Every December, TV networks host numerous awards ceremonies to conclude the year. KBS, MBC, and SBS have historically held their respective Drama Awards, garnering significant popularity. However, the 2025 Drama Awards present a somewhat different atmosphere. SBS boasts a year of abundant achievements, while MBC and KBS have experienced a sluggish period, drawing particular attention.
SBS Drama Awards
The 2025 SBS Drama Awards are officially set to air on December 31st. Veteran entertainer Shin Dong Yup will host the ceremony alongside rising stars Chae Won Bin and Heo Nam Jun.
SBS defied the industry-wide shift toward streaming this year, securing impressive broadcast ratings in an era dominated by binge-watching. The network’s Friday-Saturday lineup was particularly dominant, with crime and thriller hits like Taxi Driver 3, Queen Mantis and Buried Hearts consistently scoring double-digit ratings. Other standouts like Love Scout, Would You Marry Me and The Winning Try further solidified SBS’s reputation as a powerhouse for serialized drama.
The network also saw success in revitalizing its midweek slate, with the Wednesday-Thursday drama Dynamite Kiss drawing significant attention. Beyond domestic ratings, these series performed well globally, ranking high on charts in overseas markets across diverse genres. With such a stacked year of content, industry insiders say predicting the winner of the night’s top honor is nearly impossible. Speculation is currently mounting over whether the award will go to a single standout actor or if it will be split between co-winners from the year’s biggest hits.
MBC Drama Awards
The 2025 MBC Drama Awards will take place on December 30th with veteran broadcaster Kim Sung Joo and actress Lee Sun Bin serving as hosts.
2025 has been a year of a sudden collapse in momentum after years of steady gains for MBC. Following the massive success of The Red Sleeve in 2021 and My Dearest in 2023, the network struggled to maintain its winning streak this year, with most of its slate failing to capture significant broadcast ratings or streaming buzz.
While Seo Kang Jun’s Undercover High School stood out as a rare bright spot, the majority of the network’s lineup, including titles like Mary Kills People and To the Moon, failed to connect with audiences. There are signs of a late-year rebound with the currently airing drama Moon River, but the show has not generated the kind of viral explosion seen with competitors like Taxi Driver 3. MBC has faced an uphill battle in recovering its viewership numbers despite aggressively casting high-profile stars throughout the year.
KBS Drama Awards
The KBS Drama Awards will be held on December 31th with Jang Sung Kyu, Nam Ji Hyun and Moon Sang Min set to host. However, the mood leading up to the ceremony is noticeably somber.
KBS has largely struggled to find its footing since its last major breakout hit, When the Camellia Blooms, in 2019. With the exception of the 2023 historical epic Korea-Khitan War, the network has faced a prolonged dry spell, and this year has proven to be a crisis point. While For Eagle Brothers and Our Golden Days performed respectably, high-profile projects like Walking On Thin Ice and Twelve bombed in the ratings, incurring substantial losses despite featuring A-list casts.
The network finds itself in a difficult position as it heads into awards season. Results have been underwhelming, despite various strategic shifts intended to recapture viewers. This lack of hit content has sparked criticism from industry observers and fans alike, leading some to question whether an awards ceremony is even justified this year. The field of contenders for the night’s top honors looks thin, revolving largely around a lackluster pool of candidates from the network’s weekend drama lineup.
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