A Landmark Year for SDA:

Excellence with 276 Entries from 50 Countries and Regions

SEOUL, South Korea — The Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) marks its 20th anniversary with a record-breaking 276 submissions from 50 countries and regions, vying for just six coveted trophies.

 

The SDA Organizing Committee (SDAOC), chaired by Bang Mun-shin, announced, “In celebration of our 20th anniversary, we’ve received 276 outstanding submissions from 50 countries and regions.” They added, “With entries from every continent for the second year in a row, the festival continues to solidify its position as a premier global awards ceremony.”

 

This year’s lineup features buzzworthy titles from global OTT platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV+, and Disney+, as well as acclaimed networks and studios including ZDF Studios GmbH, STUDIOCANAL, and TBS. Several of the submitted works have been recognized at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Emmys, raising expectations for a highly competitive year.

 

This year’s submissions include several noteworthy titles. In the International Competiton Category, 264 acclaimed dramas will vie for top honors.

• <Severance S2> (Apple TV+), Ben Stiller’s inventive direction and show’s unpredictable twists have earned a passionate global following.

• <Adolescence> (Netflix), which explores incel culture, social media-related crimes among youth, and the intersection of gender and violence, sparking global discussion and empathy.

• <Asura> (Netflix), the second TV drama by Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda <Shoplifters>.

• <The Newsreader S3> (Werner Film Productions), a multi-award-winning Australian drama, praised by both critics and audiences.

• <Senna> (Netflix), a compelling biopic of Brazilian Formula 1 icon Ayrton Senna.

• <Recipes for Love and Murder S2> (Both Worlds Pictures), which set in South Africa’s Karoo region; its first season aired in over 100 countries, marking a global success.

 

In the K-Drama Competitoin Category, a number of headline-making series that sparked international interest beyond domestic audiences.

• <When Life Gives You Tangerines> (Netflix)

• <The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call> (Netflix)

• <Light Shop> (Disney+)

• <The Tale of Lady Ok> (JTBC)

• <Friendly Rivalry> (LG UPLUS)

• <The Judge From Hell> (Studio S)

• <Doubt> (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation)

• <What Comes After Love> (Coupang Play): A Korea-Japan co-production.

Notably, most K-Drama submissions are also competing in the International Category, highlighting their crossover appeal and global resonance.

 

The individual award entries are heating up as well. Actors such as IU, Park Bo-gum(When Life Gives You Tangerines), Lee Hye-ri(Friendly Rivalry), Kentaro Sakaguchi(What Comes After Love/Beyond Goodbye), Kuang Han Hsu(GG Precinct), Gary Oldman(Slow Horses S4), Cate Blanchett(Disclaimer), Owen Cooper(Adolescence), and Anna Torv(The Newsreader S3) are set to compete fiercely. Additionally, the showdown between world-renowned directors such as Hirokazu Kore-eda(Asura) and Alfonso Cuarón(Disclaimer) is attracting significant attention.

 

This year, Azerbaijan is participating for the first time, further demonstrating the Seoul Drama Awards' ongoing global expansion. The Azerbaijani drama <Citizen A> is recognized for successfully bringing important issues such as civic awareness and women’s rights to the general public, and it is expected to attract attention from the international judging panel.

 

The Awards Ceremony will take place at KBS Hall and be broadcast live on SBS TV and YouTube on Thursday, October 2, 2025. From October 3(Fri) to 4(Sat), a range of public events will be held at Banpo Hangang Park and Songpa Naru Park in Seoul, including drama talk concerts, OST concerts, interactive drama experience zones, and a drama street festival.

The Seoul International Drama Awards is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Seoul Metropolitan Government, KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS and CBS.