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HallyUP is the premier Korean popular culture organization in UP Diliman. Formed in 2012, they continue to organize events that promote K-pop and Korean culture within and outside the university.

The 3rd HallyuAwards

20 min readFeb 17, 2022

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As a premiere student organization in the University of the Philippines Diliman that seeks to promote Korean popular culture in the university (and further, all over the country), HallyUP opened the 3rd annual student-led HallyuAwards to appreciate and credit the hard work that the artists have put into their crafts during the past year.

Eligible artists, songs, dramas, and cast candidates considered releases from December 2020 to November 2021. A pre-screening of nominees for the final poll was first conducted within the resident HallyUP members circle from November 15 to November 22. From the pool of all preliminary nominees, those who received the four highest votes for each award would advance to the final voting round. Official public voting ran from December 1 to December 31 on Facebook and from December 21 to December 31 on Twitter.

Check out the winners of the 3rd HallyuAwards and their 2021 and upcoming projects! Click links below to navigate the article.

Music and Performances | NCT · NCT 127 · NCT DREAM · Doyoung of NCT · Lisa · DAY6 · D.O. · Red Velvet · SEVENTEEN · AKMU, IU · iT’S ONE (BOBBY, Hwiyoung, Sunwoo) · PURPLE KISS · JUST B

Drama and Entertainment | Hometown Cha Cha Cha · Nevertheless · Hospital Playlist · Squid Game · Vincenzo · Running Man · Street Woman Fighter · MBC Show! Music Core · Jessi | WARNING! May contain drama and show spoilers.

Results Tally | Music and Performances · Artists · Drama and Entertainment

Music and Performances

NCT

Song of the Year — Favorite by NCT 127, Album of the Year — Hello Future by NCT Dream, OST of the Year — Like A Star by Doyoung of NCT for the drama Yumi’s Cells

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NCT 2021 “Beautiful” music video (SM Entertainment)

Following the massive success of NCT in 2020 with their respective unit activities and the NCT 2020: Resonance project, the limitless SM Entertainment boy group yet again raised the roof with their nonstop releases and promotions in 2021. They kicked off the year with a special 24-hour relay cam [camera] for NCTzens, a vlog series that ran from January to February that boasts an “a day in the life of an idol” concept, but with the members taking turns in filming during their randomly chosen timeslots. NCT activities were capped off last year with the NCT 2021 Universe project, headlined by “Universe (Let’s Play Ball)” and “Beautiful” lead singles.

NCT 127

NCT 127 began their promotions for their 2nd Japanese Mini Album “Loveholic” in February. They also claimed commercial success in the third quarter with their “Sticker” and repackage “Favorite” albums; “Sticker” in fact gained an all-time bestselling SM album status. Despite the divided feedback of K-Pop fans on the music layer cohesiveness of the title track “Sticker”, the track nonetheless proved that no other than NCT 127 could pull off such an experimental sound with mastery and flair. “Favorite”, on the other hand, became an instant fan-favorite thanks to its emotionally appealing chorus and remarkably strong vocals. Powerhouse SM Entertainment songwriters Yoo Youngjin and Kenzie worked on the “Sticker” and “Favorite” headliners respectively.

NCT DREAM

In April, SM Entertainment decided to abolish the graduation system in NCT DREAM, reframing them as a fixed subunit with seven members including Mark who previously graduated in 2018. It was also announced later on that NCT DREAM will be having their first ever full-length studio album after five years since its debut. The back-to-back news fit for the coming-of-age of the maknae (youngest) NCT subunit surely overjoyed NCTzens, and it comes without a doubt that this built-up anticipation for “Hot Sauce” and its repackaged version “Hello Future” resulted in NCT DREAM earning their double million-seller title for the former and triple million-seller title for the combined sales of the two albums.

Doyoung of NCT

The year 2021 was particularly busy for NCT member Doyoung as they finally made their debut on TV and in theater with “Midnight Café Season 3: The Curious Stalker” and “Marie Antoinette” respectively. With a delicate and slightly husky voice that goes well with romantic Kdrama scenes, Doyoung featured in two OSTs namely “Night Air” (Midnight Café Season 3) and “Like a Star” (Yumi’s Cells).

