Korean Actress Doesn’t Attend “2023 SBS Drama Awards” — The Reason May Be Related To Actor Lee Sun Kyun

An actress will reportedly be absent from the 2023 SBS Drama Awards, and many perceive it to be related to actor Lee Sun Kyun and his drug controversy.

Shin Dong Yup (left) and Kim Yoo Jung (right) hosted the “SBS Drama Awards” last year and will be hosting this year’s. | SBS

On December 7, Star News reported that actress Moon Chae Won would not be attending the event, which was scheduled to take place on December 29.

This year, Moon Chae Won was in the hit SBS K-Drama Payback. She played the role of Park Joon Kyung, an intelligent military judicial officer. It was her first time returning to the small screen after about two years since her last K-Drama, Flower of Evil.

Moon Chae Won as Park Joon Kyung in “Payback.” | SBS

Payback was successful, with a high viewership rating of 11.4% and recording the third-highest performance among SBS K-Dramas in 2023. Because of this, many presumed that she would attend the 2023 SBS Drama Awards to celebrate.

Mon Chae Won poses with a coffee truck while filming “Payback.” | @moonchaewon_official/Instagram

Her decision not to attend the award ceremony is presumed to be related to Lee Sun Kyun, who played Eun Yong, the lead role in the story.

After Lee Sun Kyun’s drug controversy broke out in October, Moon Chae Won has been relatively quiet without any news of her next project. However, since she is a lead actress in Payback, netizens believe she may not be attending the event to avoid getting entangled in the drug scandal.

Moon Chae Won (left) and Lee Sun Kyun (right) in “Payback.” | SBS

The SBS Drama Awards is an event that acknowledges the hard work of actors and staff throughout the year. Actors who were in SBS K-Dramas this year, such as Lee Je Hoon, Pyo Ye Jin, Ahn Hyo Seop, Song Kang, Park Sung Woong, Kim Tae Ri, and more, are in discussions of attending.

Kim Sejeong (left) and Ahn Hyo Seop (right) attended the “2022 SBS Drama Awards.” | SBS

Although it is presumed that Lee Sun Kyun will not attend the event to celebrate Payback due to his scandal, it appears that Moon Chae Won will do the same.