The 16th Korea Drama Awards were held, with major winners including Ahn Jae-wook and Byung Woo-seok. Various categories recognized talent.
October/13/2025 19:07
The winners of the 16th KOREA DRAMA AWARDS have been announced. The KOREA DRAMA FESTIVAL organizing committee held the 16th KOREA DRAMA AWARDS on October 11 at the Gyeongnam Culture and Arts Center in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do. The 16th KOREA DRAMA AWARDS awarded dramas, actors, and production teams that aired in Korea over the past year, totaling 92 works (data provided by PLEX ON). This year also attracted attention with a glamorous lineup of winners. On this day, awards were given in six popular categories featuring strong candidates. Byung Woo-seok achieved a double win, receiving the 'Hot Star Award' for men and the 'Global Star Award.' The 'Hot Star Award' for women went to Jeong Su-bin, the 'Multi-Tainer Award' to DKZ's Je-chang, the 'Best Couple Award' to Girl's Day's Hyeri and Jeong Su-bin ('Good Intentions'), and the 'Best OST Award' to singer Yong-tak for 'Unknown Life.' The main awards in seven categories of the 16th KOREA DRAMA AWARDS were also announced. The 'Best Work Award' went to SBS's 'Our Movie.' The 'Best Acting Award' for men was awarded to BTOB's Sungjae ('Goblin'), and for women to Park Bo-young ('Unknown Soul'). The 'Excellence in Acting Award' for men went to Lee Hyun-wook ('Shark: The Storm' and 'Queen of Desire'), and for women to Bona of WJSN ('Goblin'). The 'Rookie Award' for men went to Chu Young-woo ('Okja's Lady' and 'Shaman and the Star'), and Ho Nam-jun ('When That Phone Rings' and 'The Stars Are Gossiping'), while for women it went to Jeong Su-bin ('Good Intentions') and Hong Hwa-young ('Buried Heart,' 'Romance in the Secret Ingredient,' and 'Running Mate'). Additionally, awards for 'Lifetime Achievement,' 'Villain Award,' and 'Scene Stealer Award (male/female)' were presented. The 'Lifetime Achievement Award' was given to Kim Young-rim, who debuted in the 4th KBS Voice Drama Group in 1961 and transitioned to acting in 1964, continuing to be active until now. The 'Villain Award' went to Oh Jung-se ('Good Boy'), while the 'Scene Stealer Award' for men was awarded to Lee Hae-young ('Trigger' and 'Buried Heart') and for women to Lee Ho-jung ('Good Boy'). The highly anticipated 'Grand Prize' of the 16th KOREA DRAMA AWARDS was awarded to Ahn Jae-wook after a fierce competition among actors. Ahn Jae-wook showcased the essence of middle-aged romance in 'Please Take Care of My Brothers,' which recorded a peak viewership rating of 21.9% (Nielsen Korea nationwide household standard). The 16th KOREA DRAMA AWARDS is the main event of the '2025 KOREA DRAMA FESTIVAL,' which will take place for ten days until the 19th at the Gyeongnam Culture and Arts Center and the Namgang riverside area. The '2025 KOREA DRAMA FESTIVAL' is organized by the KOREA DRAMA FESTIVAL organizing committee, with active support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Jinju City in Gyeongsangnam-do. The festival will provide visitors with new experiences through various programs, including a drama script experience photo zone that resembles popular drama sets, a drama history exhibition hall, a KDF promotion zone, and the 'KDF Music Festa.'
Related Articles
On January 21, MBC MUSIC's SHOW CHAMPION aired live from Goyang City, featuring ALPHA DRIVE ONE as the winner. Other performers included SAY MY NAME, Chuu, and members from Golden Child, n.SSign, LIGHTSUM, and former SM trainees. SAY MY NAME celebrated their first music show win after debuting on Music Bank.
On January 21, ALPHA DRIVE ONE achieved first place on MBC MUSIC's SHOW CHAMPION, just 10 days post-debut. The show featured performances from various artists including SAY MY NAME, Chuu, and former SM trainees. The event took place at MBC Dream Center in Gyeonggi-do, highlighting the rapid rise of ALPHA DRIVE ONE in the music scene.
Dawon of Cosmic Girls features in a COSMOPOLITAN photoshoot, embodying the 'FUN FEARLESS FEMALE' slogan. She reflects on her successful solo debut and aspirations to be a global pop star, sharing her journey and achievements, including winning awards and her dedication to her dreams. More content available in the January 2026 issue.
On the morning of the 7th, a pop-up store for the cosmetics brand M・A・C opened in Seoul, attended by celebrities including former Wonder Girls member Sunmi, MONSTA X's Hyunwon, and others. Additionally, MEOVV's Ella was announced as the new global ambassador for M・A・C, while MONSTA X revealed concept photos for their digital single 'baby blue.'
Lee Je-hoon received the Grand Prize at the 2025 SBS Acting Awards for his performance in 'Revenge Agent 3: Model Taxi'. He expressed gratitude to fans for their support, acknowledging the challenges of acting. Other awards included Director's Award to Yoon Ge-sang and various acting awards across genres.
On December 31, the red carpet event for the 2025 SBS Acting Awards was held at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo, Seoul. Hosted by Shin Dong-yup, Choi Won-bin, and Ho Nam-jun, the event saw appearances from stars like Jung So-min, Han Ji-min, and Kim Ji-won. The awards will celebrate this year's hit Korean dramas and nominees were announced, including An Bo-hyun and Jang Na-ra.
On the afternoon of the 23rd, a press call for the musical 'Marie' was held at the Seoul Baekam Art Hall, attended by f(x)'s Luna, Cosmic Girls' Subin, and others. Luna opened up about her pain from losing friends like Sulli and her health struggles, while Subin returns to music after a 7-year hiatus, participating in the OST for the drama 'Mari and the Changed Dads.'
Dawon discusses her solo debut journey in an interview with Rolling Stone Korea, reflecting on her growth as an artist and her aspirations. She emphasizes the challenges of transitioning from a group member to a solo artist and expresses her desire to create a unique sound. Dawon aims to showcase her diverse talents and hopes to resonate with fans through her music.
At the 2025 Supermodel Contest held at SBS Prism Tower in Seoul, Dawon from Cosmic Girls and BE'O showcased celebratory performances. Dawon celebrated her first solo win on 'THE SHOW', while BE'O mentioned being inspired by Justin Bieber and aims to prove himself through music amidst various rumors.
Subin, the main vocalist of Cosmic Girls, makes her OST comeback after 7 years with 'Today is a Day to Laugh' for the KBS drama 'Mari and the Changed Dads.' The song features her powerful vocals and hopeful lyrics about family, highlighting her growth as an artist since her debut in 2016 and her recent musical performances.