The drama Yumi’s Cells is Korea’s first blended live action-animation series which centers on the daily life of Yumi and her adorable cells. It was based on a webtoon of the same name that currently has over a million subscribers. With the huge fanbase of the drama, webtoon, and of Doyoung combined, “Like a Star” garnered a million streams on Melon in more or less 12 days since its official release.

Stay tuned for: NCT Hollywood, Sungchan and Shotaro unit distribution | back to top

Lisa

Music Video of the Year — Lalisa by Lisa, Best Dance Performance — MONEY by Lisa, Best Female Solo Artist

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“Lalisa” release schedule poster (YG Entertainment)

BLACKPINK main dancer Lalisa Manoban, popularly known as Lisa, is the third member from the worldwide hit female group to debut as a solo artist. Their single album released September last year marked a record-smashing debut as the “Lalisa” official music video and “Money” dance performance videos showcased Lisa’s phenomenal stage presence. A roster of Lisa’s achievements during this successful debut include: the most viewed video by a soloist in 24 hours (“Lalisa” with 73.6M views in 24 hours, besting previous record-holder Taylor Swift); a total of 75.7M views thus far for the #LalisaDanceChallenge launched on TikTok; and the fastest K-Pop soloist to reach 300M streams on Spotify for “Money” (in 112 days, beating co-BLACKPINK member Jennie’s “Solo” which took 960 days to reach the same milestone).

Related Works: “SG”, a collaboration with DJ Snake, Ozuna, and Megan Thee Stallion where Lisa participated in songwriting and composing | back to top

DAY6

Artist of the Year, Best K-Band

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DAY6’s “The Book of Us: Negentropy” concept photo (JYP Entertainment)

Recent updates on the band could be a little bittersweet for My Days, but their 2021 discography would certainly be remembered as the band’s legacy in K-Pop history. DAY6 started the year with promotions and an online concert from its subunit Even of Day (Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon). In April, their 7th Mini Album “The Book of Us: Negentropy” concluded the five-part “The Book of Us” series. It peaked at #3 in the Gaon Album Charts despite having no official promotions. This was then followed by Even of Day’s second EP “Right Through Me”. Young K and Dowoon also made their respective solo debuts with “Eternals” and “Out of the Blue” respectively. Currently, only Wonpil remains active in the group after members Sungjin, Young K, and Dowoon enlisted for military service, while Jae announced their departure from the band due to personal reasons.

Related Works: “Leaves”, DAY6’s Young K collaboration with OPM band Ben&Ben | back to top

D.O.

Best Vocal Performance, Best Male Solo Artist

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D.O.’s “Empathy” solo album concept photo (SM Entertainment)

EXO main vocal Do Kyung-soo or D.O. greeted fans with the news of safe discharge from military service on January 25. A few months after, D.O. delighted EXO-Ls and K-Pop fans with the long-awaited solo debut album “Empathy”. The album headliner “Rose” was a simple and easygoing acoustic song that took the spotlight on D.O.’s honey vocals. The music video also did a subtle and brighter reprise of D.O.’s Han Kang-woo role in the drama It’s Okay, That’s Love back in 2014. Other ear candies in “Empathy” also include “I’m Gonna Love You” in collaboration with budding K-indie artist Wonstein, and the all-Spanish song “Si Fueras Mia”.

Stay tuned for: male lead role in Korean drama adaptation of the 2007 Taiwanese film “Secret” | back to top

Red Velvet

Best Female Group

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Red Velvet’s “Queendom” concept photo (SM Entertainment)

Right on New Year’s day, Red Velvet finally served a complete five-membered version of “Psycho” in the SMTOWN Live Culture Humanity concert following Wendy’s full recovery from injury. SM Entertainment also surprised ReVeLuvs with the back-to-back solo debuts of Wendy and Joy in April and May. The “Like Water” extended play [EP] highlighted Wendy’s jaw-dropping vocal prowess, while “Hello” allowed Joy to explore creativity and authenticity in remaking Korean classic songs. Then, Red Velvet returned with the bubbly “Queendom” EP, promoting both “Queendom” and “Pose” on music shows. The group’s sweet vocal blend in the entirety of the EP and their Barbie-like visuals in performances truly stood out in this comeback, therefore capturing the hearts of many K-Pop fans.

