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Actor Seo Kang-joon delivers his acceptance speech after winning the grand prize at the 2025 MBC Drama Awards held at MBC Public Hall in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on December 30. / MBC

Actor Seo Kang-joon and broadcaster Lee Sang-min claimed the top prizes at South Korea’s major year-end television awards ceremonies on Monday.

Seo won the grand prize at the MBC Drama Awards, held at MBC Public Hall in Sangam-dong, Seoul, for his performance in Undercover High School, his first drama since being discharged from mandatory military service.

Accepting the award, Seo said he was taken aback by the honor, noting that many actors around him had worked just as hard, if not harder. He added that he often thinks about how easily he could be replaced, and expressed his desire to continue acting without losing that sense of urgency until the very end of his career.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented posthumously to veteran actor Lee Soon-jae, who passed away last month. Actress Park Hae-mi, who previously worked with Lee on the sitcom High Kick!, narrated the tribute video, while a representative from Lee’s agency accepted the award on his behalf.

On the same day, Lee Sang-min was named grand prize winner at the SBS Entertainment Awards, held at SBS Prism Tower in Seoul. He was recognized for his appearances on popular variety programs My Little Old Boy and Dolsing Fourmen.

Other major winners included actors Lee Seo-jin and Kim Kwang-kyu from The Aides, and actor Choi Jin-hyuk from My Little Old Boy, all of whom received top excellence awards. Broadcaster Lee Hyun-yi and model Kim Jin-kyung were also honored for their performances on Kick a Goal and Same Bed, Different Dreams 2.

During her acceptance speech, Kim Jin-kyung surprised the audience by announcing her pregnancy, drawing warm applause and congratulations from attendees.

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Broadcaster Lee Sang-min smiles after receiving the grand prize at the 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards at SBS Prism Tower in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on December 30. / SBS