Yoo Ah-in, Lee Jung-hyun, Oh Dal-su, Jeong Hye-jin, Choi Woo-shik and Lee Yoo-young, from left. (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald)

With the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards slated for Nov. 25, last year’s winners gathered Wednesday at the CGV movie house in Yeouido, Seoul, for a hand printing ceremony.

The 2015 Blue Dragon Film Awards’ best male actor Yoo Ah-in from “The Throne,” best female actress Lee Jung-hyun from “Alice in Earnestland,” best supporting actor Oh Dal-su from “Ode to my Father,” best supporting actress Jeon Hye-jin from “The Throne,” best female newcomer Lee Yoo-young from “The Treacherous” and best male newcomer Choi Woo-shik from “Set Me Free” were present at the ceremony to impress their hands on malleable gold colored slates.

While waiting for the slates to harden, the actors spoke about what the award means to them.

Yoo Ah-in said the award, to him, meant recognition. “It was a welcome pat on the shoulder for some 10 years I spent as an actor,” Yoo said.

Yoo said he gave all his trophies to his agency chief to keep.

(Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald)

Lee Jung-hyun, who started her entertainment career as an actress before turning to music and back to acting again, said the award gave her “courage and confidence that it was a good decision she made to return to acting.”

Lee keeps her Blue Dragon Film Awards trophy on her bookshelf.

Oh Dal-su, the soft-spoken veteran supporting actor, said, “To me the award signifies a new start. I don’t want the trophy to get in the way of my ‘hunger’ for acting.”

Almost with an apologetic shyness, he said this is his natural self without the “glass mask” he wears for his film roles. Oh has all his trophies stashed away somewhere they cannot be seen, because he does not wish to grow complacent.

Jeon Hye-jin, who is also married to actor Lee Sun-kyun, said, “The best supporting actress trophy bestowed me with responsibility and ambition.”

She said both her trophy and her husband’s awards are equally treated with nonchalant disregard at their home. “We hide anything that will catch dust, because our house is a clutter.”

(Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald)

Choi Woo-shik, a rookie actor, likened his best newcomer award to “homework” that he has to solve.

Asked by the emcee if he does his homework well, Choi let out a shy laughter and said he is not so good but tries.

Choi keeps his trophy from the 36th Blue Dragon Film Awards on the windowsill of his verandah.

Rookie actress Lee Yoo-young shared a similar sentiment with Choi, “After the award, for a while I was under the impression that I had to perform as well or even better.”

Lee said she has now digested all the feelings and is at ease. Instead of feeling burdened, she now feels a positive responsibility.

Lee’s mother is planning to purchase a brand new cabinet to store Lee‘s award.

The Blue Dragon Film Awards date back to 1963. Its purpose is to nurture higher quality Korean movies and is deemed one of the most prestigious awards here due to its reputation of being fair.

This year’s 37th awards ceremony will take place at the Grand Peace Palace at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Nov. 25.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

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