Related Works: DJ WanD in SBS Radio Power FM Wendy’s Youngstreet, Joy in JTBC Drama The One and Only, Yeri in Blue Birthday web drama and upcoming movie version in 2022 | back to top

SEVENTEEN

Best Male Group

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SEVENTEEN’s “Attacca” group photo (Pledis Entertainment)

The male group SEVENTEEN further expanded horizons as global K-Pop icons in 2021. Their appearances in “The Late Late Show with James Corden” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show” were warmly received in the US; their “Home;Run” and “Left & Right” performances on the shows’ official YouTube channels have surpassed 4M views each. SEVENTEEN also topped in Oricon and Billboard Japan charts for their Japanese releases. In June, their “Your Choice” EP was released for their Power of Love project and was later on followed by “Attacca” EP which benchmarked their first double million-seller album. Finally, SEVENTEEN concluded the Power of Love project in December with a Japanese special single album of the same name. | back to top

AKMU, IU

Collaboration of the Year — NAKKA by AKMU (with IU)

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IKMU, AKMU and IU for their “NAKKA” collaboration (IU Official YouTube channel)

Sibling duo Akdong Musician or AKMU released their star-studded collaborative album “Next Episode” last July. Seven equally impactful tracks featuring Korean household names Lee Sun-hee, IU, Zion. T, Beenzino, Choi Junghoon of Jannabi, Crush, and Sam Kim comprised this album, promising listeners a kaleidoscopic soundscape. Among these, the “NAKKA” collab with digital chart monster artist IU bannered “Next Episode”. The word “NAKKA” literally translates to “free fall”, an element conveyed in the music video. Despite the dark and heavy notion in the song’s lyrics, AKMU Chanhyuk clarified on IU’s Palette (YouTube series) that the message is in fact optimistic. “If you fall on the spot, are you so afraid of being left alone? But I’ll be with you at the bottom. That’s the message,” the songwriter said. “NAKKA” debuted third on Gaon Digital Chart and rose to first after a week. Similarly, it peaked and stayed #1 on the Billboard K-Pop 100 charts for four consecutive weeks. | back to top

iT’S ONE (BOBBY, Hwiyoung, Sunwoo)

Best Rap Performance — Full DaSH by iT’S ONE

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iT’S ONE performing “Full DaSH” (Mnet Kingdom: Legendary War official stills)

iT’S ONE’s rap unit, composed of iKON’s BOBBY, SF9’s Hwiyoung, and The Boyz’ Sunwoo, was formed in the 7th episode of Mnet’s competition show “Kingdom: Legendary War”. The rap line trio did not win against opponent Mayfly in the said round, but their trailblazing Full DaSH performance was truly memorable for the sharp K-HipHop rap style choice over idol rap. Netizens also took a huge interest in the lyrics of the song which seemingly was a diss towards Mnet. With the lead of iKON’s BOBBY, the three rappers valued the opportunity to unleash their free spirits onstage more than winning in the competition. True enough, even their backup dancers seemed to have enjoyed the stage. | back to top

PURPLE KISS

Debut Song of the Year — Ponzona by PURPLE KISS, Best New Female Group

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PURPLE KISS debut concept photo for “Ponzona” (RBW Entertainment)

PURPLE KISS was first announced as RBW’s next debuting girl group in 2020, six years after their sunbae (senior) MAMAMOO’s debut. According to their official Melon page, PURPLE KISS is composed of seven well-rounded “balance-dols” [balanced idols] who have songwriting, composing, and choreography skills — tagging PURPLE KISS as a self-producing group. In their songs thus far (including two pre-debut releases), the members’ behind-the-scenes work was indeed reflected in the song credits.

“Ponzona” marked the group’s official debut in March 2021 which blends groovy rhythm and dreamy sound, capturing the bold musical color of the group. Then, the group came back with “Zombie” in September. Both “Ponzona” and “Zombie” were not able to enter the Gaon Digital Chart, but these debuted and peaked at #99 and #89 in the Gaon Download Chart respectively. PURPLE KISS wrapped up the year with the digital single “My My”.

