Yoo Jae-seok wins grand prize at MBC Entertainment Awards

Korean variety show host Yoo Jae-seok [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean entertainment show host Yoo Jae-seok won the grand prize at the MBC Entertainment Awards held last night.Yoo won the year's top honor at the awards, held yesterday at Seoul's MBC Open Hall, for the first time since last winning the same title in 2006. This is his fifth win overall at MBC's annual event. His rival Kang Ho-dong, who won the title at KBS Entertainment Awards on Saturday, did not win any awards at MBC but reportedly congratulated Yoo on his big win of the night. Yoo, who currently hosts popular variety shows "Infinite Challenge" and "Come Over", is considered one of the most talented and successful emcees in Korea along with Kang. His show "Challenge" was named the Best Entertainment Program by Korean viewers while the show's producer was voted Producer of the Year by a group of MBC's entertainment show producers. Kim Kyung-jin, who appears in the low-rated comedy program "Hattangsa", was the only winner among the show's cast while many K-pop singers, including Uee, Gil and Hwang Jeong-eum, swept the newcomer awards in variety or comedy/sitcom categories. After winning the grand prize in 2007, veteran actor Lee Soon-jae of "High Kick Through The Roof" won the Life Achievement Award this year. - List of Winners - ▲ Grand Prize : Yoo Jae-seok (Infinite Challenge, Come Over) "Variety Show Category" ▲ First Prize - Male : Kim Gura (World Changing Quiz, Golden Fishery, Sunday Sunday Night)▲ First Prize - Female : Lee Kyung-shil (World Changing Quiz) ▲ Second Prize - Male : No Hong-chul (Infinite Challenge, Come Over) ▲ Second Prize - Female : Kim Ji-sun (World Changing Quiz), Yim Ye-jin (World Changing Quiz)▲ Best Newcomer - Male : Gil (Infinite Challenge, Come Over), Kim Yong-joon (We Got Married) ▲ Best Newcomer - Female : Uee (We Got Married), Hwang Jeong-eum (We Got Married) "Comedy/Sitcom Category" ▲ First Prize - Male : Jung Bo-suk (High Kick Through The Roof) ▲ First Prize - Female : Park Mi-sun (Tae Hee, Hye Kyo, Ji Hyun) ▲ Second Prize - Male : Yoon Jong-shin (Tae Hee, Hye Kyo, Ji Hyun) ▲ Second Prize - Female : Choi Eun-kyung (Tae Hee, Hye Kyo, Ji Hyun) ▲ Best Newcomer - Male : Kim Kyung-jin (Hattangsa), Choi Daniel (High Kick Through The Roof)▲ Best Newcomer - Female : Hwang Jeong-eum (High Kick Through The Roof), Shin Se-kyung (High Kick Through The Roof) ▲ People's Choice - Best Entertainment Program : Infinite Challenge▲ People's Choice - Best TV Couple : Yoon Shi-yoon, Shin Se-kyung (High Kick Through The Roof)▲ Special Award - Variety Show : Sunwoo Yong-nyeo (World Changing Quiz), Jo Hyung-ki (We Got Married), Cho Hye-ryun (World Changing Quiz)▲ Special Award - Comedy/Sitcom : Producer Kim Byung-wook (High Kick Through The Roof)▲ Special Award - Singer(s) : Girls' Generation▲ Life Achievement Award : Lee Soon-jae (High Kick Through The Roof)▲ Producer of the Year : Infinite Challenge ▲ Writer of the Year : Kim Sung-won (World Changing Quiz, Hattangsa)▲ Young Actors : Seo Sin-ae, Jin Ji-hee (High Kick Through The Roof)Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@asiae.co.krEditor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>