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[PRESS RELEASE] Leading K-Drama Storyteller Eun-sook Kim Wins Golden Bird Prize, the Highest Honor at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026
- Admin
- 2026-09-29
- Views 108
Leading K-Drama Storyteller Eun-sook Kim Wins Golden Bird Prize, the Highest Honor at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026
⦁ First screenwriter to win the Golden Bird Prize, becoming the fourth individual recipient after Min-sik Choi, Chan-wook Park and Ben Stiller
⦁ From “Lovers in Paris,” “Secret Garden,” “Descendants of the Sun” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” to “The Glory” and “Genie, Make a Wish” — a storyteller who has showcased the power of K-drama to the world
⦁ From winning the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize for “Secret Garden” in 2011 to the Golden Bird Prize in 2026 — returning 15 years later to receive SDA’s highest honor
The Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee (SDAOC) announced on September 29 that screenwriter Eun-sook Kim has been selected as the recipient of the Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026. Kim is the writer behind numerous 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.”
The Golden Bird Prize is the highest honor presented directly by SDAOC. Recipients are selected based on a range of criteria, including depth of message, originality, global appeal, and the achievements of creators and productions that have expanded the artistic boundaries of television series. This year, SDAOC cited “ONE & ONLY: Eun-sook Kim World,” “Storyteller of the 21st Century” and “Worldwide Visionary” as the key reasons for selecting Kim.
■ From Min-sik Choi to Chan-wook Park, Ben Stiller and Eun-sook Kim — First Screenwriter to Win the Golden Bird Prize
Eun-sook Kim’s selection marks the first time a screenwriter has received the Golden Bird Prize since its introduction.
First presented in 2023, the Golden Bird Prize has honored productions and creators whose work has earned recognition for both artistic excellence and popular appeal while leaving a significant mark on the drama industry. In its inaugural year, the prize went to the Disney+ series “Big Bet” and actor Min-sik Choi. Director Chan-wook Park, co-showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s “The Sympathizer,” received the prize in 2024, followed by Ben Stiller, director of Apple TV+’s “Severance S2,” in 2025.
While Min-sik Choi demonstrated the strength of K-drama through his commanding performance, and Chan-wook Park and Ben Stiller expanded the boundaries of television through distinctive direction and world-building, this year the Golden Bird Prize goes to a writer who has captivated audiences across genres, generations and borders through the power of storytelling.
■ The “Eun-sook Kim World” Began with the 57.6% Hit “Lovers in Paris” — Stories That Continue to Resonate
Eun-sook Kim has continually taken on new storytelling challenges while building a distinctive creative world that audiences can instantly recognize.
Beginning with “Lovers in Paris,” which recorded a remarkable 57.6% viewership rating, Kim established what became known as the “Eun-sook Kim World” through works such as “Secret Garden” and “The Heirs,” known for memorable characters and lines that became cultural phenomena. “Lovers in Paris” received an Excellence Award in the drama category at the Korea Broadcasting Awards and the Grand Prize (TV) at the 41st Baeksang Arts Awards, while Kim received the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize at the 6th Seoul International Drama Awards for “Secret Garden.”
Kim also has a long history with the Seoul International Drama Awards. After receiving the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize for “Secret Garden” in 2011, she returns to the SDA stage 15 years later in 2026 as the recipient of its highest honor, the Golden Bird Prize. At the 2011 ceremony, “Secret Garden” also earned director Woo-chul Shin the Outstanding Korean Director prize, while Ji-young Baek received the Outstanding Korean Drama OST prize.
■ From Romance to War, Folklore, History and School Violence — “Stories for the Times”
Eun-sook Kim’s body of work has never been confined to a single genre.
“Descendants of the Sun” explored love and conviction against the backdrop of war and disaster, while “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” reinterpreted traditional Korean goblin folklore through a contemporary lens. “Mr. Sunshine” brought the stories of nameless individuals lost to history into dialogue with the present day. As the times have changed, Kim has continually brought new themes and characters to the screen that resonate with audiences.
“Descendants of the Sun” won Excellent Korean Drama at the 11th Seoul International Drama Awards as well as the Grand Prize at the Korea Communications Commission Broadcasting Awards. Kim also received the Grand Prize (TV) at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards for “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.”
