Entertainment reporters select the worst behaved actors, worst film, and worst acting of 2024

The winners or perhaps “losers” of the 8th Raspberry Film Festival, an annual awards event recognizing the “worst” in Korean cinema, have been revealed. 

Hosted by media outlet Sports Kyunghyang, the festival surveyed 51 movie journalists from leading domestic media outlets. Covering Korean commercial films released between December 2023 to November 30, 2024, the awards are divided into three categories: “Worst Film,” “Worst Acting,” and “Worst Manners.”

Worst Film

• 1st Place: ‘The Plot‘ (Director Lee Yo Seop)
  With 15 votes, ‘The Plot’ was described as “a bottom-tier genre film that obliterated all entertainment value” and “the worst possible result with a good original story and talented actors.”
• 2nd Place: ‘Amazon Bullseye‘ (Director Kim Chang Ju)
  Garnering 12 votes, it was criticized as “so bad you’d need some Whal Myung Su (carbonated herb drink) after watching it” and “a retrograde comedy completely out of place in today’s era.” The film’s perceived racial insensitivity also drew ire: “Setting it in a fictional country doesn’t mean it isn’t racist.”
• 3rd Place: ‘Project Silence‘ (Director Kim Tae Gon)
  With 11 votes, this big-budget production was criticized for being a waste of resources. Comments included: “A delusion that money alone can save a film,” “A misuse of actors and capital,” and “An example of CJ ENM’s poor content foresight.”

Other films receiving votes included ‘Wonderland‘ (Director Kim Tae Yong), ‘Dead Man‘ (Director Ha Jun Won), and ‘Devils Stay‘ (Director Hyun Moon Sub), all tied for 4th place with 10 votes each.

Worst Acting

• 1st Place: Kang Dong Won in ‘The Plot’ (11 votes)
  Criticism ranged from “a monotonous performance with no emotional depth” to “the main reason for the film’s failure.” Comments included: “Sometimes he seems good, but then awkward again. After 21 years, audiences are still confused about him as an actor” and “Without improving his skills, he’s just getting older, and I don’t see what competitive edge he has as an actor. These days, plenty of people are tall.“
• 2nd Place: “None” (10 votes)
  The panel left the second-place slot unawarded, emphasizing the absence of a worthy alternative.
• 3rd Place: Ju Ji Hoon in ‘Project Silence’ (8 votes)
  Harsh reviews included: “His over-the-top acting made me want to escape the theater” and “How many years has he been acting? Overdone performances like this ruin films.”
• 4th Place: Song Joong Ki and Song Seung Hun (7 votes each)
  Song Joong Ki, for his performance in ‘My Name Is Loh Kiwan,’ was criticized for “inconsistent acting” and his attempt at a Yanbian accent, with remarks like, “This was the best he could do?” and “He is even more easily compared to Lee Sang Hee.” Meanwhile, Song Seung Hun’s lackluster performance in ‘Hidden Face‘ was described as “a flat performance overshadowed by his co-stars” and “an unnecessarily consistent ‘terrible’ acting ability.”

Worst Manners

• 1st Place: Jung Woo Sung (22 votes)
  Jung Woo Sung faced backlash for controversies surrounding paternity matters involving his child with model Moon Ga Bi and sending suggestive direct messages to female celebrities. Comments included: “I had no idea he was ruining his reputation like this. Taking responsibility for the child is his own duty, but how is he going to rebuild the 30-year untouchable image that shattered in just three days?” “It’s already a tough time for Korean cinema, and it’s unfortunate that the public’s view of filmmakers is becoming colder,” and “‘12.12: The Day’ was a defining film in my life, but you ruined it! I won’t be revisiting it ever again.”
• 2nd Place: Youn Yuh Jung (18 votes)
  Youn Yuh Jung was criticized for rude behavior during interviews, including casual remarks and asking journalists’ ages. Comments included: “Even for a veteran, there’s a line when speaking during interviews,” “If you get annoyed at every question, when are we supposed to do our jobs?” “There’s a fine line between being honest and being rude,” and “Why does she keep asking journalists their ages?”
• 3rd Place: Jeon Do Yeon and Lee Sun Kyun (4 votes each)
  Jeon Do Yeon faced backlash for her attitude during promotional activities for ‘Revolver.’ During an interview, Jeon Doyeon drew mixed reactions for her apparent discomfort when discussing her appearance on tvN‘s ‘You Quiz on the Block‘ with Yoo Jae Suk. Reportedly, her demeanor during the interview was no different. Those who voted for Jeon Doyeon as having the “worst manners” cited reasons such as: “Her unwavering attitude of taking a light-hearted joke to the extreme,” “Using Yoo Jae Suk for promotion but refusing to accept jokes,” and “Even if she disliked the film, as the lead actress, she should take responsibility and promote it properly.”  Lee Sun Kyun was criticized for contributing to discomfort in group interviews.

Other notable mentions include Kwak Do Won, who received 9 votes for controversies such as a DUI incident during his film ‘Firefighters.’ He was criticized by journalists who stated, “He caused harm to the film ‘Firefighters’ with his drunk driving controversy,” and “A case where appearing in a film turned into a disaster.”  Gong Yoo also faced criticism, earning 4 votes for past comments praising former President Park Chung Hee and his perceived tone-deaf responses in recent interviews.

SEE ALSO: K-netizens hail SBS Gayo Daejeon 2024 for its all-time best artist lineup