[Kang Il-hong's Today Entertainment] "Is this real?" Kim Soo-hyun meets Lim Young Woong at TMA and presents trophy

LE SSERAFIM, Proves Global Status with BTS at U.S. Mega FestivalSeptember 21, Kim Soo-hyun / TMA / LE SSERAFIM / Lee Young-ja / Comedians Association[THE FACT|Reporter Kang Il-hong] On a hot night in Busan, actor Kim Soo-hyun and singer Lim Young Woong met on the same stage. But there's a reason this meeting was even more special.One was an actor making a rare official appearance in Korea after a long time, and the other was a singer returning to the TMA after three years. And their meeting was completed by the special connection of presenter and awardee.The '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS', held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on the 19th, returned to Korea after three years, following stops in Japan in 2024 and Macau in 2025. The TMA, held in Busan for the first time, created a night of celebration for K-pop stars and fans.One of the most eye-catching scenes of the day was the appearance of actor Kim Soo-hyun. For Kim Soo-hyun, this was his first official domestic event in about 1 year and 6 months since his press conference in March of the previous year. Kim Soo-hyun, who appeared before domestic fans after a long hiatus, took the stage as the presenter for the TMA Popularity Award, and the recipient of the trophy was none other than Lim Young-woong.Lim Young Woong also returned to the TMA that day after a three-year absence. In particular, the 'TMA Popularity Award' is an award decided 100% by fan pre-votes, meaning the trophy Lim Young Woong received held great significance as it was a direct choice of the fans.Lim Young Woong received two awards that day, including the Special Jury Award prior to the Popularity Award, and expressed gratitude to the fans, saying, "Thank you for this meaningful award. I love you." And at that moment, Kim Soo-hyun, who was on stage after a long time, personally handed the trophy to Lim Young Woong.This scene was special not just because two top stars met. Kim Soo-hyun is an actor who has represented K-dramas and the Korean Wave through dramas and films, and Lim Young Woong is a singer who has built his own domain through music and performances.The two Hallyu stars, who have worked in different fields, met as presenter and awardee at the 'TMA' music awards ceremony. Moreover, Kim Soo-hyun stated that day, "I am someone who truly loves K-pop," and that K-pop, which contains our emotions and stories, has become a culture that resonates and communicates globally beyond borders and languages.And the fact that the recipient immediately following those words was Lim Young Woong, chosen by the fans, was also impressive.Kim Soo-hyun, appearing on a domestic stage after a long time; Lim Young Woong, returning to the TMA after three years; and the single trophy connecting them – the meeting of Kim Soo-hyun and Lim Young Woong at the 2026 TMA Busan stage was recorded as a moment where two stars, loved in different fields, met under the common denominator of 'fans' and 'K-culture'.Especially Lim Young Woong's award, completed by the fans' choice, and Kim Soo-hyun personally handing over the trophy – although it was a brief moment, the lingering impression left by their meeting was by no means short. The special encounter between Kim Soo-hyun and Lim Young Woong, created amidst the passionate cheers of Busan, was another impressive scene left by the 2026 TMA.RESCENE won two awards at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS', 'Artist of the Year' and 'Today's Choice', determined by real-time voting by the on-site audience. Rescene is performing a spectacular stage at the awards ceremony held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Yeonje-gu, Busan on the afternoon of the 19th. /Reporter Bae Jeong-hanCORTIS Wins 3 Awards&RESCENE Wins 2 Awards... '2026 TMA' Encompasses GenerationsThe TMA, a global music awards ceremony that unfolded spectacularly on a domestic stage after three years, is followed by a brief summary of the main award results.At the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS', held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on the 19th, the recipients of the four grand prize categories were ATEEZ, NMIXX, RIIZE, and Cortis.ATEEZ won 'Icon of the Year', NMIXX won 'Sound of the Year', RIIZE won 'Muse of the Year', and CORTIS won 'Record of the Year'. CORTIS's performance was particularly outstanding. They took home three trophies, including the grand prize 'Record of the Year', as well as 'Artist of the Year' and 'Next Leader'.Eleven teams were named 'Artist of the Year', including ATEEZ, NMIXX, RIIZE, TREASURE, ILLIT, RESCENE, KiiiKii, ALLDAY PROJECT, CORTIS, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, and YENA.RESCENE also garnered attention. They won two awards, 'Artist of the Year' and 'Today's Choice', determined by real-time voting by the on-site audience.In addition, TREASURE won 'World Best Performer', EVAN won 'World Best Wave', and tripleS and CLOSE YOUR EYES won 'Global Hot Trend'. Lim Young Woong won two awards, the 'TMA Popularity Award' and the 'Special Jury Award'.The defining characteristics of this year's TMA are 'return' and 'expansion'. The TMA, which returned to Korea after three years via Japan and Macau, was held in Busan for the first time, with a total of 17 teams performing on stage. Furthermore, top artists like ATEEZ and Lim Young Woong, as well as next-generation stars like CORTIS and RESCENE, participated in awards and performances, showcasing a K-pop festival that spanned generations.The TMA, which announced its new beginning in Busan. This year's awards ceremony was recorded as a stage created by the choices of top stars, newcomers, and fans.LE SSERAFIM made history as the first K-pop girl group to be named to the 'iHeartRadio Music Festival', a major U.S. music festival, and performed confidently on the Las Vegas stage alongside global pop stars. /THE FACT DBK-Pop Girl Group's Presence Proven in the Heart of America... Global Scene Created with BTSLE SSERAFIM has once again proven its presence on the stage of a major U.S. music festival. LE SSERAFIM, the first K-pop girl group to be named to the 'iHeartRadio Music Festival', America's representative music festival, performed confidently on the Las Vegas stage alongside global pop stars, further expanding the global reach of K-pop girl groups.On the 19th, local time, LE SSERAFIM took the stage at the T-Mobile Arena for about 30 minutes. They kicked off the performance with their new