Who Will Take Home the SBS Entertainment Award: Jang Nara or Park Shin-hye?

As the SBS 2024 Acting Awards approach, the spotlight is on two leading actresses, Jang Nara (장나라) and Park Shin-hye (박신혜), both nominated for the prestigious award. The ceremony will be broadcast live on December 21 at 8:35 PM. Jang Nara has garnered significant attention for her role in 'Good Partner' (굿파트너), achieving impressive ratings of 17.7% (Nielsen Korea), making her a strong contender for the top prize. Meanwhile, Park Shin-hye has showcased her acting versatility in 'The Judge from Hell' (지옥에서 온 판사), stepping away from her previous 'candy' image, with a peak rating of 13.6%.

There is speculation about the possibility of a joint award, reminiscent of last year's SBS Acting Awards where Lee Je-hoon (이제훈) from 'Taxi Driver 2' (모범택시2) shared the spotlight with Kim Tae-ri (김태리) from 'The Uncanny Counter' (악귀). This year, Jang Nara and Park Shin-hye are expected to fiercely compete for the award, leading to concerns about another potential tie.

The nominees for the top award include six actors: Ahn Bo-hyun (안보현) from 'Reborn Rich' (재벌X형사), Hwang Jung-eum (황정음) from 'Seven Returnees' (7인의 부활), Ji Sung (지성) from 'Connection' (커넥션), and Kim Nam-gil (김남길) from 'The Fiery Priest 2' (열혈사제2). Notably, 'Seven Returnees' has struggled this year, failing to surpass the 10% rating mark, while Hwang Jung-eum's performance has received mixed reviews, facing criticism for its melodramatic elements.

'The Fiery Priest 2' has also underperformed, starting with a rating of 11.9% but failing to show significant improvement. Despite attempts to enhance the comedic aspects compared to its first season, the show has drawn disappointment, maintaining ratings between 10% and 12%. The recent political climate, including President Yoon Suk-yeol's emergency measures and impeachment discussions, has also impacted viewership, leading to two consecutive weeks of Saturday broadcasts being canceled, with another cancellation expected on the 21st due to the awards ceremony.