Gender Imbalance in Entertainment: Lee Hyun-yi Stands Out as the Sole Female Nominee for 2024 SBS Entertainment Awards

Lee Hyun-yi, a model and broadcaster, is the only female nominee among the seven candidates for the '2024 SBS Entertainment Awards'. The lack of prominent female entertainers this year is disappointing, highlighting the significant issue of gender imbalance in male-dominated variety shows. This imbalance suggests that the entertainment industry is struggling to keep pace with societal changes.

The nominees for the '2024 SBS Entertainment Awards', announced on the 23rd, include Yoo Jae-suk, Jeon Hyun-moo, Shin Dong-yup, Lee Sang-min, Seo Jang-hoon, Lee Hyun-yi, and Kim Jong-kook. Lee Hyun-yi is the only female nominee. Last year's nominees also included Lee Hyun-yi, Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Jong-kook, Tak Jae-hoon, Shin Dong-yup, Seo Jang-hoon, and Lee Sang-min, with Tak Jae-hoon winning the award. This year, Jeon Hyun-moo replaced Tak Jae-hoon, but male nominees still dominate.

Yoo Jae-suk is considered the frontrunner for this year's award. He is a key figure in the long-running variety show 'Running Man' since 2010 and has maintained his popularity with the new show 'Whenever You Have Time', which premiered in April and topped Tuesday's variety show ratings.

Lee Hyun-yi's presence is noteworthy. She was first nominated last year for her performances in 'Kick a Goal' and 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 - You Are My Destiny', and she has been nominated again this year. Her impressive work on two SBS programs earned her this recognition.

However, Lee Hyun-yi faced criticism just for being nominated last year. In April, she appeared on the YouTube channel 'Supermarket' and shared, "I received ten years' worth of criticism," and expressed how difficult it was to deal with comments questioning her nomination. She stated, "I tried to take it positively, thinking that criticism is better than indifference," and expressed gratitude for being nominated.

The current entertainment landscape shows structural limitations that make it challenging for female entertainers like Lee Hyun-yi to shine. SBS's flagship programs such as 'Running Man', 'My Little Old Boy', and 'Shoes Off, Single Men' are predominantly male-centric, leading to a male-dominated nominee list.

Looking at the history of the 'SBS Entertainment Awards', female winners are rare. Apart from Lee Hyori's joint win with Yoo Jae-suk in 2009 for 'Family Outing' and the mothers from 'My Little Old Boy' in 2017, most awards have gone to male entertainers.

In contrast, the drama sector has seen a rise in female winners, with Jang Nara recently winning the 'SBS Drama Awards'. The increase in female-centric narratives highlights the stark difference with the entertainment sector.

The gender imbalance is not limited to SBS; KBS also faces similar issues. The '2024 KBS Entertainment Awards' nominees, announced on the 21st, include Lee Chan-won, Yoo Jae-suk, Jeon Hyun-moo, Kim Jong-min, and Ryu Soo-young, all male. KBS's flagship variety show '2 Days & 1 Night' is also male-centric.

While this gender imbalance may seem natural due to its long-standing nature, it is disappointing compared to the prominent roles women play in music and drama awards. Lee Hyun-yi's nomination is significant in itself, and rather than criticizing her, there is a call for structural changes in the entertainment industry to allow female entertainers to achieve greater success.