Seoul Drama Awards 2025: Complete Winners List and Highlights

 

Seoul Drama Awards 2025: Full Winners List and Highlights from the 20th Anniversary Ceremony

By C.M. Ong | Oct. 2, 2025

The 20th Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) 2025 wrapped up on October 2 at KBS Hall, Seoul, celebrating two decades of excellence in global television. With over 276 entries from 50 countries, this year’s ceremony confirmed the growing dominance of global streaming platforms while honoring both international and Korean drama talent.

From Netflix’s sweeping victories to IU’s emotional acceptance speech, here’s a complete look at the winners and standout moments from SDA 2025.

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🏆 Major Winners at a Glance

🌍 International Competition

• Golden Bird Award (Top Honor): Severance Season 2 (Apple TV+), Ben Stiller
• Grand Prize: Adolescence (Netflix, UK)
• Best Director: Philip Barantini (Adolescence, Netflix)
• Best Screenwriter: Dan Erickson (Severance S2, Apple TV+)
• Best Actor: Owen Cooper (Adolescence, Netflix)
• Best Actress (Shared): Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer, Apple TV+) & Kim Min-ha (Pachinko S2, Apple TV+)

🇰🇷 K-Drama Competition

• Outstanding Korean Drama (Shared): The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (Netflix) & When Life Gives You Tangerines (Netflix)
• Outstanding Korean Actor: Ju Ji-hoon (The Trauma Code, Netflix)
• Outstanding Korean Actress: IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines, Netflix)
• Best Single Drama: The Son (CJ ENM)

🌏 Fan-Voted: Outstanding Asian Star

• Daniel Padilla (Philippines) – Incognito
• Seonho Kim (South Korea) – The Tyrant
• Jisoo (South Korea) – Newtopia
• Kentaro Sakaguchi (Japan) – Beyond Goodbye
• Film Rachanun Mahawan (Thailand) – Pluto
• Anna Jobling (Malaysia) – Dear Love
• Yu Bai (China) – Bank on Me

🎶 Special Awards

• Best Original Soundtrack (OST): Youngtak – Unpredictable Life (Four Eagle Brothers, KBS)

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✨ Red Carpet & Star Power

The SDA 2025 red carpet dazzled with appearances from Gong Yoo, Song Hye-Kyo, Park Seo-Joon, IU, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Min-ha, and Daniel Padilla. Media outlets highlighted Gong Yoo’s “timeless charisma” and Song Hye-Kyo’s “elegant grace,” cementing their status as enduring Hallyu icons.

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🎤 Performances that Lit Up the Stage

• ILLIT brought K-pop energy for the global fandom.
• Urban Zakapa showcased smooth R&B vocals.
• Jang Sa-ik delivered a traditional performance, honoring Korea’s cultural roots.

This curated lineup ensured broad audience appeal, blending contemporary K-pop power with artistry and tradition.

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🔑 Key Takeaways from SDA 2025

• Netflix’s Dominance: The platform swept both Korean and international categories, reflecting its central role in shaping the future of K-Drama and global content.
• Star Power Meets Authenticity: IU’s heartfelt speech went viral for its emotional tribute to her drama’s characters, resonating deeply with fans.
• Pan-Asian Recognition: The Outstanding Asian Star awards highlighted the cultural reach of actors across Southeast and East Asia, proving SDA’s influence extends far beyond Korea.

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📌 A Global Measure of TV Excellence

The 20th Seoul International Drama Awards 2025 not only celebrated the best of television but also reflected the changing dynamics of the industry—where global streaming giants like Netflix and Apple TV+ dominate production, yet fan-voted categories and regional recognition ensure diversity and inclusivity.

With its milestone anniversary, SDA 2025 cemented its role as a true global barometer of television excellence.

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