'흑백요리사' 윤현준, 올해의 PD상 영예

[한국PD연합회 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]

The Korean PD Association has announced the winners of the 37th Korean PD Awards, with the prestigious "PD of the Year" award going to two notable recipients: Yoon Hyun-jun, the director of the Netflix variety series "The Gray Chef," and the "Low Birthrate Population Crisis TF Team" from EBS.

Yoon Hyun-jun, reflecting on his 29-year career, expressed his desire to continue improving and developing his skills, stating, "Even after all these years, I still want to do better and grow." This sentiment resonates with many in the industry who constantly strive for excellence and innovation.

On behalf of the EBS team, Lee Han-kyu accepted the award and emphasized the responsibility of EBS as the nation's sole educational public broadcaster. He vowed to continue producing unbiased and steadfast content, saying, "We will remain unwavering in our mission to create content that fulfills our duty as a public educational broadcaster."

The Experimental Spirit Award, which honors works that stand out for their experimental nature, was given to EBS's "Ding Dong Dang Kindergarten" and MBC Radio's "20th Anniversary Special Broadcast of the Late Jeong Eun-im: A Summer Reunion." These works were recognized for pushing the boundaries of traditional broadcasting and offering fresh perspectives.

In the TV category of the Works Award, several productions were honored, including MBC's "The Intimate Betrayer" (Drama), MBC Gyeongnam's "Mom's Stake" (Current Affairs/Documentary), EBS's "Documentary K - We Are Teachers" (Cultural/Informational), MBC's "I Live Alone - Kian84's Race Day in New York" (Variety), and independent productions like KBS's "Docu Insight - Jjajangmyeon Rhapsody" (Independent Production), KNN's "The Vanished Mi" (Local Regular), and G1 Broadcasting's "Boundary Exploration Panorama: Walls of the World" (Local Special).

In the Radio category, notable winners included tbn Chungbuk's "Osong Underpass Disaster Trauma Report - Living with It" (Current Affairs/Cultural/Drama), JTV Jeonju Broadcasting's "Supernova Kim Myung-gon - Kim Myung-gon's Sound Revolution" (Music/Entertainment), and MBC's "Invitation to the Night with Lee Jong-hwan - Kim Min-ki" (Special). These programs were celebrated for their engaging content and impactful storytelling.

The Digital Content Award went to SBS for expanding the universe of "I Want to Know That" with "In Search of Lee Ho's Second."

The Contribution Award was presented to the TBS PD Association, acknowledging their efforts to normalize the channel amidst existential threats, and expressing solidarity with TBS PDs who are facing challenges in their professional environment.

In terms of individual accolades, KBS's "Lee Young-ji's Rainbow" rapper Lee Young-ji won the TV Host Award, while singer and actor Kim Chang-wan received the Radio Host Award for "6 o'clock Evening Breeze with Kim Chang-wan." The Performer Awards were given to actor Lee Soon-jae and singer Lee Chan-won, while the Writer Awards were awarded to SBS's "The Tale of the Tail" writer Lee Eun-jung and CBS's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" writer Kim Ji-yeon.

The Korean PD Awards, organized by the Korean PD Association, honors producers and broadcasters who contribute to the advancement of free press and socio-cultural development through broadcasting. Active PDs participate in the judging process, ensuring that the awards reflect the values and standards of the industry.

The award ceremony will be pre-recorded and broadcast on KBS 1TV on the 15th, allowing a wide audience to celebrate the achievements of these outstanding professionals.