The 21st Seoul International Drama Awards has revealed its complete list of winners, with Norway’s “A Better Man” taking the Grand Prize in the International Competition. The organizing committee announced the honorees on September 22, following a record 352 entries from 46 countries and regions. The main awards ceremony is set for October 8, 2026, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, and will air live on MBC and stream on the official Seoul International Drama Awards YouTube channel.
Key Facts
- Award Date: October 8, 2026
- Venue: KBS Hall, Yeouido, Seoul
- Broadcast: Live on MBC at 4:55 p.m. KST; simultaneous YouTube stream
- Total Entries: 352 from 46 countries and regions
- Categories: International Competition, K-Drama Competition, International Invitation
- Grand Prize Winner: “A Better Man” (Norway)
- Golden Bird Prize: Kim Eun Sook (screenwriter)
International Competition Winners
The International Competition category honored programs and individuals from across the globe. Norway’s “A Better Man” dominated with three awards: the Grand Prize, Best Screenwriter for Thomas Seeberg Torjussen, and Best Actor for Anders Baasmo. The series follows a middle-aged man who spread misogynistic hate online and goes into hiding disguised as a woman after his identity is exposed. The jury praised it as “nothing short of supreme in virtually every layer, from script and directing to acting”.
Best Miniseries went to three titles: “My Royal Nemesis” (South Korea), “Pluribus” (US, Apple TV+), and “The Dream Life of Mr. Kim” (South Korea). Apple TV+’s sci-fi drama “Pluribus” also earned Best Director for Vince Gilligan and Gordon Smith.
Best TV Movie was awarded to Germany’s thriller “Disclosure” . Best Series went to Taiwan’s mystery romance “Had I Not Seen the Sun” and Greece’s “The Child” . Spain’s “Unfiltered” won Best Short Form, a category revived for the first time in five years. Elizaveta Maximová earned Best Actress for her performance in the Czech TV movie “Mom” .
Ryu Seung-ryong also won Best Actor for his role in “The Dream Life of Mr. Kim” , sharing the honor with Anders Baasmo.
K-Drama Competition Winners
Korean dramas made a strong showing in their dedicated category. “The Dream Life of Mr. Kim” (SLL) and “We Are All Trying Here” (SLL) were both named Outstanding Korean Drama. “The Dream Life of Mr. Kim” ultimately became a triple winner across categories, also taking Best Miniseries in the International Competition and Best Actor for Ryu Seung-ryong.
Koo Kyo Hwan won Outstanding Korean Actor for his performance in “We Are All Trying Here” , and Lim Ji Yeon took Outstanding Korean Actress for “My Royal Nemesis” . RIIZE’s ANTON earned Outstanding Korean Drama OST for the song “Close to Me” from “Yumi’s Cells 3” —his first solo OST since debut.
Outstanding Asian Star Winners
Seven stars from six countries were selected through global fan voting for the Outstanding Asian Star award. NCT’s JAEMIN (South Korea, “Wind Up”) and JISOO of BLACKPINK (South Korea, “Boyfriend on Demand”) were among the honorees.
The full list includes Yang Yang (China, “The Immortal Ascension”), Jin Akanishi (Japan, “Romantic Anonymous”), Paulo Avelino (Philippines, “The Alibi”), Rebecca Patricia Armstrong (Thailand, “Girl From Nowhere: The Reset”), and Gladys Bay (Singapore, “Under The Net”).
Golden Bird Prize
Screenwriter Kim Eun Sook received the Golden Bird Prize, the highest honor presented by the Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee. The award was announced separately on September 29 . Kim Eun Sook is known for hit dramas including “Secret Garden,” “Descendants of the Sun,” “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “The Glory,” and “Genie, Make a Wish”.
With this recognition, she becomes the first screenwriter to win the Golden Bird Prize and only the fourth individual recipient overall, joining Choi Min Sik, director Park Chan Wook, and Ben Stiller.
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Ceremony Details and How to Watch
The SDA 2026 awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul . The event will be broadcast live on MBC TV starting at 4:55 p.m. KST and streamed simultaneously on the official Seoul International Drama Awards YouTube channel .
Actor Kim Nam Gil and MBC announcer Lee Jae Eun will serve as hosts for the ceremony. A red carpet event featuring winners and presenters will be held before the main ceremony.
The festival extends beyond the awards night. A special 70th-anniversary Korean drama pre-event will be held at COEX Magok on October 6 . The Drama Festa will run from October 9 to 10 at Banpo Hangang Park and Seokchon West Lake (Songpa Naru Park) , featuring drama talk concerts, OST concerts, and interactive drama experiences.
Stay with VvipTimes for complete coverage of the global drama awards season.
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