‘Face Reader’ sweeps Grand Bell Awards

Director Han Jae-rim’s period drama “The Face Reader” swept six awards at this year’s Grand Bell Awards on Friday, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.

The film tells the story of a man who can tell one’s personality and future by looking at their face, and gets involved in a coup d’etat led by the Grand Prince Suyang, who later became king Sejo, in 1450s Joseon. The drama was a huge commercial success, drawing more than 9 million viewers.

Song Kang-ho, who played the role of the face reader, shared the best actor prize with actor Ryu Seung-ryong, who played the mentally challenged single father in “Miracle in Cell No. 7.”

Actor Jo Jung-suk, who played the brother-in-law of Song’s character in “The Face Reader,” won the best supporting actor prize for the role.

Meanwhile, actress Uhm Jung-hwa was named best actress for her performance as the grieving mother who lost her daughter to a kidnapper in the thriller “Montage.”

Held annually by the Motion Pictures Association of Korea, the Daejong (Grand Bell) Awards are widely considered among the most prestigious film awards in Korea.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)