Webtoon artist and TV personality Kian84 surprised viewers by revealing he had declined a prestigious award from the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, citing a sense of unworthiness.
On the April 4th episode of MBC’s variety show 'I Live Alone', Kian84 traveled to Jeju Island, where his mother currently lives. But rather than visiting her first, he explained he had come to see a very important place — the temple where his late father’s spirit tablet is enshrined. Fellow cast member Jun Hyun Moo jokingly called him “the ultimate unfilial son”, prompting laughter.
Renting a motorbike, Kian84 made his way to the temple and shared, “Since my mom moved to Jeju, we moved my dad’s spirit tablet here too. We even held a Buddhist memorial ceremony last year.”
During the conversation, he unexpectedly revealed, “The Jogye Order contacted me. They said they wanted to give me a Buddhist Grand Prize.” Surprised, the cast members asked if he was about to become a Buddhist ambassador or even shave his head. Laughing, Kian84 replied, “I’m not sure about that, but I felt I couldn’t accept such a major award, so I turned it down.”
Kian84 made headlines in 2023 when he became the first non-celebrity to win the Grand Prize at the MBC Entertainment Awards, a moment that marked a major shift in public perception of webtoon creators in mainstream media.
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