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Last verified: September 25, 2026 · Official SDA rules, winners and event schedule reviewed.
The winners of the Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 were announced on September 22, even though the red carpet and awards ceremony will not take place until October 8.
That is only the first point that can confuse international viewers.
The awards also use three different structures: International Competition, K-Drama Competition and International Invitation. They are not three names for the same award, and “International” does not mean “foreign dramas only.” Korean titles can compete directly against productions from other countries.
In 2026, the awards received a record 352 entries from 46 countries and regions.
| Category | What it does |
|---|---|
| International Competition | Korean and overseas productions compete in the same international field. |
| K-Drama Competition | A separate competition focused on Korean dramas, performers and OST. |
| International Invitation | Separate invited honors including Outstanding Asian Star and Golden Bird. Outstanding Asian Star uses global fan voting. |
International Competition is not a foreign-drama category
The easiest mistake is to read “International Competition” as a section reserved for dramas made outside Korea.
It is not.
The 2026 rules cover eligible scripted live-action television and streaming dramas first released during the designated eligibility period. Broadcast television, cable, OTT and digital platforms can all enter.
Korean productions compete in the same field as dramas from Europe, North America, Asia and elsewhere.
That is why the 2026 International Competition winners include both overseas and Korean titles.
Norway’s A Better Man won the Grand Prize. U.S. title Pluribus was among the Best Miniseries winners. Korean productions My Royal Nemesis and The Dream Life of Mr. Kim also won in the International Competition.
Ryu Seung-ryong received an International Competition acting award for The Dream Life of Mr. Kim.
Nothing unusual happened there. A Korean drama entered an international field and was judged alongside dramas from other countries.
The same Korean drama can appear again in K-Drama Competition
The awards then operate a separate K-Drama Competition.
That is why one title can appear in more than one part of the winners list without the list being duplicated by mistake.
In 2026, The Dream Life of Mr. Kim was also named an Outstanding Korean Drama. We Are All Trying Here shared that honor.
Koo Kyo-hwan and Lim Ji-yeon received the Korean-drama acting awards, while ANTON won the OST category for “Close to Me” from Yumi’s Cells 3.
The two competitions answer different questions.
How does the work perform within the SDA’s global competition?
K-Drama Competition
Which Korean productions and performers receive the awards’ dedicated Korean-drama honors?
A title can therefore be important in both contexts.
International Invitation works differently again
The third group is International Invitation.
This includes honors such as Outstanding Asian Star and Golden Bird. It should not be described simply as “the fan-voted section,” because the entire International Invitation category does not use one identical selection method.
The Outstanding Asian Star award is the clearest fan-voting example.
For 2026, global fans voted through IDOLCHAMP. Seven stars from six countries were selected, including JAEMIN and JISOO from Korea, Yang Yang from China, Jin Akanishi from Japan, Paulo Avelino from the Philippines, Rebecca Patricia Armstrong from Thailand and Gladys Bay from Singapore.
The Korean Drama OST award also used fan voting.
The Golden Bird Award should not be grouped into that explanation as if it were selected in exactly the same way.
As of September 25, the 2026 Golden Bird recipient has not yet been announced. The organizing committee says that announcement is scheduled separately for September 29.
Official Seoul International Drama Awards video announcing the October 8 ceremony and broadcast.
Open on YouTube →
Why were winners announced before the ceremony?
The September 22 announcement is the official winners announcement.
The October 8 event is the red carpet and awards ceremony, where winners attend, trophies are presented and acceptance speeches and performances take place.
That means an article published before October 8 can correctly call an announced recipient a “winner.” It does not need to wait until the person physically receives the trophy on stage.
The ceremony is scheduled for October 8 at Yeouido KBS Hall. It will air live on MBC and stream on the official Seoul International Drama Awards YouTube channel beginning at 4:55 p.m. KST.
The awards week continues beyond the ceremony
The main program is spread across several days.
- October 6: 70th Anniversary Celebration of Korean Drama at COEX Magok.
- October 8: red carpet, awards ceremony and after-party.
- October 9–10: Drama Festa at Banpo Hangang Park and Seokchon West Lake.
Drama Festa is expected to include drama talk sessions, OST performances and interactive programs.
For an international fan following only the awards results, however, the important dates are simpler: winners were announced on September 22, Golden Bird is due on September 29, and the ceremony follows on October 8.
How to read the winners list
Before comparing two actors or two dramas, check the category heading above the name.
An International Competition acting award is not the same award as a K-Drama acting award. An Outstanding Asian Star honor uses a different selection route again.
The three-part structure also explains why the Seoul International Drama Awards looks different from a Korean broadcaster’s year-end drama awards.
This is an international drama event held in Seoul, with a global competition, a dedicated K-Drama competition and separate invitation honors operating under the same festival.
- Seoul International Drama Awards — SDA 2026 Winners
- Seoul International Drama Awards — 2026 Overview
- Seoul International Drama Awards — Entry Guidelines
Golden Bird is scheduled for a separate September 29 announcement. This article should be updated after that announcement and again after the October 8 ceremony.
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