Seoul International Drama Awards 2025: Major Wins for Global Talent

The Seoul International Drama Awards 2025 celebrated the best in global television with significant wins for popular series and actors. The event, which revealed its winners on September 16, recognized entries from 50 countries, showcasing a vibrant array of talent in the industry. This year, a total of 276 entries competed for honors, with 409 individuals participating across various categories.

The prestigious Golden Bird Prize went to Ben Stiller for his work on Severance Season 2. In a highly competitive landscape, the Grand Prize for International Competition was awarded to Adolescence, a British production that captivated audiences worldwide. Other noteworthy winners included Pachinko Season 2 from the United States, which took home the award for Best Miniseries, and The Son, a South Korean entry that won Best TV Movie.

Key Winners and Honorees

Among the standout artists, Owen Cooper secured the title of Best Actor for his role in Adolescence, while both Cate Blanchett for Disclaimer and Kim Min Ha for Pachinko Season 2 shared the Best Actress award. The Best Director accolade was jointly awarded to Hirokazu Koreeda for Asura and Philip Barantini for Adolescence.

The event also recognized outstanding Asian talent. The Outstanding Asian Star award was given to Kim Seon Ho from The Tyrant and Jisoo from Newtopia, both hailing from South Korea. Other notable recipients included Sakaguchi Kentaro from Japan for What Comes After Love and Bai Yu from China for Bank on Me.

Upcoming Ceremony and Cultural Impact

The main ceremony is set to take place on October 2, 2025, at KBS Hall in Seoul. This year’s awards highlight the growing influence of international dramas and the cross-cultural appeal of television programming. The recognition of such a diverse range of artists and productions underscores the global nature of storytelling in the television industry.

As the awards continue to gain traction, they not only celebrate creative achievements but also foster connections among artists and audiences worldwide, reflecting the increasing significance of global collaborations in entertainment.