On December 29 KST, stars gathered at the '2023 MBC Entertainment Awards' to look back on the entertainment programs that brought viewers laughter and comfort at home. 

However, the ceremony soon became wrapped up in controversy over its alleged "discrimination" toward female entertainers.

On this day, transgender internet personality Pungja won the 'Female Rookie Variety Star' for her appearance on MBC's 'Point of Omniscient Interference', making history as the first ever transgender public figure to receive an award at a year-end entertainment ceremony. On the other hand, the 'Male Rookie Variety Star' was given to two nominees, Kim Dae Ho of 'I Live Alone' and Dex of 'Adventure by Accident'. 

Next, in the 'Best Variety Star' category, Park Na Rae of 'I Live Alone' and 'Where Is My Home' received the award for female entertainers. But the award was split up into two sub-categories - 'Best Variety Star (Variety Show)' and 'Best Variety Star (Reality Show)' - for male entertainers, with HaHa of 'Hangout With Yoo' receiving the former award and Lee Jang Woo of 'I Live Alone' receiving the latter. 

Notably, this year, Park Na Rae, who has been nominated for the 'Daesang' prize each year since 2017, was not nominated. Instead, the three nominees were Jun Hyun Moo of 'I Live Alone', Kian84 of 'I Live Alone' and 'Adventure by Accident', and Yoo Jae Suk of 'Hangout With Yoo'. 

Why did some netizens feel that the 'MBC Entertainment Awards' was discriminating against female entertainers this year?

While many were in fact happy to see Pungja receiving the 'Female Rookie Variety Star' award as a transgender woman, some viewers felt that the 'Female Rookie Variety Star' could have also recognized two rising stars instead of one, just like the 'Male Rookie Variety Star' category. 

Netizens were also critical of the award ceremony for "bumping down" Park Na Rae from a 'Daesang' nominee from the past 6 years to 'Best Female Variety Star', which, as noted above, also handed out two awards to male entertainers. And yet, the ceremony did not divide the same award into two sub-categories for female entertainers, a testament to the small number of notable female entertainers currently receiving the spotlight. 

In addition to Park Na Rae and Pungja, the only female entertainers who received awards at the '2023 MBC Entertainment Awards' included Jang Do Yeon ('Top Female Variety Star'), Lee Young Ja ('Lifetime Achievement Award'), Shinji ('Best Radio Host'), Oh Eun Young ('Best MC'), and Jaejae ('Rookie Radio Host').

What do you think of the accusations?