It was an incredibly close race, so tight that no one could predict the outcome.
Kim Hye-yoon edged out IU by a narrow margin to take the top spot in the Best Actress category in the Blue Dragon Ranking, which ended on the 22nd.
In the final vote count, Kim Hye-yoon secured first place with 48.44 percent of the vote. IU, who kept up a fierce chase until the very end, finished with 46.30 percent, leaving a gap of just 2.14 percentage points.
It was a hard-fought victory, earned after a nail-biting battle that lasted until just before the voting deadline.
The final June Blue Dragon Ranking standings in the closely watched showdown between the two actresses were Kim Hye-yoon in first place with 48.44 percent, IU in second with 46.30 percent, and Suzy in third with 1.64 percent.
Kim Hye-yoon's rise to No. 1 this time was the result of the organized and explosive support from her global fandom.
In the final stretch of voting, Kim Hye-yoon's fans at home and abroad poured in an astonishing 130,000 votes, showing strong late momentum and holding onto the lead until the end.
At the center of this unmatched popularity is Kim Hye-yoon's dazzling recent run across both the big and small screens.
In the horror film "Salmokji," released in April, Kim Hye-yoon played Suin, a production team PD investigating a mysterious incident, taking on the horror genre for the first time since her debut.
She shed the bright and lovable image she had built through dramas such as "Lovely Runner" and instead delivered a desperate struggle and deep emotional control.
After its release, "Salmokji" set a new record for Korean horror films by ranking No. 1 at the box office for 21 consecutive days and surpassing 3 million cumulative admissions.
Kim Hye-yoon has captivated the public with what fans call her wholehearted acting, as if she pours everything into every role. With the strong backing of her fandom, attention is now focused on the box-office success story she will write next.
Meanwhile, the Blue Dragon Ranking is jointly run by Sportschosun, the organizer of the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Blue Dragon Series Awards, and Celeb Champ. Along with monthly winners, it also selects the stars driving trends through semiannual awards. Winners chosen every six months in the categories of male actor, female actor, male singer, and female singer receive trophies.
