Although the major winners of the Seoul International Drama Awards 2025 were announced in September, it’s only right to revisit them since the event officially took place on October 2. Held at KBS main building in Yeouido, Seoul, this year’s edition of the annual celebration on TV talents was led by main MCs Jang Do Yeon and Taecyeon. The global festival, organised by the Seoul Drama Awards Organising Committee, saw countless A-listers who dominated the TV and OTT space this past year walking down the red carpet on Thursday.
Asian stars walk the Seoul International Drama Awards red carpet
IU and Ju Ji Hoon, the leading stars of Netflix’s biggest K-dramas this year, When Life Gives You Tangerines and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, respectively, dazzled on the red carpet. It was indeed their big day, as they eventually went on to snag some of the most honourable accolades of the ceremony.
Japanese star Sakaguchi Kentaro, K-pop singer Chuu, K-drama actress Kim Min Ha, Malaysian model-turned-actress Anna Jobling and Thai actress Rachanun Mahawan were among many others to put their best fashionable foot forward on the red carpet yesterday.
2025 Seoul International Drama Awards winners list
The 2025 SDA received 276 submissions from 50 countries and 409 participants for consideration, as per K-media reports. The awards series is primarily focussed on multiple categories across both Korean and international lines. Here are the winners of the day:
Outstanding Asian Star
- Kim Seon Ho for The Tyrant
- BLACKPINK’s Jisoo for Newtopia
- Kentaro Sakaguchi for Beyond Goodbye
- Daniel Padilla for Incognito
- Anna Jobling for Dear Love
- Yu Bai for Bank on Me
- Rachanun Mahawan for Pluto
K-drama Competition
- Best Actress: IU for When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Best Actor: Ju Ji Hoon for The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
- Best K-drama: The Trauma Code and When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Best K-drama OST: Young Tak for “Unpredictable Life” on For Eagle Brothers
International Competition
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett for Disclaimer, Kim Min Ha for Pachinko Season 2
- Best Actor: Owen Cooper for Adolescence
- Best Director: Hirokazu Koreeda for Asura, Philip Barantini for Adolescence
- Best TV Movie: The Son (CJ ENM)
- Best Series: The Good & The Bad (AY YAPIM)
- Best Miniseries: Pachinko Season 2 (Apple TV+)
- Best Screenwriter: Dan Erickson for Severance Season 2
Top Awards
- Golden Bird Prize: Ben Stiller for Severance Season 2 (US)
- Grand Prize: Adolescence (UK)