Korea Musical Awards
The Korea Musical Awards was a South Korean awards ceremony for musical theater, hosted annually by Sports Chosun. Established in 1995, it ran for 19 ceremonies, with its final event held in 2013. Typically held in late October, the awards recognized musical works performed and actors who appeared in those works from October of the previous year to September of the current year. The 20th ceremony, planned for 2014, was canceled due to organizational circumstances, and the awards were subsequently permanently abolished due to budget shortages.
Overview
The Korea Musical Awards emerged from a growing public fascination with musical theater in South Korea. Previously, musicals were often relegated to subcategories within broader play awards. The dedicated ceremony, spearheaded by reporter Park Yong-jae as part of the "Watching Musicals" initiative, aimed to distinctly define and foster the development of the genre. The inaugural event set a significant precedent by combining the awards ceremony with a celebratory musical concert, even pausing performances at the Munye Theater for a day to host the event, underscoring its importance to the industry.The awards' core mission was to popularize musicals and revitalize original Korean productions. Consequently, they prioritized local works for major categories such as the Grand Prize, Best Composition, and Best Script. While acknowledging the increasing market influence of licensed international musicals in the 2000s—highlighted by the success of The Phantom of the Opera in 2002—the awards adapted by introducing the "Best International Musical" category. This annual festival served as a comprehensive overview of the year's musical landscape, engaging the entire musical community through its gala show, which was broadcast with a time delay. The Korea Musical Awards ran for 19 editions, concluding in 2013.
Past Winners by Category
8th Korea Musical Awards (2002)
16th Korea Musical Awards (2010)
The 17th Korea Musical Awards ceremony was held on October 18, 2010, at 5:20 PM, at KBS Hall in Seoul.| Category | Winner | Work / Company |
| Best Production | Hero | |
| Best International Musical | Billy Elliot | |
| Best Actor | Jung Sung-hwa | Hero |
| Best Actress | Choi Jung-won | Kiss Me, Kate |
| Best Supporting Actor | Choi Min-chul | Monte Cristo |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jung Young-joo | Billy Elliot |
| Best New Actor | Kim Jun-su, Kim Se-yong, Lee Ji-myung, Lim Sun-woo, Jung Jin-ho | Mozart!, Billy Elliot |
| Best New Actress | Cha Ji-yeon | Seopyeonje |
| Best Ensemble | Kiss Me, Kate | |
| Best Director | Yoon Ho-jin | Hero |
| Best Composer | Kim Dong-sung | Namhansanseong |
| Best Music | Peter Casey | Hero |
| Best Playwright | Han Ah-reum | Hero |
| Best Choreography | Seo Byung-gu | All That Jazz |
| Best Stage Design | Park Dong-woo | Hero |
| Best Technical | Kim Yu-seon | Mozart! |
| Popular Star Award | Kim Jun-su, Jung Sun-ah | N/A |
| Special Award | Seongnam Arts Center | N/A |
17th Korea Musical Awards (2011)
The 17th Korea Musical Awards ceremony was held on Monday, November 14, 2011, at 5:20 PM, at Olympic Hall inside Olympic Park in Seoul, hosted by Lee Hyun-woo and SBS announcer Yoo Hye-young.| Category | Winner | Work / Company |
| Best Production | Sherlock Holmes | |
| Best International Musical | Spamalot | |
| Best Actor | Kim Woo-hyung | Aida |
| Best Actress | Jo Jung-eun | Pimatgol Love Song |
| Best Supporting Actor | Lee Kun-myung | Jack the Ripper |
| Best Supporting Actress | Goo Won-young | Gwanghwamun Sonata |
| Best New Actor | Park Eun-tae | Pimatgol Love Song |
| Best New Actress | Song Sang-eun | Spring Awakening |
| Best Ensemble | Guys and Dolls | |
| Popular Star Award | Yoon Gong-joo Kim Jun-su | Tears of Heaven Mozart! · Tears of Heaven |
| Best Music | Um Ki-young | Turandot |
| Best Composer | Choi Jong-yoon | Sherlock Holmes |
| Best Playwright | Noh Woo-sung | Sherlock Holmes |
| Best Director | Kim Hyo-kyung | Turandot |
| Best Stage/Art Design | Yeo Shin-dong | Moby Dick |
| Best Technical | Kwon Do-kyung | Jack the Ripper |
| Best Choreography | Oh Jae-ik | Temptation of Wolves |
18th Korea Musical Awards (2012)
The 18th Korea Musical Awards ceremony was held on Monday, October 29, 2012, at 5:20 PM, at Olympic Hall inside Olympic Park in Seoul.| Category | Winner | Work / Company |
| Best Original Musical | The Missing Crown Prince | |
| Best International Musical | La Cage aux Folles | |
| Best Actor | Kim Jun-su | Elisabeth |
| Best Actress | Ock Joo-hyun | Elisabeth |
| Best Supporting Actor | Kim Ho-young | La Cage aux Folles |
| Best Supporting Actress | Oh So-yeon | Next to Normal |
| Best New Actor | Kai | A Tale of Two Cities |
| Best New Actress | Ivy | Chicago |
| Best Ensemble | La Cage aux Folles | |
| Popular Star Award | Kim Jun-su Kim Sun-young | N/A |
| Best Music | Will Aronson | Music for Bungee Jump |
| Best Playwright | Oh Mi-young | Finding the Family |
| Best Director | Seo Jae-hyung | The Missing Crown Prince |
| Best Stage/Technical | Min Kyung-soo | A Tale of Two Cities |
| Best Choreography | Seo Byung-gu | La Cage aux Folles |
19th Korea Musical Awards (2013)
The 19th Korea Musical Awards ceremony was held on Monday, October 7, 2013, at 5:20 PM, at the Grand Peace Hall of Kyung Hee University in Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul.| Category | Winner | Work / Company |
| Best Original Musical | The Days | |
| Best International Musical | Les Misérables | |
| Best Actor | Jung Sung-hwa | Les Misérables |
| Best Actress | Jung Sun-ah | Aida |
| Best Supporting Actor | Lee Ji-hoon | Elisabeth |
| Best Supporting Actress | Park Jun-myeon | Les Misérables |
| Best New Actor | Jeon Dong-seok | The Moon Embracing the Sun |
| Best New Actress | Park Ji-yeon | Les Misérables |
| Best Ensemble | Broadway 42nd Street | |
| Popular Star Award | Jo Seung-woo Kim Jun-su Kim So-hyun Ock Joo-hyun | N/A |
| Best Music | Won Mi-sol | The Moon Embracing the Sun |
| Best Playwright | Han Jeong-seok | The Goddess Is Watching |
| Best Director | Jang Yoo-jung | The Days |
| Best Stage/Technical | Kang Guk-hyun | The Man Who Walks Through Walls |
| Best Choreography | Oh Jae-ik Jeong Do-young | The Days |