The 58th Baeksang Arts Awards is set to kick off on Friday at the Kintex exhibition hall in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.

Honoring outstanding domestic entertainment productions in television, film and theater between April 12 last year and March 31 this year, the awards ceremony returns to fans and spectators face-to-face at the country’s largest convention center.

The Friday event is considered the biggest awards ceremony since the government’s lifting of most pandemic-related regulations, including the outdoor mask mandate and limits on private gathering and business hours.

With the rise of streaming platforms, Netflix’s “D.P.,” “Squid Game” and Wavve’s “Going to the Blue House” were among five projects nominated for best TV drama.

MBC’s hit drama “The Red Sleeve” and tvN’s “Twenty-Five, Twenty-One” are other nominees in the category.

Meanwhile, Netflix’s “Single’s Inferno,” Mnet’s “Street Woman Fighter,” SBS’ “Kick a Goal,” tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block” and Tving’s “EXchange” are vying for best television show.

The global phenomenon “Squid Game” earned a total of eight nominations in various categories, including best drama, director, art director, screenwriter, male actor, male supporting actor, female supporting actor and the rookie award.

MBC’s period drama “The Red Sleeve,” which recorded the highest viewership rating among local drama series with 17.4 percent, is nominated in seven different categories as well.

In the film section, “Escape from Mogadishu,” “Kingmaker” and “Miracle” are competing for the grand prizes in multiple categories, including best film, director, actor and supporting actor.

The National Theater Company of Korea’s “Road kill in the Theater,” project group Bba-dabab’s “Disgrace” and theater company 907’s “Hongpyeong gukjeon” are vying for theater awards.

A congratulatory performance will be presented by the cast of “Hot Singers,” including senior actors Na Moon-hee and Kim Yeong-ok performing in a choir. 

Fans have shown excitement for Park Bo-gum’s return as host of the Baeksang Arts Awards, two years after completing his mandatory military service duties. Singer-actor Suzy and comedian-television host Shin Dong-yup will co-host the show with Park.

The award ceremony will kick off on Friday at 7:45 p.m. The show will be broadcast live on local channels JTBC, JTBC2, JTBC4 and TikTok.

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)