The 17th Korea Drama Awards opens today at 5:20 p.m. in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.

[Regardless of platform, achievements over the past year are judged] The awards ceremony will honor winners from dramas and casts released between August 2025 and July 2026, spanning not only terrestrial broadcasters but also cable, general programming channels, and OTT platforms, without platform boundaries.

The biggest point of interest is undoubtedly the winner of the Grand Prize. Last year's Grand Prize winner, actor Ahn Jae-wook, will appear as a presenter to hand the trophy directly to this year's new Grand Prize winner.

[Male and female actor and drama award nominee lists] In the Best Acting category, Kim Moo-yeol, Park Hae-soo, So Ji-sub, Lee Jun-ho, Lee Hee-joon, and Hyun Bin are nominated in the male category, while Ko Youn-jung, Kim Go-eun, Shin Hye-sun, Lim Yoon-a, Lim Ji-yeon, and Jang Young-nam compete fiercely in the female category.

Nominees for Best Drama include 'Manager Kim,' 'Lady Dua,' 'Made in Korea,' 'Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness,' 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon,' and 'The Tyrant's Chef,' featuring buzzworthy works from various platforms.

[Fan voting reflected... attention on final results] Fan voting results are reflected in the popularity categories. Fan voting also accounts for 10% of the judging for major main awards, drawing keen attention to the final results.

[Hosting, congratulatory performances, and live broadcast details] The event will be hosted by actors Ryu Seung-soo, Park Yu-na, and Ha Do-kwon. Singer Kim Hyung-jung will perform a congratulatory stage, and global artists from around the world, including France, the United States, and Spain, will participate as presenters.

Fans unable to attend in person can watch the live broadcast through the official Korea Drama Festival YouTube channel.

This awards ceremony is a core program of the 2026 Korea Drama Festival, which runs through the 18th.

Photo = Korea Drama Festival Organizing Committee