Discover more: PURPLEMANCE cover series, P.S. NOTE behind the scenes compilation | back to top

JUST B

Best New Male Group

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JUST B concept photo for their “JUST BEAT” single album (Bluedot Entertainment)

A mix of previous KakaoM pre-debut group members, as well as former survival show contenders, the JUST B ensemble debuted on June 30 with the “JUST BURN” album. The group has six members namely Lim Jimin (The Fan, former solo artist), Geonu (I-LAND), Bain (Under Nineteen), JM (I-LAND), DY (Under Nineteen, former 1the9 center), and Sangwoo. Their debut song “DAMAGE” and album starter “Get Away” were both produced by B.A.P. leader-producer Bang Yong-guk, while the B-side “My Way” was produced by member Bain. During their music show debut promotions, JUST B also emerged as the runner-up after (G)-IDLE’s Jeon Soyeon who took the trophy in the July 29 MCountdown episode. JUST B was also named as the K-Pop Radar Rookie of the Month in July. They made their first comeback with the single album “JUST BEAT” in October, promoting the catchy title “TICK TOCK” and B-side “Try”.

Discover more: COVER by B series (dance and song covers), Baam Escape and Right! Just THAT! reality-variety shows | back to top

Drama and Entertainment

Hometown Cha Cha Cha

KDrama of the Year, TV Personality of the Year — Kim Seonho, Best Actor — Kim Seonho, Best Supporting Actress — Kim Young-ok

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“Hometown Cha Cha Cha” Official Poster (tvN)

“La la la la la la la la la romantic Sunday~~”

A temporary weekend escape from the stay-at-home restrictions brought about by the pandemic, “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” took its viewers to the fictional seaside village of Gongjin and embraced them with the warmth of the Gongjin residents. Even before its broadcast, Hallyu fans from all over the world were already swooning since the Shin Min-ah-Kim Seonho pairing was confirmed. The two actors were talented, and they even shared a common charm — their dimples. When the script reading clips, teasers, and trailers were released, anticipation for the romance drama and its main leads’ chemistry further developed.

As soon as “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” landed a new weekend episode on the streaming platform Netflix, it quickly made waves on many social media platforms. The drama was one of Netflix’s most watched non-English TV shows for 16 weeks, and it even stayed on Netflix’s Top 10 Chart for TV shows even after two months since the wrap-up of the show. “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” also holds the 14th spot in the highest rated cable TV shows in Korea.

The drama was able to maintain its massive popularity largely thanks to the heartwarming stories and the actors who breathed life to the dear Gongjin villagers. Among the many, Kim Seonho and veteran actress Kim Young-ok delivered standout performances. Kim Seonho gained many supporters for their charming portrayal of Hong Du-sik (“Chief Hong”), a skillful wageman with a long list of earned job certifications. They debuted in 2017 through “Chief Kim”/“The Good Manager”, and rose to popularity through their second lead role in “Start-Up”. Of course, the neighborhood ensemble would not be complete without the caring grandma figure played by Kim Young-ok. Kim, also dubbed as “Korea’s national grandma”, began taking halmeoni (“grandmother”) roles in 1994. Although this could have been a risky and limiting career move, Kim has since cladded their 65 years’ worth of filmography with more projects that both domestic and international viewers love.

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Kim Seonho [left] and Kim Young-ok [right] (tvN Hometown Cha Cha Cha official stills)

Stay tuned for: Kim Seonho in “Sad Tropics” film

Related Works: Kim Young-ok starred in four more 2021 dramas namely Mouse, Young Lady and Gentleman, Jirisan, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, and Squid Game | back to top

Nevertheless,

Best Actress — Han Sohee, Best New Actor — Chae Jonghyeop

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“Nevertheless,” Official Poster (JTBC)

“Nevertheless,” is a webtoon-based drama depicting “hyper realistic” complex views that the youth nowadays have about love. Han Sohee acted as Yoo Nabi, a college girl who completely gave up on love but still wants to date while Song Kang played Park Jae-eon, a free soul who was kind to everyone but barely had any interest in other people. The two had a meet-cute, but their clashing views on love and dating always came in their way. Han and Song’s elegant visuals and undeniable chemistry were undeniably one of the selling points of the show. Nevertheless, the introduction of an equally (or more) deserving second lead element through Chae Jonghyeop’s Yang Dohyeok or “Potato Boy” character intensified the existing conflict among the viewers. Chae’s performance as a soft and caring personality was effective; it took no time for some fans to switch their approval for Jae-eon to Potato Boy.

