Speech by Kim Junsu at Baeksang Arts Awards 2026 Goes Viral, Sparks Discussion Over Musical Judging System

Kim Junsu (Doc. Ist)

WartaGate.com - The victory speech delivered by singer and musical actor Kim Junsu at the Baeksang Arts Awards 2026 has suddenly become a hot topic on social media.

His remarks while accepting the musical category award drew attention because they were seen as criticizing the judging system and the jury’s decisions at the event.

The awards ceremony, held at COEX Hall D, became a special moment for Kim Junsu. Through his performance in the musical Beetlejuice, he successfully won the Musical Acting Award.

The musical category itself was introduced for the first time this year at the Baeksang Arts Awards, making the victory feel even more meaningful.

When he stepped onto the stage, Kim Junsu admitted that he did not expect to be announced as the winner. Because of that, he said he had not prepared any acceptance speech beforehand.

He also expressed his happiness at finally being able to attend the awards ceremony in person after only watching it on television for years.

However, the part of the speech that attracted the most public attention came when Kim Junsu shared his hopes regarding the musical award system. He expressed his wish for the awards to be separated into male and female categories starting next year.

The statement quickly went viral and sparked debate on social media. Many fans believed Kim Junsu was indirectly criticizing the judging system because this year’s musical category combined male and female performers into a single award category.

Some netizens supported his opinion, arguing that male and female musical actors face different challenges and performance styles, making separate categories more appropriate.

On the other hand, some people felt that a combined category is actually fairer because all performers are judged under the same standards regardless of gender.

Despite the mixed reactions, many fans praised Kim Junsu for boldly expressing his views on the stage of one of South Korea’s most prestigious award ceremonies.