The Hidden Masterpiece of K-Drama Making Waves Again: Award Nominations and Global Praise

Coupang Play’s series 'Family Matters' has made a successful European premiere at the 2025 Series Mania Festival and is now nominated for two categories at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards.

Released on November 29, 2024, ‘Family Matters’ is a story about a mother with a special ability to freely edit memories, who, along with her family, takes on villains and brings them to their knees. Upon its release, the show garnered high praise for its stellar performances and its fresh and innovative concept, making it one of the most talked-about shows of the year.

The Series Mania Festival is one of the most prestigious series festivals in Europe, where exceptional series from around the world are selected for official nominations. ‘Family Matters’ is the only Korean series to be officially invited to the International Panorama Competition.

At its European premiere, the show received a strong response from both the judges and the audience. Critics praised the series with comments such as "A story that shakes up genre conventions," "A masterpiece that explores the complex relationships within a modern family through black comedy," and "A gripping work that carefully unravels the contradictions between the characters' surface and inner selves, keeping the tension high until the very end."

Additionally, ‘Family Matters’ has been nominated for two categories at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards: Best Screenplay (Kim Jeong-min) and Best Supporting Actress (Kim Gook-hee) in the TV category. Kim Gook-hee, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, portrays the villain Oh Gil-ja, who appears to be an ordinary church deacon but is revealed to be a complex and sinister character. Her performance left a strong impression, as she brilliantly portrayed both the seemingly ordinary persona and the chilling villain.

Kim Gook-hee shared her thoughts on playing the villain in an interview with News1 last December.

She confessed, “It was harder than I thought. It’s tough because I had to imagine the specifics. Some people say playing a villain feels cathartic, but I found it difficult because I was playing such a bad person.”

She continued, “Afterward, I played a warmer role and found some healing through that. I also had lines that were uplifting to others, which helped me recover.”

Meanwhile, the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards will be broadcast on May 5th at 8:00 PM.

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