The 23rd Directors' Cut Awards, selected and awarded directly by Korean film directors, was held on May 20 at 7 p.m. at E-Delis, hosted by directors Kim Chohee and Bong Mandae. The event is characterized by the selection of nominees and winners solely through the votes of Korean directors, and the awards ceremony is conducted in a casual and lively manner, continuing the tradition this year, making it a joyous festival filled with laughter and celebration.

The Directors' Cut Awards began with greetings from executive committee chairs Choi Donghoon and Lee Gyuman, with the official start signaled by opening remarks from directors Kim Chohee and Bong Mandae. The first award presented among the 13 institutional sectors was for new actors in series and film.

The new male actor award in the series institutional sector went to Kim Yoohan for his role as Nobin in 'The Murderer.' Kim Yoohan reflected on receiving the call after initially giving up hope two months post-audition while washing dishes and expressed his gratitude to director Lee Changhee. He vowed to be an actor who enjoys performing to the fullest. The new female actor award, the most fiercely contested among all categories, was awarded to Moon Geunyoung for her role as Teacher Oh Ji-won in 'Hell Season 2.' After Moon Geunyoung could not attend the ceremony, her remarks were read by the previous year's winner and this year's presenter, Lee Hanbyeol. Moon Geunyoung conveyed her thanks for director Yeon Sangho's bold choice that allowed her to perform freely and expressed her determination to showcase her acting without betraying the bold choices of other directors.

The new male actor award in the film institutional sector went to Lee Dohyun for his role as Yoon Bong-gil in 'The Grave.' Previous year's winner Hong Sabin made a surprise appearance on stage alongside Lee Dohyun, who had recently completed military service. Lee Dohyun pledged, "As much as you anticipate, I will work hard to become an actor who meets that expectation."

Kim Geumsun, who made a strong impression as Yoon Hwa in 'The Star of Ulsan,' won the new female actor award. She shared her thoughts, saying, "Every day may not be new, but I will live anew and work hard," and expressed her desire to share joy with director Jung Ki-hyuk and the staff, who worked together with a warm heart despite the cold weather.

Next, the script award and vision award (independent film award), as well as the new director award in the film institutional sector were presented. The script award went to director Jang Jae-hyun for writing 'The Grave.' Director Jang expressed his motivation by stating, "It’s a tough time writing, but receiving the script award really energizes me."

The vision award was presented to director Oh Jeong-min for 'The Great Grandchildren.' Director Oh expressed deep gratitude towards the judges who allowed him the opportunity to develop after being eliminated and the producers who stood by him to not give up until the end. The new director award went to director Nam Dong-hyeop for 'Handsome Guys.' Director Nam noted that he thought the film had no fortune with awards, but he was delighted to receive one, expressing thanks to the staff, actors, and production company that made this opportunity possible.

Following this, there were greetings from DGK representatives Min Gyudong and Yun Je-gyun, along with expressions of gratitude to the sponsors including Kyobo Life Insurance and Plus M Entertainment, which made the Directors' Cut Awards possible.

The awards for both series and film actors were presented next. The male actor award in the series institutional sector went to Lee Hee-jun, who played Songchon in 'The Murderer.' He thanked director Lee Changhee for trusting him with the senior role. The female actor award was presented to Bae Doona for her role in 'Family Planning.' Bae Doona, who was overseas, conveyed her thoughts through a video, stating, "As this award is given by movie directors, it is valuable and makes me very happy," while promising to be an actor who works hard without losing humility.

The male actor award in the film institutional sector was awarded again to Lee Byung-hun for his role as Cho Hun-hyun in 'The Match.' Actor Jo Woo-jin, who presented the award, praised Lee Byung-hun as the most charming and cinematic person he knows. Lee Byung-hun expressed happiness at meeting audiences in theaters, stating that he believes the honor comes from all the actors bringing their unique colors to their roles.

The female actor award went to Kim Goeun for her portrayal of Lee Hwarim in 'The Grave.' Kim Goeun, who was overseas, expressed her gratitude over video, saying that it was very meaningful to be nominated for both 'The Love Law of Big Cities' and 'The Grave,' and that she was truly delighted to receive such a significant award.

Lastly, the awards for directors in both series and film were presented. The director award in the series institutional sector went to director Lee Changhee for 'The Murderer.' Director Lee remarked, "It was quite disappointing to only be nominated and not win at other film awards," and expressed his determination to do his best in the projects he will have the chance to work on. The film institutional sector director award was given to director Jang Jae-hyun for 'The Grave.' Director Jang shared that, "The best part of being a film director is creating something alongside colleagues." He expressed deep appreciation for receiving an award given directly by his peers and also shared his hope that Korean cinema can rise again with vigor.

The 23rd Directors' Cut Awards, being a special awards ceremony where Korean film directors directly select nominees and winners through voting, concluded successfully with heartfelt congratulations from DGK representatives Min Gyudong and Yun Je-gyun, as well as executive committee chairs Lee Gyuman and Choi Donghoon, alongside more than 150 DGK directors including Kang Yoon-sung, Kim Seong-su, Park Chan-wook, Eom Tae-hwa, Yoo Jae-sun, Lee Joon-ik, and Jung Ju-ri.

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