Disney’s Korean fantasy drama Moving was the big winner Sunday at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asia Contents Awards, which honors excellence in content creation for TV and streaming services across the region.
Moving, which has become Disney+ and Hulu’s most-watched Korean series both in Asia and globally, took home the first-place best creative award, best writer (for webtoon artist turned screenwriter Kang Full), best lead actor (series star Ryu Seung-ryong), best newcomer actor (co-star Lee Jung-ha), best newcomer actress (Go Yoon Jung) and best visual effects. Moving tells the story of a group of South Korean spies working to protect their superpowered children from harm and exploitation at the hands of malicious government agencies. The series has been praised for its captivating blend of genres and innovative take on the superhero story.
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The Busan festival, considered the most influential film event in Asia, created the Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards in 2019 in an effort to ecapsulate and celebrate the surging popularity of original series production in the region — much of it driven by the local arrival of deep-pocketed global streaming platforms.
Sunday’s awards ceremony was co-hosted by actor Kim Kang-woo (The Taste of Money and The Missing) and K-pop star Nancy of girl group Momoland. The event also featured special performances by singer-songwriter Lee Seung-yoon and K-pop girl group Alice.
Other awards were spread out more evenly among various platformer’s original series. The best OTT original award went to the high school drama series Weak Hero Class 1, which plays on Wavve in South Korea and Kocowa, Viki and IQIYI overseas. Netflix’s hit crime drama Scoop took two trophies, best Asian TV series and best lead actress (for star Karishma Tanna). The best reality series prize was shared by Netflix’s hit competition show Physical: 100 and Meta’s food series Let’s Feast Vietnam.
See below for the complete list of winners at the 2023 Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards
Best Creative: Moving
Best OTT Original: Weak Hero Class 1
Best Asian TV Series: Scoop
Best Reality & Variety: Let’s Feast Vietnam, Physical: 100
Best Director: Xin Shuang, The Long Season
Best Writer: Kang Full, Moving
Best Lead Actor: Ryu Seung Ryong, Moving
Best Lead Actress: Karishma Tanna, Scoop
Best Supporting Actor: Hsueh Shih-Ling, Taiwan Crime Stories
Best Supporting Actress: Lim Ji-yeon, The Glory
Best Newcomer Actor: Lee Jung Ha, Moving
Best Newcomer Actress: Go Youn Jung, Moving
Best Visual Effects: Moving
Creative Beyond Border: Exchange 2, One Day Off
New Technology: TVing
Special Contribution for K-Contents: Viu, Wavve Americas
Special Contribution for OTT Industry: Watcha
Lifetime Achievement Award: Kim Jonghak
Asian Excellence Award: Yuya Yagira, Gannibal
Rising Star of the Year: Wen Junhui, Buffy Chen
