeches by now that my voice didn’t shake.

"I was really nervous when I heard I’d been nominated. I wondered for a long time what I should say if I actually won. I even searched ‘Best New Actor acceptance speech’ on MeTube, thinking it might help a little."

It didn’t help much.

Everyone was too nervous.

What mattered was—

"It looked like the most important thing was speaking from the heart. So I just want to say I’m truly grateful to the many people who helped me be able to receive this award. Thank you so much."

I named the cast and crew of “Our Family Is Alien” and told them I loved them, and the actors, director, and writer sent back hearts.

A warm, gentle air settled over the hall.

"I also want to thank our Souffles, my beloved members, and every viewer who loved ‘Our Family Is Alien.’"

I remembered the time I won my first rookie award.

There’s a truckload I want to say, but sadly, Best New Actor isn’t one of those categories where you can go on forever.

I wrapped up at the right length, then stepped down holding the bouquet.

"Congrats, Wooju!"

"Congratulations!"

Senior Seo Noeul and Director Hwang Jeonggu tapped my arm and smiled; I bowed and laughed.

It felt good to have my work last year recognized. And it felt cathartic, like I’d eased the frustration of our alien family who, despite topping 30%, couldn’t go to the Drama Awards because we were a sitcom.

If there was just one thing missing...

"Mmm."

What is this.

Why do I feel so... hollow.

A chilly emptiness, like I’d forgotten something crucial.

"Damn it."