Lee Sung-min has reportedly apologized directly to Shin Se-kyung following the backlash surrounding his acceptance speech at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards.

According to reports from Maeil Business Newspaper, an official from HB confirmed on May 17 that Lee Sung-min personally contacted Shin Se-kyung the day after the ceremony to apologize over the controversy. The agency did not reveal further details about their conversation.

The issue began during the awards ceremony on May 8, when Shin Se-kyung won the Best Supporting Actress award for the film Humint. Other nominees in the category included Shin Hyun-been for Face, Yeom Hye-ran for No Other Choice, Jang Hye-jin for Master of the World, and Jeon Mi-do for The King’s Warden.

Later in the ceremony, Lee Sung-min won Best Supporting Actor for No Other Choice. During his acceptance speech, he made a joking comment saying he had “cursed inwardly” because Yeom Hye-ran did not win in her category.

While some viewers interpreted the remark as harmless humor and support for his co-star, others felt the timing made the joke inappropriate because Shin Se-kyung had already officially won the award. Critics online argued that the comment unintentionally undermined her achievement by implying another nominee deserved the prize more.

The backlash quickly spread across Korean online communities and social media platforms, with many users accusing the actor of being insensitive during what should have been Shin Se-kyung’s celebratory moment.

However, news that Lee Sung-min personally reached out to apologize has slightly shifted public reaction.

Some netizens praised him for handling the situation privately and directly instead of ignoring the controversy or relying solely on agency statements. Others still believe the original comment was disrespectful regardless of intent.

The situation has also reignited broader discussions online about acceptance speech etiquette at major awards shows, especially when referencing other nominees after winners have already been announced.

So far, Shin Se-kyung has not publicly commented on the apology.