24th Director's Cut Awards 2026: Park Chan Wook, Hyun Bin, and the Biggest Winners of Korea's Most Prestigious Night

The 2026 Director's Cut Awards Just Wrapped — Here Are the Biggest Winners

If you've been following the Korean entertainment awards season, the 24th Director's Cut Awards on May 19, 2026 delivered some major moments. This is the only Korean awards show where directors from the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) personally vote on winners across 13 categories, making it one of the most respected nights in the industry. And this year was absolutely stacked.

Hyun Bin Continues His Winning Streak

Hyun Bin took home Best Actor in the Series category for his role in Made in Korea, extending his already impressive awards season run. The series, directed by Woo Min Ho, also earned its star cast widespread acclaim. Hyun Bin's performance clearly resonated with the directors who voted, cementing his status as one of the most bankable actors in Korean entertainment right now.

Not to be outdone, Yoo Hae Jin won Best Actor in Film for The King's Warden, while newcomer Park Ji Hoon — the former idol who's been having a massive awards season after also winning at the Baeksang Arts Awards — grabbed Best New Actor in Film for the same movie. Talk about a clean sweep for The King's Warden.

Park Chan Wook Dominates — Again

Legendary director Park Chan Wook won Best Director in Film for No Other Choice, adding another trophy to what's already been a dominant awards season for the acclaimed filmmaker. The film also earned Yeom Hye Ran the Best New Actress in Film award, while Seo Su Bin took Best Actress in Film for The World of Love, a film directed by Yoon Ga Eun, who won the Screenplay/Vision Award.

Yeom Hye Ran's win is particularly notable — she's been a scene-stealer for years and finally getting the recognition she deserves at the highest level.

Idol-to-Actor Pipeline Is Real

Perhaps the biggest storyline of the night? The continued rise of idols-turned-actors. TVXQ's Yunho (real name Jung Yun Ho) won Best New Actor in the Series category for his role in Low Life, following his idol group legacy into serious dramatic territory. His co-star Im Soo Jung won Best Actress in Series for the same show, while director Kang Yun Seong earned Best Director in Series.

Bang Hyo Rin also won Best New Actress in Series for Aema, rounding out a strong showing for Korean television.

What Makes the Director's Cut Awards Special

Unlike other Korean awards shows with complex voting systems, the Director's Cut Awards are voted on entirely by working directors — one person, one vote. The ceremony honored films and series released between April 2025 and March 2026, and for the first time in its history, the show was hosted by three directors — Jang Hang Jun (The King's Warden), Bong Man Dae, and Kim Cho Hee — instead of the usual two.

Other notable nominees who didn't win but deserve a shoutout: Yim Siwan for Squid Game 3, Kim Yoo Jung for Dear X, Hwang Dong Hyuk directing Squid Game 3, Lee Kwang Soo for Karma, and Go Min Si for The World of Love.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 Director's Cut Awards confirmed what we already suspected: this year belongs to The King's Warden, Low Life, and No Other Choice. But the real winners are anyone who gets to watch this golden era of Korean filmmaking unfold. If you haven't checked out these shows and films yet, consider this your sign to start.