Buil Film Awards: ‘Owner of the World’ Wins Best Film

As of October 8, 2026, the top prize at the 35th Buil Film Awards went to Yoon Ga-eun's 'Owner of the World,' which also took Best Actress for Seo Su-bin. Best Actor winner Yoo Hae-jin skipped the ceremony because of personal safety concerns.

5 trophiesAwards won by 'Hope'

2 awardsAwards won by 'Owner of the World'

16 million+ viewersCumulative audience for 'The King's Warden'

35thEdition of this year's Buil Film Awards

Key points

The ceremony took place October 7 in Busan, and the full winners list was released October 8.
Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' won Best Director and four other trophies, the most of any film.
Yoo Hae-jin won Best Actor for 'The King's Warden' but stayed away over safety concerns amid controversy surrounding the recent film 'Assassin(s).'
Park Ji-hoon and Jeon Mi-do won Stars of the Year, and the late critic Lim Jae-chul received the Yu Hyun-mok Film Arts Award.

The Buil Film Awards, organized by the Busan Ilbo newspaper, reached their 35th edition this year. The ceremony was held October 7 at a hotel venue in Busan, and organizers announced the full results the next day. The top prize, Best Film, went to Yoon Ga-eun's 'Owner of the World.' In the story of 'Juin,' an 18-year-old high schooler, Seo Su-bin also won Best Actress in her first-ever screen role.

Best Director went to Na Hong-jin for 'Hope.' Beyond directing, the film also swept Best Supporting Actor for Eum Moon-suk, Best New Actress for Jung Ho-yeon, Best Cinematography, and Best Art and Technical Achievement. Five trophies for a single film is the most at this year's ceremony. Best Supporting Actress went to Yum Hye-ran for 'No Other Choice.'

Best Actor went to Yoo Hae-jin, who plays the village chief in the town where an exiled king stays in Jang Hang-jun's period drama 'The King's Warden.' The film is a blockbuster that has drawn more than 16 million viewers. Park Ji-hoon and Jeon Mi-do, from the same film, shared the male and female Star of the Year awards. Best New Actor went to Jo Yu-hyeon for '3670,' and the Yu Hyun-mok Film Arts Award went to film critic Lim Jae-chul, who died this year.

Launched in 1958, the Buil Film Awards are considered the oldest film awards in Korea. This year they honored winners and films across 16 categories, including picture, director, acting and technical work. What defined the results was that indie and low-budget films were called up alongside big box-office hits.

In Korea right nowIn Korea, the reason Yoo Hae-jin didn't show up got as much attention as the winners themselves. The Hankyoreh reported that some politicians and far-right figures claim 'Assassin(s)' distorts history and are threatening the actor's safety, while the Kyunghyang Shinmun reported a boycott of products the actor advertises and protests outside the actor's home. Yoo also reportedly missed the opening ceremony of the Busan International Film Festival, and scheduled stage greetings were canceled. Inside and outside the film world, many see the absence of the year's top box-office star as a sign of how heavy the conflict around the film has become.

FAQ

What are the Buil Film Awards?

They are organized by the Busan Ilbo and began in 1958, making them the first film awards in Korea. This year they handed out prizes in 16 categories, including picture, director, acting and technical work.

Which film won the most awards this year?

Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' won five: Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best New Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Art and Technical Achievement. The top prize, Best Film, went to 'Owner of the World.'

Why didn't Best Actor winner Yoo Hae-jin attend the ceremony?

Reports say Yoo has faced threats amid a controversy over alleged historical distortion in the recent film 'Assassin(s)' and feared for their safety. The head of the production company accepted the award on Yoo's behalf.