”Woman power” is set to sweep the award ceremonies, as the big three broadcasting companies are preparing for the acting awards ceremonies for the year 2003. Women actors have their names on the list of candidates for the best actor/actress awards in all three companies. Some speculate that the grand prize for all three broadcasting companies could be taken by women.
In the case of MBC, there’s no doubting that an actress will get the highest honor in this year's award ceremony. Lee Yeong-ae, 32, the heroine of "Daejanggeum" and Ha Ji-won, 25, the star of "Damo," are in close competition to be that woman, as both TV dramas enjoyed massive popularity. The competition is likely to be won by whoever is favored by viewers in their 20s and 30s, and by Internet users. Over at KBS, actor Cha Seung-won, from "Bodyguard," and actress Kim Hye-su, from "Jangheebin," are the top two candidates.
Kim Hye-su seems to have edge over Cha; despite a disappointing start at the beginning, Kim Hye-su pushed "Jangheebin" to ratings over 30 percent.
"All In," with ratings nearing 50 percent, has established itself as the best SBS drama of this year, and its star, Lee Byung-hun, is considered a favorite. Kim Hee-ae, however, who showed off her acting skills in "Perfect Love," is getting the overwhelming support of married women. Moreover, she is leading the other actresses in an Internet poll, thanks to the support from the members of the Perfect Love fan club.
The attention of TV viewers are now centered on whether these women actors -- Lee Yeong-ae, Kim Hye-su, and Kim Hee-ae -- will win the best actor/actress award in their companies. If so, some even speculate that actresses in their 30s will be the next hot thing.
(Kim Tae-geun, amicus@sportschosun.com)
