By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Top Korean fashion designer Andre Kim gave recognition to Korea's most beautiful and popular stars during his 2007 Best Star Awards at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, Monday evening.
Actress Lee Young-ae, who starred in the hit MBC drama ''Daejanggeum" (Jewel in the Palace), received the grand prize for helping lead the Korean Wave or ''hallyu'' around Asia.
Since 2004, Andre Kim has handed out Best Star Awards to top stars in TV, film and sports who have helped boost Korea's profile around the world.
This year, award winners included Kwon Sang-woo, one of the most popular Korean actors around Asia; Lee Jun-ki, who rose to fame for his role in the hit film ''King and the Clown;" and Park Hae-il, who starred in the recent films ''Paradise Murdered" and ''The Host."
Kwon, whose TV dramas such as ''Stairways to Heaven" are widely watched around Asia, attracted dozens of Japanese fans to the event.
Stars of the SBS drama ''Love Story in Harvard,'' Kim Tae-hee and Kim Rae-won were briefly reunited on stage when they received their awards.
Also given Best Star Awards were actresses Song Yoon-a, Lee Mi-yeon, Song Yu-ri, Lee Bo-young, Han Eun-jung and Go Ah-ra; and actors Lee Wan, Joo Dong-hyeok and Cho Hyun-jae. All the awardees wore beautiful gowns and stylish suits specially designed by Andre Kim.
Special commendation awards were given to world-renowned director Im Kwon-taek, Pusan International Film Festival director Kim Dong-ho and actress Teresa Sheen, for their contributions to the Korean film industry.
Im has received numerous awards from international film festivals, and recently released his 100th film. Kim Dong-ho is credited with founding the PIFF, which has become one of the top film festivals around the world. Teresa Sheen is a famous Korean actress who starred in numerous films in the 1940s.
The event also served as a fashion show for Andre Kim's intricately designed gowns with lush embroidery and dreamy fabrics. Models wore elaborate gowns with beautiful embroidered flowers in various shimmering shades of yellow, purple, pink and green.
Two rising stars Hur E-jae, who starred in the MBC drama ''Goong S,'' and Shin Dong-wook, who starred in the MBC drama ''Soulmate," were the featured star-models during the Andre Kim fashion show.
During the finale, the two stars wore beautiful wedding outfits as part of the show's romantic theme. Hur and Shin also won Best Star Awards.
In the sports field, awards were given to figure skating star Kim Yu-na and Olympic speed skating champion Lee Kang-seok. Kim Yu-na won Korea's first gold medal at the International Skating Union Grand Prix in Paris last November.
There were some no-shows during the event, such as soprano Jo Sumi, and hallyu star Bae Yong-joon, who wasn't able to make it since he was shooting his current drama.
Past recipients of Andre Kim's Best Star Awards include hallyu stars Jang Dong-gun, Rain, Won Bin and Choi Ji-woo, and award-winning film directors Park Chan-wook and Kim Ki-duk.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr