Actor Ok Ja Yeon’s lengthy acceptance speech has sparked heated debate among netizens.
Ok Ja Yeon received the Best Entertainer Award at the '2025 MBC Entertainment Awards,' held on December 29. Appearing genuinely surprised by the win, she remained seated for a moment before greeting the cast of 'I Live Alone' and heading to the stage.
In her speech, Ok Ja Yeon shared, “When I first started 'I Live Alone,' I felt embarrassed and scared about revealing my daily life. I felt pressured to always appear glamorous as a celebrity, but viewers embraced even my ordinary side with warmth, and for that, I am truly grateful.”
She continued by reflecting on what she learned through variety shows, saying, “I realized that variety programs, like films, dramas, and theater, are collaborative works created through the dedication of many people. I came to understand how 'I Live Alone' is the result of everyone’s hard work.” She went on to thank the filming, editing, and directing staff, as well as her fellow cast members.
As applause broke out and the speech appeared to be wrapping up, Ok Ja Yeon added, “I still have a little more to say,” and continued. She explained, “I actually thought about what I might want to say if I ever stood on this stage. As an actor, I meet audiences through characters, but entertainers stand in front of countless eyes with nowhere to hide. I wanted to say here that comedians are incredibly brave and admirable people whom I deeply respect.”
Although production staff signaled for her to conclude, Ok Ja Yeon responded, “I’ll be quick. I know I should stop, but I haven’t received many awards in my field, so this moment feels incredibly precious. I’ll quickly name the people I’m thankful for,” before mentioning her company colleagues, family, and acquaintances.
Her acceptance speech, which lasted 5 minutes and 20 seconds, quickly became a topic of online discussion. Some netizens criticized it as being “longer than the Grand Prize speech” and said it showed a “lack of consideration for other award recipients.” Others defended her, commenting, “It’s understandable since it was her first time,” and “Her sincerity came through.”
On December 30, Ok Ja Yeon posted an additional message on social media regarding the award. However, possibly mindful of the controversy, she has disabled comments on the post.
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