The 2025 Seoulcon APAN Star Awards were held at DDP Art Hall 1 in Seoul on December 29. Actor Kim Seung Woo and announcer-turned-broadcaster Park Sun Young took on the roles of co-hosts at South Korea’s only integrated drama awards ceremony.
Taking into account all Korean dramas released across platforms from November 2024 to October 25, the show honoured the likes of When Life Gives You Tangerines‘ Park Bo Gum and IU by naming them as nominees for some of the biggest trophies of the night. Winners of the popularity vote were announced shortly ahead of the live ceremony.
The live ceremony was aired by South Korean TV network channel tvN and streamed via TVING. Talented actors Lee Chae Min, Shin Ye Eun, IU, Lee Junho, Cha Joo Young, Lee Junho, Ji Chang Wook and more walked the red carpet before sitting down for the main event.
Last year’s Grand Prize, aka Daesang, winner was Kim Tae Ri. The beloved actress bagged the title for her performance in the Disney+ K-drama Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born. Her period drama series also ended up being the crowned the Best Drama / Drama of the Year at the time.
However, for the December 29, 2025, ceremony The Tale of Lady Ok; Bon Appetit, Your Majesty; Our Unwritten Seoul; You and Everything Else and When Live Gives You Tangerines were nominated for the Best Drama title.
Here are all the winners of the 2025 APAN Star Awards.
2025 APAN Star Awards Popularity Award winners
Best Entertainer: Cha Eunwoo (of ASTRO)
Actor Popularity Award: Lee Junho
Actress Popularity Award: Kim Hye Yoon
Global Star: Lee Junho
Best Couple: Lee Hyeri and Chung Soo Bin for Friendly Rivalry
Best OST: “More Beautiful than Heaven” by Lim Young Woong for Heavenly Ever After
2025 APAN Star Awards winners list
Best New Actor
- Lee Chae Min for Bon Appetit, Your Majesty and Crushology 101
- Kang You Seok for Resident Playbook
Best New Actress
- Ha Young for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Face Me
- Hong Hwa Yeon for Buried Hearts, I Am a Running Mate and Tastefully Yours
Best Child Actor / Best Young Actor
- Kim Tae Yeon for When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Lee Cheon My for When Life Gives You Tangerines
Top Excellence Award – Actor in a mid-length drama: Lee Junho for Typhoon Family
Top Excellence Award – Actress in a mid-length drama: Cha Joo Young for The Queen Who Crowns
Female Excellence Award (Mid-Length Drama): Shin Ye Eun for The Muky Stream and A Hundred Memories
Male Excellence Award – Mid-length drama: Lee Jun Young for When Live Gives You Tangerines and Pump Up the Healthy Love
Male Acting Award
- Ko Kyu Pil for Twelve and Genie, Make a Wish
- Yoon Kyung Ho for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Female Acting Award
- Kim Shin Rok for Undercover High School and Tastefully Yours
- Oh Na Ra for The Nice Guys and Villains Everywhere
Female Top Excellence Award – Long-form Drama: Uhm Ji Won for For Eagle Brothers
Male Top Excellence Award – Long-form Drama: Ahn Jae Wook for For Eagle Brothers
Excellence Award – Actor in a Long-form Drama: Seo Ha Joon for The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun
Excellence Award – Actress in a Long-form Drama: Park Eun Hye for Marie and Her Three Daddies
Best Actor – Short Drama / Web Drama: Kim Ki Hyun for No MZ for Old Men and Jun Gun Joo for ‘2024 KBS Drama Special – the road in between’
Best Actress- Short Drama / Web Drama: Park Ha Sun for Psychopath Yeon Sun Jung and Useless Love
Best Director: Kim Won Seok for When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Screenwriter: Jang Hyun Sook for Typhoon Family
KS Autoplan Asia Star Award: Jinyoung and Chung Soo Bin
KS Autoplan Icon Award: Han Ji Eun
Global Influencer (Overseas): DADA, HUIHUI
Global Influencer (Domestic): KIMPRO, Park Il Seo, Yu Baekhap
Grand Prize / Daesang: IU for When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Drama / Drama of the Year: When Life Gives You Tangerines
The Korean entertainment world’s trail of year-end celebrations is far from over. After today’s APAN Star Awards and MBC Entertainment Awards, fans can look forward to MBC Drama Awards and SBS Entertainment Awards tomorrow. Thereafter, the MBC Music Festival, KBS Drama Awards and SBS Drama Awards will be held on the last day of the year, i.e. December 31.
*Winners for Female / Male Top Excellence Award – Long-form Drama, Best Actor – web drama, Excellence Award – Actor in a Long-form Drama were corrected.