Kim expanded her creative range once again with “The Glory.” Centered on the revenge of a woman whose life was devastated by school violence, the series offered an intense exploration of violence, trauma and human choices. It also marked a departure from Kim’s established image as a romance writer and generated a strong response worldwide. According to Netflix’s engagement report for the first half of 2023, “The Glory” Season 1 recorded 622.8 million viewing hours, ranking third among all titles on the platform. The series also won Outstanding Korean Drama at Seoul International Drama Awards 2023.
■ From “The Glory” to “Genie, Make a Wish” — “Eun-sook Kim’s Stories” Reach Audiences Worldwide
Eun-sook Kim’s stories now reach viewers far beyond Korea.
In the 2025 Netflix series “Genie, Make a Wish,” Kim explored human desire, love and choice through a fantasy romantic comedy centered on Genie, a spirit who awakens after a thousand years, and Ga-young, a woman who rarely experiences emotion. At the time of the series’ release, Kim highlighted the characters’ emotions and desires unfolding around the premise of “three wishes and countless temptations.”
“Genie, Make a Wish” also achieved strong global success following its release, entering the TV Top 10 in 51 countries and reaching No. 1 on Netflix’s weekly Global Top 10 list for non-English TV series.
SDAOC selected Eun-sook Kim as this year’s Golden Bird Prize recipient in recognition of her achievements as a creator who has built a distinctive creative world and produced stories that continue to resonate over time; as a 21st-century storyteller who has continually sought out stories for the times; and as a writer whose work has brought entertainment and emotional resonance to audiences worldwide, extending the reach of K-drama far beyond Korea.
In a previous acceptance speech, Kim said that “there is nothing new under the sun,” while expressing her determination as a creator to continue searching for something new. Over a creative career spanning more than two decades, Kim has continually expanded her range, from romantic comedy to fantasy, historical drama and revenge thrillers. The Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 marks another milestone in that journey.
The SDA 2026 Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 8, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul. 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.
▲ Eun-sook Kim, recipient of the Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
[PRESS RELEASE] Leading K-Drama Storyteller Eun-sook Kim Wins Golden Bird Prize, the Highest Honor at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026
- Admin
- 2026-09-29
- Views 108
Leading K-Drama Storyteller Eun-sook Kim Wins Golden Bird Prize, the Highest Honor at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026
⦁ First screenwriter to win the Golden Bird Prize, becoming the fourth individual recipient after Min-sik Choi, Chan-wook Park and Ben Stiller
⦁ From “Lovers in Paris,” “Secret Garden,” “Descendants of the Sun” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” to “The Glory” and “Genie, Make a Wish” — a storyteller who has showcased the power of K-drama to the world
⦁ From winning the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize for “Secret Garden” in 2011 to the Golden Bird Prize in 2026 — returning 15 years later to receive SDA’s highest honor
The Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee (SDAOC) announced on September 29 that screenwriter Eun-sook Kim has been selected as the recipient of the Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026. Kim is the writer behind numerous 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.”
The Golden Bird Prize is the highest honor presented directly by SDAOC. Recipients are selected based on a range of criteria, including depth of message, originality, global appeal, and the achievements of creators and productions that have expanded the artistic boundaries of television series. This year, SDAOC cited “ONE & ONLY: Eun-sook Kim World,” “Storyteller of the 21st Century” and “Worldwide Visionary” as the key reasons for selecting Kim.
■ From Min-sik Choi to Chan-wook Park, Ben Stiller and Eun-sook Kim — First Screenwriter to Win the Golden Bird Prize
Eun-sook Kim’s selection marks the first time a screenwriter has received the Golden Bird Prize since its introduction.
First presented in 2023, the Golden Bird Prize has honored productions and creators whose work has earned recognition for both artistic excellence and popular appeal while leaving a significant mark on the drama industry. In its inaugural year, the prize went to the Disney+ series “Big Bet” and actor Min-sik Choi. Director Chan-wook Park, co-showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s “The Sympathizer,” received the prize in 2024, followed by Ben Stiller, director of Apple TV+’s “Severance S2,” in 2025.
