After all the hype that followed this year’s event, let’s have a deeper look into the 2026 Seoul International Drama Awards winners list. The 21st edition of this international television award event happened on October 8, 2026, highlighting excellent works done by Korean Dramas and other TV shows across the globe. Actor Kim Nam-gil and MBC announcer Lee Jae-eun led the hosting of this event.
The awards ceremony had many categories such as the International Competition, K-Drama Competition, and International Invitation category. One of the most significant highlights of the evening was when the Golden Bird Award was presented to Kim Eun Sook who is the mind behind the successful Korean TV dramas. The awards acknowledged the efforts made by those artists whose performances and productions managed to get the attention of viewers this year, and Ryu Seung-ryong and Lim Ji-yeon were among the actors who received recognition. Moreover, Anton from RIIZE, Jaemin from NCT and Jisoo from BLACKPINK added a K-pop connection to the celebrations through their respective honours.
Among the most heartwarming moments at 제21회 서울 드라마 어워즈 was when Koo Kyo-hwan took the stage after winning the award for Outstanding Korean Actor for his role in We Are All Trying Here. While making an acceptance speech at the ceremony, Koo provided a funny fact regarding his outfit. Namely, the actor mentioned that the jacket he was wearing at the event belonged to Dong-man from the show, which gave an additional connection between the award he won and the drama in which he played his part.
With well-known screenwriters, renowned actors, and successful musicians among those being honored this year, the event underscored the varied reach of TV entertainment around the globe. For the full list of winners of 21st Seoul International Drama Awards, read on.
2026 Seoul International Drama Awards Winners List
INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNERS
Grand Prize: A Better Man (Norway)
Best TV Movie: Disclosure (Germany)
Best Miniseries: My Royal Nemesis (South Korea), Pluribus (United States) and The Dream Life of Mr. Kim (South Korea)
Best Series: Had I Not Seen the Sun (Taiwan) and The Child (Greece)
Best Short Form: Unfiltered (Spain)
Best Director: Vince Gilligan and Gordon Smith for Pluribus
Best Screenwriter: Thomas Seeberg Torjussen for A Better Man
Best Actor: Anders Baasmo for A Better Man and Ryu Seung-ryong for The Dream Life of Mr. Kim
Best Actress: Elizaveta Maximová for Mom
K-Drama Competition Category
Outstanding Korean Drama: The Dream Life of Mr. Kim and We Are All Trying Here
Outstanding Korean Actor: Koo Kyo-hwan for We Are All Trying Here
Outstanding Korean Actress: Lim Ji-yeon for My Royal Nemesis
Outstanding Korean Drama OST: Close to Me by Anton of RIIZE for Yumi’s Cells 3
International Invitation Category
Outstanding Asian Star (South Korea): Jaemin of NCT for Wind Up and Jisoo of BLACKPINK for Boyfriend on Demand
Outstanding Asian Star (China): Yang Yang for The Immortal Ascension
Outstanding Asian Star (Japan): Jin Akanishi for Romantic Anonymous
Outstanding Asian Star (Philippines): Paulo Avelino for The Alibi
Outstanding Asian Star (Thailand): Rebecca Patricia Armstrong for Girl From Nowhere: The Reset
Outstanding Asian Star (Singapore): Gladys Bay for Under the Net
Golden Bird Prize: Kim Eun-sook
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2026 Seoul International Drama Awards!
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