The 2025 Seoulcon APAN Star Awards will be rolling out the red carpet for some of the biggest K-drama stars in the industry on Sunday, December 29. The live ceremony will be held at DDP Art Hall 1 in Seoul, with actor Kim Seung Woo and announcer-turned-broadcaster Park Sun Young serving as the prestigious award show’s host for the second consecutive year.
Kim Seun Woo, in particular, is best identified as the ‘face’ of the APAN Star Awards, especially since he has been MCing since 2018. Meanwhile, this will be Park’s second time stepping on to the show’s main stage as the co-host. Girl group CLASS:y member Chaewon and actress Jung Young Joo.
With household K-drama names like Park Bo Gum, Lee Junho, Park Hyung Sik, Park Bo Gum, Kim Go Eun, IU and others nominated across 19 categories, the event is expected to make way for yet another successful year-end K-drama awards broadcast.
As also seen in the nominees list, Korean dramas released across all platforms, including OTT, cable and more, from November 24 to October 2025 were eligible to bag a mention. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming award show.
When and where to watch APAN Star Awards 2025?
Tune in to this year’s APAN Star Awards on Sunday, December 29. South Korean network and streaming service tvN and TVING, respectively, will be broadcasting the live ceremony.
According to the awards show’s official SNS platforms, the photo wall event will begin at 6 pm KST (2:30 pm IST), with the award ceremony kicking off at 7 pm KST (3:30 pm IST).
2025 APAN Star Awards winners: Popularity Vote
The final voting results of South Korea’s only integrated drama awards’ popularity categories are as follows:
Male Popularity: Lee Junho
Female Popularity: Kim Hye Yoon
Global Star: Lee Junho
Best Couple: Lee Hyeri and Jung Soo Bin for Friendly Rivalry
Best OST: Kim Young Woong for Heavenly Ever After
Best Entertainer: Cha Eunwoo
[APAN 인기상 부문 투표 최종 결과 및 투표 점수 집계 안내]
— 플렉스온 PLEX ON (@plexonofficial) December 23, 2025
APAN 인기상 6개 부문 투표에 많은 관심과 참여 보내주셔서 감사합니다.
플렉스온에서는 아이돌챔프, 마이원픽 투표 플랫폼의 최종 집계 데이터를 기준으로 결과를 확인하였으며,
아래와 같이 APAN 인기상 부문 수상자외 투표 최종 집계… pic.twitter.com/zGFQvUTFUu
2025 Seoulcon APAN Star Awards nominees list
Best Drama
- The Tale of Lady Ok (JTBC)
- Bon Appetit, Your Majesty (tvN)
- Our Unwritten Seoul (tvN)
- You and Everything Else (Netflix)
- When Life Gives You Tangerines (Netflix)
Best New Actor
- Lee Chae Min for Bon Appetit, Your Majesty and Crushology 101
- Ryeoun for Namib and Weak Hero Class 2
- Kim Min Kyu for BITCH X RICH 2 and Love, Take Two
- Kim Yo Han for The Winning Try
- Kang You Seok for Resident Playbook
Best New Actress
- Ha Young for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Face Me
- Yoon Seo Ah for Bon Appetit, Your Majesty and The Tale of Mrs Ok
- Shin Sia for Resident Playbook
- Hong Hwa Yeon for Buried Hearts, Tastefully Yours and I Am a Running Mate
- Bang Hyo Rin for Aema
Best Young Actor
- Lee Cheon Moo for When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Kim Si Ah for Walking on Thin Ice
- Kim Tae Yeon for When Live Gives You Tangerines
- Jo Dan for Villains Everywhere
- Moon Woo Jin for My Dearest Nemesis
Male Acting Award
- Sung Dong Il for Typhoon Family and The Art of Negotiation
- Lee Hae Young for Buried Hearts
- Choi Dae Hoon for Shin’s Project and When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Yoon Kyung Ho for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
- Ko Kyu Phil for Twelve and Genie, Make a Wish
Female Acting Award
- Yeom Hye Ran for When Life Gives You Tangerines and Law and The City
- Oh Na Ra for The Nice Guy and Villains Everywhere
- Kim Shin Rok for Tastefully Yours
- Kang Ae Shin for Squid Game 2, Squid Game 3 and Love, Take Two
- Won Mi Kyung for Our Unwritten Seoul
2025 APAN Star Awards: Mid-length drama
Male Top Excellence Award
- Park Bo Gum for Good Boy and When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Lee Junho for Typhoon Family
- Park Hyung Sik for Buried Hearts
- Kim Nam Gil for The Fiery Priest and Trigger
- Ju Ji Hoon for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Love Your Enemy
Female Top Excellence Award
- Park Bo Young for Our Unwritten Seoul
- IU for When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Cha Joo Young for The Queen Who Crowns
- Kim Go Eun for You and Everything Else
- Lim Yoona for Bon Appetit, Your Majesty
Male Excellence Award
- Yoo Yeon Seok for When the Phone Rings
- Lee Joon Hyuk for Love Scout and Mercy for None
- Lee Jun Young for When Life Gives You Tangerines and Pump Up the Healthy Love
- Choo Young Woo for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Head Over Heels
- Park Hae Joon for Love, Take Two and When Live Gives You Tangerines
2025 APAN Star Awards: Long-form drama
Male Top Excellence Award
- Ahn Jae Wook for For Eagle Brothers
- Son Chang Min for Good Luck
- Jung Il Woo for Our Golden Days
- Song Chang Eui for Desperate Mrs Seonju
- Hwang Dong Joo for Marie and Her Three Daddies
Female Top Excellence Award
- Uhm Ji Won for For Eagle Brothers
- Hahm Eun Jung for Queen’s House
- Park Ha Na for My Merry Marriage
- Jang Shin Young for The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun
- Han Groo for Cinderella Game
Male Excellence Award
- Seo Ha Joon for The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun
- Park Sang Nam for My Merry Marriage
- Kim Dong Wan for For Eagle Brothers
- Seo Jun Young for Queen’s House
- Yoon Hyun Min for Our Golden Day
Female Excellence Award
- Lee Tae Ran for Our Golden Days
- Jung In Sun for Our Golden Days
- Shim Yi Young for Desperate Mrs Seonju
- Park Eun Hye for Marie and Her Three Daddies
- Lee Shi Ah for A Graceful Liar
2025 APAN Star Awards: Short drama or web drama
Best Actor
- Park Su Oh for A Head Coach’s Turnover
- Park Sung Woong for A Head Coach’s Turnover
- Kim Ki Hyun for No MZ for Old Men
- Cha Sun Woo for He is Back and Competition with Me
- Lee Dong Gun for Useless Love
- Cha Hak Yeon for The Killer Next Door
- Jung Gun Joo for 2024 KBS Drama Special – the road in between
Best Actress
- Lee Hyeri for Friendly Rivalry
- Lee So Ji for No MZ for Old Men
- Ha Ye Eun for Gang Girl Goes to Boys High School
- Park Ha Sun for Psychopath Yeon Sun Jung and Useless Love
