Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 gathers global Stars and Creators ahead of october 8 ceremony

Leading stars and creators from the Korean and international drama industry will gather at KBS Hall on Thursday, October 8.

The Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee (SDAOC) announced that Golden Bird Prize recipient Eun-sook Kim, along with Seung-ryong Ryu, Ji-yeon Lim, Kyo-hwan Koo, RIIZE’s ANTON, Anders Baasmo, Elizaveta Maximová, Jin Akanishi, Paulo Avelino, Gladys Bay and other leading stars and creators from around the world, will attend the Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 ceremony. The ceremony will be hosted by actor and official SDA ambassador Nam-gil Kim and MBC announcer Jae-eun Lee.

Screenwriter Eun-sook Kim, recipient of the Golden Bird Prize, the highest honor at the Seoul International Drama Awards, will attend the ceremony to receive the prize. Through hit dramas including “Lovers in Paris,” “Secret Garden,” “Descendants of the Sun,” “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “The Glory” and “Genie, Make a Wish,” Kim has showcased the strength of K-drama to audiences around the world. After winning the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize for “Secret Garden” in 2011, she returns to the SDA stage 15 years later as the 2026 Golden Bird Prize recipient.

The team behind Norway’s “A Better Man,” which swept three honors in the International Competition — the Grand Prize, Best Screenwriter and Best Actor — will also be in Seoul for the ceremony. Producer Synnøve Hørsdal, cinematographer Daniel Voldheim, Best Screenwriter winner Thomas Seeberg Torjussen and Best Actor winner Anders Baasmo will attend. Other international attendees include Taiwanese producer Phoebe Ma, known worldwide for “Someday or One Day,” and Elizaveta Maximová, who won Best Actress in the International Competition for the Czech TV movie “Mom.”

Korean winners will also take part in the ceremony. Seung-ryong Ryu of “The Dream Life of Mr. Kim” will attend after winning Best Actor in the International Competition, while Ji-yeon Lim of “My Royal Nemesis” and Kyo-hwan Koo of “We Are All Trying Here” will take the stage as the winners of Outstanding Korean Actress and Outstanding Korean Actor, respectively. RIIZE’s ANTON, winner of the Outstanding Korean Drama OST for ‘Close to Me’ from “Yumi’s Cells 3,” will also attend.

Asian stars will also join the ceremony. Among this year’s fan-voted Outstanding Asian Star recipients, Jin Akanishi of Japan for “Romantic Anonymous,” Paulo Avelino of the Philippines for “The Alibi” and Gladys Bay of Singapore for “Under The Net” will attend the ceremony. Other drama professionals from Korea and abroad will also walk the red carpet, including Japanese actress Asuka Hamaru, a Best Actress nominee in the International Competition, as well as director Azumi Hasegawa and producer Naomichi Sawamura from emole Inc.

The presenter lineup includes Eun-ji Jeong, Ki-joon Um, Go-eun Han, Yuleum Lee, Kyung-hye Park, Jae-won Lee, Swings, Min Kim, Ji-sung Yoon, Hyo-ju Choi and Dong-ha Lee.

The Grand Prize in the International Competition will be presented by jury representative Joke Silva, a veteran Nigerian actress and producer whose career has spanned theater, film and television for more than four decades. The Golden Bird Prize, the highest honor at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026, will be presented by Sung-joo Lee, Chairman of the Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee and President of the Korean Broadcasters Association.

tripleS, P1Harmony and Mimi will also perform at the ceremony, adding to the festive atmosphere.

The SDA 2026 Awards Ceremony will take place at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday, October 8. A red carpet featuring winners and presenters will be held ahead of the ceremony. The ceremony will air live on MBC and stream simultaneously on the official Seoul International Drama Awards YouTube channel beginning at 4:55 p.m. KST.

The festivities will continue with Drama Festa on October 9 and 10 at Banpo Hangang Park and Seokchon West Lake (Songpa Naru Park), offering a range of programs for the public and drama fans from around the world.

 

LC