A legendary battle of acting titans is set to unfold at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards, airing live on December 31 at 9 PM (KST). On December 16, SBS released its second teaser video featuring the five official nominees for this year’s prestigious Grand Prize (Daesang), teasing a fierce showdown across genres.
Here’s a closer look at the five standout performances that made SBS a drama powerhouse in 2025:
Go Hyun-jung in “Queen Mantis” stars as the chilling serial killer Jung Yi-shin, also known as “Mantis.” The crime thriller follows a detective forced to work with his estranged mother—also the very murderer he despises—to solve a series of copycat crimes. Go’s gripping portrayal delivered unrelenting tension and proved her to be the ultimate “Goddess of Thrillers.”
Han Ji-min takes the spotlight in “Love Scout”, a sweet yet sharp romantic drama about a no-nonsense headhunting CEO Ji-yoon and her flawless secretary Eun-ho. Han delivered a masterclass in romantic acting—from mature emotional depth to heart-fluttering office romance—earning her the title of “Queen of Melodrama.”
Yoon Kye-sang shone in the underdog sports drama “The Winning Try”, portraying eccentric coach Ju Ga-ram who transforms the lowest-ranked high school rugby team into national champions. His layered performance and heartfelt leadership made him a strong contender, and fans are eager to see if the “God of Victory” will earn his first SBS Daesang.
Lee Je-hoon returned as vigilante Kim Do-gi in “Taxi Driver 3”, a revenge action series where a mysterious taxi company avenges wronged victims. As “God Do-gi,” Lee thrilled viewers with high-octane justice and charisma, continuing his dominant presence into the show’s third season. Could this be his second SBS Daesang?
Park Hyung-sik made a powerful comeback in “Buried Hearts”, playing Seo Dong-ju, a man who hacks a 2-trillion-won political slush fund and risks everything for revenge. As the “God of Vengeance”, Park’s intense performance marked his SBS return after a decade—now all eyes are on whether he’ll walk away with the top honor.
Meanwhile, the Best Couple vote has begun, drawing even more buzz. The nominated couples are:
Han Ji-min & Lee Joon-hyuk (Love Scout)
Park Hyung-sik & Hong Hwa-yeon (Buried Hearts)
Yook Sung-jae & Kim Ji-yeon (The Haunted Palace)
Ha Yoo-joon & Park Ji-hu (Spring of Youth)
Choi Woo-shik & Jung So-min (Would You Marry Me)
Jang Ki-yong & Ahn Eun-jin (Dynamite Kiss)
Voting opened on December 15 via Naver Entertainment’s voting service and runs until December 24. Each Naver ID can vote once per day. The winner will be determined by 70% netizen votes and 30% judge scores.
With such fierce competition, all eyes are on who will be crowned the ultimate acting legend at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards. Tune in on December 31 at 9 PM to find out.
Sources: Daum