Chae Jonghyeop or “Potato Guy” (JTBC Nevertheless, official stills)

Han Sohee gained popularity as the feisty Yeo Dakyung in “The World of the Married”. Their excellent acting chops earned rookie award wins in Asia Artist Awards and Brand of the Year Awards in 2020. In 2021, they ranked 39th in the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list for their works “Nevertheless,” and “My Name”. The two projects were also #8 and #3 in the TV Time most viewed Netflix releases originating from South Korea. Meanwhile, Chae Jonghyeop made their first big break with the award-winning sports drama “(Hot) Stove League” in 2020. After which, Chae continuously scored appearances in “Sisyphus: The Myth”, “Nevertheless,”, and “The Witch’s Diner”. This 2022, Chae was named Best New Actor in the Korea First Brand Award.

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Stay tuned for: Han Sohee in “Soundtrack #1” with Park Hyungsik, “Gyeongseong Creature” with Park Seo-joon; Chae Jonghyeop in another sports drama “The Speed Going to You 493 km” with Park Joohyun | back to top

Hospital Playlist

Best Kdrama Couple — Jo Jongsuk and Jeon Mido

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“Hospital Playlist 2” Official Poster (tvN)

Hospital Playlist fans were thrilled to see all of their dear 99’z get together with respective love interests in the second season. Four ships sailed: WinterGarden (Ahn Jeongwon and Jang Gyeo-ul), Bideulgi/Dove (Kim Junwan and Lee Iksun), GomGom/Bear (Yang Seokhyung and Chu Minha), and IkSong (Lee Ikjun and Chae Songhwa). Among these, the viewers greatly anticipated and rejoiced when IkSong who, after two seasons of slowburn friendship-turned-romance, finally conveyed their feelings towards each other. While Jo Jongsuk and Jeon Mido shared an electrifying chemistry onscreen, the two actors were already happily married with their respective life partners even before the first season began, proving their professionalism as actors.

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Jo Jongsuk as Ikjun [left] and Jeon Mido as Songhwa [right] dubbed as the Iksong couple (tvN Hospital Playlist 2 official stills)

Stay tuned for: Jeon Mido in “Thirty-Nine” with Son Yejin and Kim Jihyun | back to top

Squid Game

Best New Actress — Jung Hoyeon

The Netflix original “Squid Game” took the world by storm. It is currently the most watched series on the said streaming platform (beating Western series “Bridgerton”), and it also topped Netflix charts in 94 countries. “Squid Game” was conceptualized after a South Korean children’s game of the same name. Potential participants who had large debts were cast on the streets, offering a seemingly harmless chance to play and to win the insurmountable cash prize for the victor. Little did they know that the game was violent, and a fatal penalty awaited the losers.

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Jung Hoyeon as Kang Sae-byeok (Netflix Squid Game official stills)

The “Squid Game” cast was balanced. The likes of Oh Yeongsu, Lee Jungjae, and Park Hae-soo were already established actors in Korea, while there were relatively fresh personalities like Jung Hoyeon and Lee Youmi. Jung Hoyeon particularly drew the attention of viewers with their exquisite portrayal of Kang Sae-byeok despite being a total newcomer in the acting industry. Jung is a world-renowned runway model prior to signing an acting contract with Saram Entertainment in 2020. In fact, they first auditioned for the role while in the New York Fashion Week. A true breakout star of “Squid Game”, Jung became the second most followed Korean actress on Instagram in 2021 (after K-Pop artist-actress IU/Lee Ji-eun) and was nominated for the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series award at the 28th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.

