Hwang Jung-min poses on the red carpet at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards held in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

The box-office hit "12.12: The Day" won big at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards on Friday, sweeping multiple top honors at one of Korea’s most prestigious film ceremonies.

Held at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, the Blue Dragon Film Awards celebrate standout Korean films released in theaters or on streaming platforms. This year, the awards considered 165 films released between October 2023 and October 2024, with 20 films, 10 directors, and 30 actors nominated across 18 categories.

"12.12: The Day," which revisits the coup attempt held in 1979, Seoul, was selected as the best picture and named the most-watched film. The film's lead actor, Hwang Jung-min, who played the fictionalized version of Chun Doo-hwan, a former president of South Korea, also won the best actor.

“I received my first best actor award for 'You Are My Sunshine.' I asked my wife, ‘Do you think I could ever win an award like that?’ I didn’t think that day would ever come. But now, I’ve won the best actor award here three times,” Hwang said in his acceptance speech for best actor.

"Everyone currently acting is worthy of a best actor award, so I hope you all keep at it and never let go until the end. Although not many films are being made and the situation is challenging, Korean cinema will always live and breathe by our side," he added.

Kim Go-eun poses on the red carpet at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards held in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

Another box-office hit, "Exhuma," also made a strong showing, with the film being picked as the second most-watched movie of the year after "12.12: The Day." Kim Go-eun won best actress for her portrayal of the shaman Hwa-rim in the occult thriller, while director Jang Jae-hyun earned the best director award for his work on the film.

In the supporting actor categories, actor Jung Hae-in won for his portrayal of a memorable serial killer targeting criminals in "I, the Executioner," while Lee Sang-hee took home best supporting actress for her role in "My Name Is Loh Kiwan."

Reflecting on her journey, Lee said, “I’ve never once wanted to quit acting. Even when I hated myself, when I wasn’t satisfied with my performances, when I didn’t want to step onto the set, or when I couldn’t see what lay ahead, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to continue this relentless one-sided love to this day.”

Jung Woo-sung speaks during the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards held in Seoul on Friday. (Screenshot of KBS' broadcast of the awards ceremony)

One of the night’s highlights was actor Jung Woo-sung’s attendance in the ceremony.

Despite speculation that he might skip the event following a recent scandal involving his love child, Jung took the stage alongside Hwang Jung-min to present the award for most-watched film.

During his remarks, which celebrated the selection of "12.12: The Day" as the most-watched film of the year, Jung expressed gratitude and directly addressed the controversy. In "12.12: The Day," Jung portrays Lee Tae-shin, a commander determined to foil Chun’s plans during the coup attempt.

“First, I sincerely thank all the audience members who came to see '12.12: The Day.' Today, I stand here with the hope that my personal matters will not tarnish the legacy of everyone involved in '12.12: The Day.' I also want to express my heartfelt apologies to everyone who showed me love and support for causing concern and disappointment."

He continued, “I will accept and bear all criticism. Furthermore, as a father, I will fulfill my responsibilities to my son to the very end.”

Jung's remarks followed local media reports revealing that he is the father of a child born to model Moon Ga-bi. The announcement came after Moon shared news of her son's birth on social media, and, on Sunday, Jung’s agency, Artist Company, confirmed the reports.

Since the revelation, Jung has been facing widespread backlash online for having a child outside of marriage.

Lee Je-hoon (left) and Han Ji-min pose on the red carpet at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards held in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

This year’s ceremony also marked a turning point in its hosting. For the first time in decades, the Blue Dragon Film Awards featured new emcees, as actor Kim Hye-soo ended her 30-year tenure last year. Stepping into her role were actors Han Ji-min and Lee Je-hoon. Han previously won best actress for "Miss Baek," while Lee was named best new actor in 2011 for "Bleak Night," making both seasoned icons in the Korean film industry.