The much-anticipated 2025 Korea First Brand Awards Winners were announced recently, featuring a star studded line up of individuals and programmes who made outstanding contributions to the entertainment and culture scene last year were announced. The star studded show is one of South Korea’s most prestigious awards, held annually and recognising the most beloved and influential brands as voted by consumers. Surveys were also conducted this year in Vietnam, as the reach of Korean entertainment and culture grew more global. The evening starred talented actors, genre breaking idols, and captivating variety programs.
From talented actors and groundbreaking idols to captivating variety programs, the evening celebrated excellence across various categories. Here’s a comprehensive look at the winners of 2025 Korea First Brand Awards.
2025 Korea First Brand Awards Winners
Best Rookie Actor
Baek Seo-hoo
Best Rookie Actress
Chae Won-bin
Best Scene-stealer Actor
Kim Sung-kyun
Best Scene-stealer Actress
Moon Geun-young
Best Rising Actor
Bae Hyeon-seong
Best Rising Actress
Park So-jin
Best Actor – Hot Trend
Kang Hoon
Best Actress – Hot Trend
Roh Yoon-seo
Best Idol Actor
Park Ji-hoon
Best Idol Actress
Seunghee
Best OTT Actor
Kim Sung-cheol
Best OTT Actress
Go Min-si
Best Film Actor
Koo Kyo-hwan
Best Film Actress
Kim Go-eun
Best Drama Actor
Jung Hae-in
Best Drama Actress
Kim Tae-ri
Best Rookie Male Idol
NCT WISH
Best Rookie Female Idol
UNIS
Best Rising Male Idol
PLAVE
Best Rising Female Idol
FIFTY FIFTY
Best Band
DAY6
Best Male Vocalist
Changsub
Best Female Vocalist
Sunwoo Jung-a
Best Male Solo Artist
Lim Young-woong
Best Female Solo Artist
aespa’s Karina
Best Male Idol
ZEROBASEONE
Best Female Idol
aespa
Best Male Idol Variety Star
GOT7’s BamBam
Best Female Idol Variety Star
aespa’s Karina
Best Male Entertainer
Defconn
Best Female Entertainer
Lee Eun-ji
Best Male Multi-Entertainer
DEX
Best Female Multi-Entertainer
Ra Mi-ran
Best Male Variety Show Star
Jun Hyun-moo
Best Female Variety Show Star
Hong Jin-kyung
Best Sports Entertainer
Kim Jun-ho
Best Male Celebrity YouTuber
Daesung (ZIP_DS)
Best Female Celebrity YouTuber
Hyeri (I am Lee Hyeri)
Best Male Commercial Model
Lim Young-woong
Best Female Commercial Model
NewJeans
Best Chef
Baek Jong-won
Best Male Hot Icon
Na Young-suk
Best Female Hot Icon
Gabee
Best eSports
League of Legends
Best Male Radio DJ
Lee Moon-se (“Hello, this is Lee Moon-se”)
Best Female Radio DJ
Joo Hyun-young (“Joo Hyun-young at 12 o’clock”)
Best Male Comedian
Hwang Jae-sung
Best Female Comedian
Lee Su-ji
Best Male Web Variety Program MC
Changsub (“Changing Majors”)
Best Female Web Variety Program MC
Jihyo (“Tenant”)
Best OTT Variety Program
Culinary Class Wars
Best Music Variety Program
Seasons
Best Travel Variety Program
Europe Outside Your Tent
Best Educational Variety Program
upGRADE you: The Teachers
Best Criminal Variety Program
Brave Detectives 4
Best Cooking Variety Program
Fresh Off the Sea
Best Male Rookie Idol
ARrC
Best Female Rookie Idol
BABYMONSTER
Best Male Idol
TEMPEST
Best Female Idol
aespa
Best Vocalist
Taeyeon
Best Male Solo Artist
BTS’ Jin
Best Female Solo Artist
BLACKPINK’s Rosé
Best Variety Show
Running Man
Best Character
Larva
Best Actor
Kim Soo-hyun
Best Actress
Kim Ji-won
The dynamism and global appeal of Korean entertainment were reflected in this year’s Korea First Brand Awards, which are voted by consumers. All the winners range from already established icons like Kim Tae-ri or Lim Young-woong to emerging stars like Roh Yoon-seo or Fifty Fifty, making them the perfect representatives of this ever changing Kcultural landscape. By adding Vietnam to the lists of countries it canvassed, it also illustrates how Asian influence, and specifically, Korean entertainment’s popularity, is beginning to spread.
Looking at how the curtain has come down on this year’s event of the 2025 Korea First Brand Awards, it is unmistakable that the Korea First Brand Awards celebrated not just the steady stream of Korean stars in 2025 but also the future of Korean culture in the global market.