Discover more: “Squid Game” cast and productions continues to make history with Oh Yeong-su’s momentous win as Best Supporting Actor for Television in the Golden Globes Awards (first South Korean actor to receive such award), the show’s special award in the American Film Institute Awards (only foreign TV show win in 2021), and their four SAG nominations in the SAG Awards this February 27. | back to top

Vincenzo

Best Supporting Actor — Ok Taec-yeon

Another Korean TV show that soared to mainstream popularity is “Vincenzo”. While the drama initially banked on its lead actor Song Joongki, the lovely interactions among the cast members captured the hearts of the viewers. “Vincenzo” followed the journey of lawyer-consigliere Vincenzo Cassano who sought to retrieve their hidden fortune at the Geumga Plaza basement, but it turned out that the building was illegally acquired by the Babel Group. After several incidents, Vincenzo joined hands with Hong Chayoung (Jeon Yeo-been) and the Geumga Plaza tenants in the fight to reclaim the building from Babel Group. Ok Taec-yeon played a crucial role in the plot as the mean Babel chairman disguised as Chayoung’s naive assistant. Ok showcased duality and versatility through this project and earned praises for their acting.

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2PM’s Taecyeon as the clumsy intern Jang Joon-woo (tvN Vincenzo official stills)

During its airing, “Vincenzo” peaked at #1 in the Good Data Corporation most buzzworthy drama weekly rankings while its cast Song Joongki, Jeon Yeo-been, and Taec-yeon dominated the top 10 most buzzworthy actors lists. It also ranked #4 in the TV Time Top 10 most viewed Netflix Korean dramas.| back to top

Running Man

Best Reality/Variety Show

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“Running Man” cast takes a memorable photo during Kwangsoo’s final appearance on the show (Running Man official Facebook page)

“Running Man” gained a huge domestic and international following with its friendly game show format featuring comedic cast members and guests. With 585 episodes aired as of December 2021, SBS’ “Running Man” officially became the longest-running Korean variety show after surpassing previous record holder “Infinite Challenge” (563 episodes). The show and its cast also got nominated in 81 awards thus far, winning 59 of them. Most of which were popularity awards for variety shows and best entertainer awards for the front man of the show, Yoo Jae-suk.

Although “Running Man” had many momentous milestones in 2021, it also came by surprise when the regular cast Lee Kwangsoo announced their departure from the show. Lee was involved in a car accident in 2020 but still continued filming for “Running Man” while undergoing rehabilitation out of responsibility and affection for the show. Shortly after the news came out, Lee and “Running Man” became the most buzzworthy topics on social media as fans expressed their respect for the actor-comedian and the family-like cast who shared a special bond during the 11-year run of the show. | back to top

Street Woman Fighter

Best Reality Competition

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“Street Woman Fighter” show banner (Mnet)

The hit reality dance competition “Street Woman Fighter” (SWF) revolved around eight all-female dance crews vying to be the best representative of the K-Dance genre. Unlike the previous K-Pop concept in previous survival shows, it was a fresh concept because (1) it was of the street dance genre and (2) it featured a strong all-female lineup. While it initially experienced lukewarm success, the show performances uploaded on YouTube and other platforms began amassing views which ultimately catapulted the show to fame.

The SWF impact transcended various social media platforms. “Hey Mama”, a 2015 David Guetta song, reentered domestic music charts again after it was featured in a dance battle episode. Furthermore, the “Hey Mama” dance challenge went viral among K-Pop idols and general users. K-celebrities also openly talked about their favorite dancers on their VLives and social media. Thus, the “Street Woman Fighter” fever was considered as the main driver of South Korea’s phenomenal dance boom.

Stay tuned for: Street Male Fighter | back to top

MBC Show! Music Core

Best Music Show Hosts — Lee Know, Minju, and Jungwoo

3MC or WooJuHo trio ending fairies for their intro performance (MBC Show! Music Core official photos)

MBC revealed last August that Stray Kids’ Lee Know and NCT’s Jungwoo will be joining former IZ*ONE member Minju as MCs for “Music Core”. The 3MC or WooJuHo trio performed a sweet rendition of Cool’s “Walk” as a tradition among new music show hosts. The job of an MC could be a little tricky especially for those who had no prior hosting experience. Thanks to Minju who has been the “Music Core” MC since June, Jungwoo and Lee Know were able to adjust quickly. Fans of the three idols found their chemistry adorable and have since then looked forward to their interactions in the Saturday music show. | back to top

Jessi

Best Entertainer

Jessi became an icon entertainer with their straightforward personality and witty remarks. Since 2015, they appeared in various television shows like “Unpretty Rapstar” and “Sister’s Slam Dunk”. It was in 2020 however that Jessi became a regular name in variety shows. They became a regular cast for two seasons of “Sixth Sense” and even landed their own show “Showterview with Jessi” on SBS’ Mobidic YouTube channel. Although Jessi has always been known as a no-filter character, the less strict broadcast guidelines on an online platform (versus the conservative TV broadcast guidelines) allowed them to stage a freer show. “Showterview” rose to prominence among Hallyu fans as a venue for their favorite celebrities to be their authentic selves.

