Awards Shows Held without Audiences Due to COVID-19
The 56th editions of both the Grand Bell Film Awards and the BaekSang Arts Awards were held in quick succession earlier this month, on the 3rd and 5th, both without an audience for the first time, owing to public health concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic. BONG Joon-ho’s PARASITE (2019) won the Best Film prize at both, as well as BaekSang’s separate Grand Prize, and was also the most awarded film at each event, with five Grand Bells and a trio of BaekSang accolades.
Director BONG picked up the awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay (along with co-writer HAN Jin-won) at the Grand Bells. PARASITE (2019) also picked up awards for Best Supporting Actress (LEE Jung-eun) and Best Music (JUNG Jae-il). Other multiple award winners were ASHFALL (2019), which also netted Andras IKLADI the Visual Effects prize, Extreme Job (2019), winner of Best Supporting Actor for JIN Seon-kyu and Best Planning for LEE Jong-seok, and SVAHA : THE SIXTH FINGER (2019), which won for Best Art Direction (SEO Seong-kyeong) and Best Lighting (JEON Young-seok).