Bae Doona Receives Best Actress Award at Director’s Cut Awards for ‘Family Matters’

Bae Doo Na was awarded Actress of the Year at the 23rd Director’s Cut Awards, which was held on May 20.

Coupang Play’s series “Family Matters” tells the story of a mother with the extraordinary ability to edit memories at will, who joins forces with her family to bring hell to the villains threatening them.

In the drama, Bae Doona plays Han Young-soo, a woman who struggles to express emotions but remains a warm and loving mother to her children. She uses her brain-hacking ability—controlling others’ memories—to fight crime and heighten the show’s tension. Her natural tone convincingly captured the emotional spectrum between reason and instinct, maternal love and vengeance, earning her acclaim for what many call a career-defining performance.

Upon receiving the Actress of the Year award, Bae Doona shared, “It’s an incredible honor to receive this award, especially because it is given by film directors. Thank you for loving ‘Family Matters’, and I will continue to strive to be a humble actor wherever I go.”

This award is especially meaningful as it affirms not only Bae Doona‘s acting but also the overall quality of “Family Matters“—both domestically and internationally. In April, the series was the only Korean production invited to compete in the International Panorama section at the 2025 Series Mania Festival, Europe’s largest festival for serialized content, where it successfully held its European premiere.

At the time, local media and audiences raved, “A masterpiece that explores the complexities of modern family dynamics through black comedy” and “A work that skillfully shakes the contradictions between characters’ outer appearances and inner selves, keeping viewers tense until the very end.”

Ahn Hye-yeon, Senior Executive of Original Production at Coupang Play, stated, “The Director’s Cut Awards are especially meaningful since the winners are selected by esteemed directors. We’re honored by Family Matters’ recognition and will continue to raise the standard for original content through bold, high-quality series across diverse genres.”

“Family Matters” is available for streaming on Coupang Play, offering viewers a blend of thrilling narrative and profound character exploration.