song 'Made My Night', followed by 'BOOMPALA', 'Saki', and 'ICONIC BY MISTAKE', which had been on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks.In the latter half, they continued with representative songs like 'SPAGHETTI' and 'CRAZY', drawing enthusiastic responses from the local audience. The significance of this performance lies not just in its appearance at a famous festival. It is highly meaningful that LE SSERAFIM was listed on the same lineup as global artists on the main stage of the American popular music market.And the day before this performance, another symbolic scene unfolded. The team that closed the final stage on the first day of the same festival was none other than BTS, BTS.While BTS has solidified K-pop's presence in the American popular music market as the leader of global K-pop, LE SSERAFIM has carried that momentum forward, showing new possibilities for K-pop girl groups.Notably, LE SSERAFIM has been rapidly expanding its scope of activities in the U.S. recently. Following the premiere of their new song at 'BlizzCon 2026', they embarked on a U.S. tour, and now they have conquered a representative U.S. music festival.On the global K-pop path paved by BTS, LE SSERAFIM is expanding its territory in its own way. For LE SSERAFIM, the U.S. stage is no longer just an overseas performance but an important stage for imprinting their name and music in the global music market.As the global expansion of K-pop is evolving from the success of one team into a trend that connects generations and groups, attention is also focused on LE SSERAFIM's next steps.Unprecedented Reaction to Blunt Remarks... The Reason Why Korea's Top Entertainer is Indeed the Best"I don't like Lee Young-ja." Liking or disliking someone is a personal choice. But what would it feel like to say that directly to Lee Young-ja herself? It was a super-strong, blunt remark aimed at Lee Young-ja, arguably Korea's top entertainer.Recently, Lee Young-ja visited the Noryangjin Fisheries Market and struck up a conversation with an 84-year-old elder. The elder, upon seeing Lee Young-ja, said, "You really look like Lee Young-ja. But you're prettier than Lee Young-ja."Lee Young-ja, without revealing her identity, casually replied, "I've also been told I resemble Lee Young-ja a lot." Then she asked, "Do you like Lee Young-ja?" But the answer was unexpected."No, I don't like Lee Young-ja. She's too full of herself, it's off-putting." Most people might have their expressions stiffen in such a situation, but Lee Young-ja was different. Instead of being flustered, she burst into laughter and playfully said to the coffee shop owner,"Don't make coffee for Lee Young-ja, she's off-putting!" This is the essence of Lee Young-ja's brand of comedy. Instead of forcibly stopping the other person or getting offended, she uses her quick wit to turn the situation itself into laughter. But the elder's bluntness didn't end there."She acts so full of herself on shows with Jeon Hyun-moo." Yet, she also asked, "Your food is the best, and you make a lot of money, so why aren't you married?" another sharp question. To which Lee Young-ja gave a perfect answer: "Marriage isn't something you do alone. If it were, I would have gotten married at eighteen."As expected of Lee Young-ja. Her ability to turn even aggressive remarks into her own humor and shift the atmosphere into laughter is more than just telling jokes. It's the quick wit of a true entertainer who reads the situation, understands the other person's character, and improvises the most appropriate remark on the spot.What's even more impressive is her final gesture. Lee Young-ja warmly offered coffee to the elder who didn't recognize her and spoke so frankly. The production team later informed the elder of Lee Young-ja's identity, resolving any misunderstanding.Creating laughter and embracing people – this is perhaps why Lee Young-ja has been loved in the Korean entertainment scene for so long.With her unparalleled wit, quick thinking, ability to turn situations around, and a geniality that never makes others uncomfortable, Lee Young-ja's name has become a genre in itself in the broadcasting world, where countless entertainers appear and disappear.Once again, Korea's representative comedian Lee Young-ja showed the class of a true professional entertainer who turns even blunt remarks into laughter.The Problem is a Loss of Trust... The Reason the Comedians Association is Outraged by 'Impersonation of Publicly Recruited Comedians'Recently, a controversy arose when a man, who was sued for alleged disturbance and food theft at a bar in Seoul, claimed to be an 'SBS publicly recruited comedian'.However, the Korea Broadcasting Comedians Association has directly refuted this claim.In a press release, the association stated that the man is not a publicly recruited comedian by SBS, nor is he a publicly or specially recruited individual from any broadcasting station in Korea, and he is not registered in the association's membership list.So why is the association taking such an active stance?The core issue is not simply the career of one individual, but the potential for the title 'publicly recruited comedian' to be misunderstood.If expressions like 'disturbance by an SBS publicly recruited comedian' are repeatedly used in media reports, it could lead to the association of numerous comedians who have actually debuted through public recruitment and are active, with the same image.The association also revealed that the individual is understood to be a former aspiring comedian who had performed in small theaters in Daehangno.In other words, the careers of comedians who debuted through official public or special recruitment by broadcasting stations are entirely different from those of aspiring comedians who dreamed of becoming comedians and performed, yet they could be perceived as the same.From the association's perspective, it was a matter of the honor of its members and the social trust in the profession of broadcasting comedian.Therefore, the association appears to have taken an official stance, expressing "regret over the false impersonation" after verifying the facts by cross-referencing the lists of publicly and specially recruited individuals by broadcasting station and its membership list.Ultimately, the core of this controversy is not just the bar incident itself, but the fact that misrepresenting an individual's status can harm currently active comedians who have no relation to the matter.This is likely the reason behind the association's unusual decision to directly intervene and correct the facts.eel@tf.co.kr