Here’s the Full List of Winners from the 34th Buil Film Awards: Lee Byung-Hun’s Fourth Win

This year’s Buil Film Awards were held on September 18, 2025, at the Signiel Busan Grand Ballroom in Haeundae. The event was hosted by Kim Nam-gil and Chun Woo-hee, who last collaborated in the 2017 film “One Day.”

The ballroom, located inside the LCT Landmark Tower, gave the ceremony a luxurious backdrop with views of Haeundae Beach.

The ceremony covered 16 award categories, honoring 149 Korean films released between August 11, 2024, and July 10, 2025. It also put a spotlight on independent cinema, with several indie films taking top awards.

Significance of the 34th Buil Film Awards

The Buil Film Awards are known as Korea’s oldest film awards, first launched in 1958 by the Busan-based newspaper Busan Ilbo. They played a key role during Korea’s golden age of cinema in the 1960s.

After a 34-year break from 1974 to 2007, they returned in 2008 alongside the Busan International Film Festival. Since then, the awards have evolved to encompass modern shifts, including films from streaming platforms, new voices, and independent productions.

They returned in 2008 alongside the Busan International Film Festival. This relaunch positioned the Buils as a crucial alternative to more commercial, broadcaster-led awards like the Blue Dragon or Grand Bell Awards.

Their focus has always been on artistic merit and critical acclaim, making a win here a significant prestige marker for any filmmaker, often more meaningful to purists than a box-office hit.

This year showed that shift clearly. Indie films like House of the Seasons and The Land of Morning Calm won major awards, showing how the Buil Film Awards now focus on artistic diversity over commercial trends.

The judging panel had nine experts, including critics, professors, producers, and editors. Their picks highlighted both established stars and new faces, creating a mix that reflected the industry’s current state.

The event also ran live on Naver TV and YouTube, reaching audiences far beyond Busan. There were red carpet moments, behind-the-scenes coverage, and even a handprint ceremony for selected winners.

The venue itself, Signiel Busan, symbolized the awards’ prestige. The hotel sits inside the LCT Landmark Tower, with panoramic views of Haeundae Beach. Its grand ballroom can hold up to 990 people, making it ideal for one of Korea’s most respected film events.

Also Read: The K-World Dream Awards 2025: All the Winners You Need to Know.

Complete Winners List and Ceremony Highlights

Major Awards:

• Best Picture: House of the Seasons (Oh Jung-min)

• Best Director: Hwang Byung-kook – Yadang: The Snitch

• Best Actor: Lee Byung-hun – The Match

• Best Actress: Kim Go-eun – Love in the Big City

Supporting Roles:

• Best Supporting Actor: Park Jung-min – Uprising

• Best Supporting Actress: Yang Hee-kyung – The Land of Morning Calm

New Talent:

• Best New Director: Jang Byung-ki – When This Summer is Over

• Best New Actor: Choi Hyun-jin – When This Summer is Over

• Best New Actress: Lee Hyeri – Victory

Star of the Year:

• Male: Lee Jun-hyuk – The Firefighters

• Female: Lee Hyeri – Victory

Technical Categories:

• Best Screenplay: Park Yi-woong – The Land of Morning Calm

• Best Cinematography: Hong Kyung-pyo – Harbin

• Best Music: Kim Jun-seok – Hi-Five

• Best Art/Technical Direction: Park Jung-woo – Harbin

Special Award:

• Yu Hyun-mok Film Arts Award: Jang Dong-gun – A Normal Family

One standout detail this year was that Lee Byung-hun earned his fourth Best Actor award from the Buil Film Awards. Lee Jun-hyuk also won Star of the Year (Male) for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, Harbin led all films with seven nominations, though it did not win Best Picture.

Hyeri’s Rising Path in Korean Cinema

Winning Best New Actress at such an old and respected event means more than just a trophy. It shows Hyeri breaking past the “idol-actress” label and stepping into more serious territory.

Her second award, Star of the Year (Female), confirms that the industry is watching her closely now.

It is rare for a performer to win both a new talent award and a popularity-based award in the same year. That combination means she impressed critics and connected with the public at once.

It reflects her achievement and will likely be searched often as people revisit the results.

The 34th Buil Film Awards celebrated Korean cinema’s heritage while pushing for newer voices. Hyeri’s double win stands out as the clearest symbol of that shift — a fresh name rising at an event rooted in tradition.

What do you think? Were you surprised by any of the wins? Which of these award-winning films are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below!

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