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| Actor Namgoong Min gives a speech after winning the grand prize for his role in the spy action series, “The Veil,” at the MBC Drama Awards, held at the network’s headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of MBC |
By Park Han-sol
Actor Namgoong Min was the winner of the Grand Prize at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards on Thursday for his role in the spy action thriller, “The Veil.”
This win is the second time the 43-year-old actor has notched the highest honor at a year-end awards ceremony hosted by a major broadcaster, following his win at last year’s SBS Drama Awards, for his performance in the popular sports series, “Hot Stove League.”
“A long time ago, I was here at the MBC Drama Awards. I was already very happy to just take part in the ceremony itself, but after congratulating all the other actors and returning home, I had a slight feeling of emptiness and sadness,” Namgoong said during the ceremony held at the studio’s headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. “But I am so thankful to be given such a huge honor after all these years.”
He added that the action-packed blockbuster with a 15-billion-won ($12.6-million) budget was inevitably a time-consuming production, especially in terms of its technical execution.
“Each scene would require a chunk of time and a number of experts to shoot. There was a little part of me wishing we had more time in production. Despite all of that, the show wrapped up as well as it did thanks to the hard work of our staff and cast.”
“The Veil” was an ambitious big-budget project for MBC, the drama series of which have continued to suffer from low viewer ratings in recent years.
Although the show ultimately failed to score two-digit viewer ratings, it presented Namgoong as a versatile actor, as he played the lead role of Han Ji-hyuk, an elite National Intelligence Service agent on his road to a truth-seeking vendetta.
The story follows the top field agent as he takes part in a confidential operation taking place in the Chinese city of Shenyang. The mission quickly goes sideways, with his teammates dead and him mysteriously vanishing into thin air. He returns to the agency a year later, suffering from memory loss, and goes on a search to uncover the horrible truth behind that day.
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| Actors Lee Se-young, left, and Lee Jun-ho pose for pictures after receiving this year’s Best Couple Award for the historical romance series, “The Red Sleeve” / Courtesy of MBC |
Along with “The Veil,” another show that took the spotlight at the awards ceremony was “The Red Sleeve,” a historical romance drama that recorded the highest viewership ever for the network in the last three years, with its latest episode scoring 14.3 percent.
The show nabbed prizes in seven categories, including the Drama of the Year, as well as the Top Excellence Award in Miniseries and the Best Couple Award for its two lead actors.
Starring Lee Se-young and Lee Jun-ho, the period drama depicts the love story between crown prince Yi San, who later becomes King Jeongjo of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty, and a court lady named Sung Deok-im.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to veteran actor Lee Deok-hwa, who also starred in “The Red Sleeve” as King Yeongjo, to celebrate his 50-year-long acting career, since his debut in 1972.
Namgoong Min nabs grand prize at MBC Drama Awards
Source: Buhay Kapa PH
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