The Korea Drama Awards (KDA), first launched in 2007, is one of South Korea’s major award ceremonies dedicated to television dramas. Organized as the highlight of the Korea Drama Festival (KDF), the event recognizes excellence in acting, production, and storytelling across network, cable, and OTT platforms.
Now in its 16th edition, the ceremony continues to reward talented actors and actresses in the K-drama industry.
2025 Korea Drama Awards Date and Venue
The 2025 Korea Drama Awards is scheduled for October 11, 2025, at the Gyeongsangnam-do Culture and Arts Center in Jinju, South Korea. The awards ceremony is part of the ten-day Korea Drama Festival, running from October 10 to October 19, 2025, which will also include exhibitions, cultural programs, and industry forums.
2025 KDA Nominees and Award Categories
Among the dramas and actors drawing attention this year are When Life Gives You Tangerines, Resident Playbook, Doubt, and The Tale of Lady Ok. Performers such as IU, Park Bo Gum, Kim So Hyun, Choo Young Woo, Go Youn Jung, Hyeri, and more are nominated this year. The full list of 2025 Korea Drama Awards nominees includes
Best Drama
- “Doubt”
- “When Life Gives You Tangerines”
- “Resident Playbook”
- “The Tale Of Lady Ok”
- “Our Movie”
- “Our Unwritten Seoul”
- “Good Boy”
- “The Haunted Palace”
- “Love Scout”
- “Tastefully Yours”
- “Buried Hearts”
- “When The Phone Rings”
Top Excellence (Actor)
- Kang Ha Neul (“Tastefully Yours”)
- Park Bo Gum (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
- Park Hyung Sik (“Buried Hearts”)
- Yoo Yeon Seok (“When The Phone Rings”)
- Ahn Jae Wook (“For Eagle Brothers”)
Excellence Award (Actor)
- Park Jinyoung (“The Witch,” “Our Unwritten Seoul”)
- Lee Jun Young (“Weak Hero 2,” “When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
- Lee Hyun Wook (“The Queen Who Crowns,” “Shark: The Storm”)
- Park Ji Hoon (“Weak Hero 2”)
- Jung Jun Won (“Resident Playbook”)
- Choi Woo Sik (“Melo Movie”)
Excellence Award (Actress)
- Kim So Hyun (“Good Boy”)
- Kim Ji Yeon (“The Haunted Palace”)
- Go Youn Jung (“Resident Playbook”)
- Lee Hyeri (“Friendly Rivalry”)
- Cha Joo Young (“The Queen Who Crowns”)
- Han Ji Eun (“When The Stars Gossip”)
Best New Actor
- Kang You Seok (“Resident Playbook,” “Law And The City,” When Life Gives You Tangerines”
- Kim Min Kyu (“Bitch x Rich 2”)
- Ryeoun (“Namib,” “Weak Hero 2”)
- Bae Na Ra (“Weak Hero 2,” “Tastefully Yours”)
- Choo Young Woo (“The Tale of Lady Ok,” “Head over Heels”)
- Heo Nam Jun (“When The Stars Gossip,” “When The Phone Rings”)
Best New Actress
- Chae Won Bin (“Doubt”)
- Chung Su Bin (“Friendly Rivalry”)
- Shin Si Ah (“Resident Playbook”)
- Hong Hwa Yeon (“Tastefully Yours,” “Buried Hearts”)
- Roh Jeong Eui (“The Witch,” “Crushology 101”)
- Kim Eun Bi (“Our Movie”)
Voting Process
Voting for the popularity awards is held in two phases:
- First Round: The first round of voting for popularity awards will run from August 4, 2025, at 12 PM to August 25, 2025, at 11:59 PM. Fans selected the top 10 candidates in each popularity category.
- Second Round: August 28, 2025 (12 PM) – September 22, 2025 (11:59 PM). This round will decide the final winners.
Voting is conducted through the platforms CeluvChamp and My One Pick, both accessible internationally with multilingual support. The eligibility period covers dramas aired between October 2024 and September 2025, with 92 series under consideration.
Mark your calendar for October 11 when KDA 2025 will be held in Jinju.