While Min-sik Choi demonstrated the strength of K-drama through his commanding performance, and Chan-wook Park and Ben Stiller expanded the boundaries of television through distinctive direction and world-building, this year the Golden Bird Prize goes to a writer who has captivated audiences across genres, generations and borders through the power of storytelling.
■ The “Eun-sook Kim World” Began with the 57.6% Hit “Lovers in Paris” — Stories That Continue to Resonate
Eun-sook Kim has continually taken on new storytelling challenges while building a distinctive creative world that audiences can instantly recognize.
Beginning with “Lovers in Paris,” which recorded a remarkable 57.6% viewership rating, Kim established what became known as the “Eun-sook Kim World” through works such as “Secret Garden” and “The Heirs,” known for memorable characters and lines that became cultural phenomena. “Lovers in Paris” received an Excellence Award in the drama category at the Korea Broadcasting Awards and the Grand Prize (TV) at the 41st Baeksang Arts Awards, while Kim received the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize at the 6th Seoul International Drama Awards for “Secret Garden.”
Kim also has a long history with the Seoul International Drama Awards. After receiving the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize for “Secret Garden” in 2011, she returns to the SDA stage 15 years later in 2026 as the recipient of its highest honor, the Golden Bird Prize. At the 2011 ceremony, “Secret Garden” also earned director Woo-chul Shin the Outstanding Korean Director prize, while Ji-young Baek received the Outstanding Korean Drama OST prize.
■ From Romance to War, Folklore, History and School Violence — “Stories for the Times”
Eun-sook Kim’s body of work has never been confined to a single genre.
“Descendants of the Sun” explored love and conviction against the backdrop of war and disaster, while “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” reinterpreted traditional Korean goblin folklore through a contemporary lens. “Mr. Sunshine” brought the stories of nameless individuals lost to history into dialogue with the present day. As the times have changed, Kim has continually brought new themes and characters to the screen that resonate with audiences.
“Descendants of the Sun” won Excellent Korean Drama at the 11th Seoul International Drama Awards as well as the Grand Prize at the Korea Communications Commission Broadcasting Awards. Kim also received the Grand Prize (TV) at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards for “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.”
Kim expanded her creative range once again with “The Glory.” Centered on the revenge of a woman whose life was devastated by school violence, the series offered an intense exploration of violence, trauma and human choices. It also marked a departure from Kim’s established image as a romance writer and generated a strong response worldwide. According to Netflix’s engagement report for the first half of 2023, “The Glory” Season 1 recorded 622.8 million viewing hours, ranking third among all titles on the platform. The series also won Outstanding Korean Drama at Seoul International Drama Awards 2023.
■ From “The Glory” to “Genie, Make a Wish” — “Eun-sook Kim’s Stories” Reach Audiences Worldwide
Eun-sook Kim’s stories now reach viewers far beyond Korea.
In the 2025 Netflix series “Genie, Make a Wish,” Kim explored human desire, love and choice through a fantasy romantic comedy centered on Genie, a spirit who awakens after a thousand years, and Ga-young, a woman who rarely experiences emotion. At the time of the series’ release, Kim highlighted the characters’ emotions and desires unfolding around the premise of “three wishes and countless temptations.”
“Genie, Make a Wish” also achieved strong global success following its release, entering the TV Top 10 in 51 countries and reaching No. 1 on Netflix’s weekly Global Top 10 list for non-English TV series.
SDAOC selected Eun-sook Kim as this year’s Golden Bird Prize recipient in recognition of her achievements as a creator who has built a distinctive creative world and produced stories that continue to resonate over time; as a 21st-century storyteller who has continually sought out stories for the times; and as a writer whose work has brought entertainment and emotional resonance to audiences worldwide, extending the reach of K-drama far beyond Korea.
In a previous acceptance speech, Kim said that “there is nothing new under the sun,” while expressing her determination as a creator to continue searching for something new. Over a creative career spanning more than two decades, Kim has continually expanded her range, from romantic comedy to fantasy, historical drama and revenge thrillers. The Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 marks another milestone in that journey.
The SDA 2026 Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 8, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul. 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.
▲ Eun-sook Kim, recipient of the Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2026 (Photo courtesy of Netflix)