Jessi “Cold Blooded” concept image (P Nation)

Aside from show appearances, Jessi also released music singles “What Type of X” and “Cold Blooded”. The latter was in collaboration with the “Street Woman Fighter” participants. Jessi also appeared in the “Cold Blooded” music video, featuring the choreography of the YGX dance crew. In November, Jessi also joined hands with fellow soloist Sunmi for a remix version of Ed Sheeran’s “Shivers”. | back to top

The final combined tally of votes on Facebook and Twitter are shown below:

Music and Performances

  • Song of the Year — Favorite by NCT 127 (32.88%)
  • Album of the Year — Hello Future by NCT DREAM (44.06%)
  • Debut Song of the Year — Ponzona by PURPLE KISS (42.25%)
  • Music Video of the Year — LALISA by Lisa (36.94%)
  • Best Vocal Performance — Rose by D.O. (40.71%)
  • Best Dance Performance—MONEY by Lisa (46.04%)
  • Best Rap Performance — Full DaSH by iTS ONE (BOBBY, Hwiyoung, Sunwoo) (56.84%)
  • Collaboration of the Year—NAKKA by AKMU (with IU) (30.81%)
  • OST of the Year—Like a Star by Doyoung of NCT (55.20%)

Artists

  • Best Male Group —SEVENTEEN (36.32%)
  • Best Female Group —Red Velvet (39.00%)
  • Best Male Solo Artist —D.O. (47. 65%)
  • Best Female Solo Artist — Lisa (43.33%)
  • Best New Male Group — JUST B (31.80%)
  • Best New Female Group — PURPLE KISS (46.65%)
  • Best K-Band — DAY6 (66.61%)
  • Artist of the Year — DAY6 (9.76%)

Drama and Entertainment

  • Best Actor — Kim Seonho in Hometown Cha Cha Cha (55.58%)
  • Best Actress — Han Sohee in Nevertheless, and My Name (59.09%)
  • Best Supporting Actor — Ok Taec-yeon in Vincenzo (59.36%)
  • Best Supporting Actress — Kim Young-ok in Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Squid Game, and Jirisan (49.42%)
  • Best New Actor — Chae Jonghyeop in Nevertheless, Sisyphus, and The Witch’s Diner (33.81%)
  • Best New Actress — Jung Hoyeon in Squid Game (58.24%)
  • Best KDrama Couple — Jo Jongsuk and Jeon Mido (41.81%)
  • KDrama of the Year — Hometown Cha Cha Cha (38.13%)
  • Best Music Show Hosts (Tandem) — Lee Know, Minju, and Jungwoo in MBC Show! Music Core (37.78%)
  • Best Reality/Variety Show — Running Man (41.22%)
  • Best Reality Competition — Street Woman Fighter (48.65%)
  • Best Entertainer — Jessi (47.62%)
  • TV Personality of the Year — Kim Seonho in Hometown Cha Cha Cha (11.61%) | back to top

The year 2021 was another fruitful yet challenging time for Korean celebrities and their fans. Now more than ever, the worldwide presence of Hallyu became stronger — with Korean music and film receiving critical acclaim and accolades internationally, even in usually Western-centric bodies. However, Hallyu’s current state of success should not only be attributed to a few, but to the many generations of artists who have long been pursuing to master their crafts. The fans who showed their warm support to their idols also played an essential role in this success.

Congratulations to the winners and to the fans who participated in the 3rd HallyuAwards! We hope to see you again in our future events and projects.

Check out the official winner post on our Facebook Page:

Article written by: Catherine Joy N. Abella
Edited by: Cristiana Marie Calderon

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HallyUP Media
HallyUP Media

Published in HallyUP Media

HallyUP is the premier Korean popular culture organization in UP Diliman. Formed in 2012, they continue to organize events that promote K-pop and Korean culture within and outside the university.