Ryu Seung-ryong, Kim Go-eun face Gary Oldman in Seoul Drama Awards showdown; 34 contenders shortlisted

Seoul Drama Awards ceremony set for Oct. 8 at KBS Hall in Yeouido; four K-dramas advance from 352 entries

K-actors join Hollywood heavyweights in pursuit of global honors

Ryu Seung-ryong and Kim Go-eun, two of South Korea’s leading actors, will face Hollywood star Gary Oldman in a fierce battle for acting honors. The Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee on the 20th officially announced the 30 works and 34 individuals or teams shortlisted from a massive lineup of 352 entries submitted by 46 countries.

The acting categories, which are drawing the most intense attention at this year’s ceremony, feature a host of South Korea’s top performers, including Ryu Seung-ryong, Kim Go-eun, Koo Kyo-hwan and Go Youn-jung. They will compete on equal footing with Hollywood stars who have helped shape film history, including Gary Oldman and Carey Mulligan, underscoring the rising stature of Korean content.

The finalists in the drama categories are equally impressive. This year’s final lineup has been narrowed to 12 miniseries, six single-episode dramas, seven long-form dramas and five short-form productions.

The miniseries category, in particular, includes four Korean dramas: “Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness” (Mojamussa), “Brave New World”, “The Story of Department Store Executive Kim, Who Owns a Home in Seoul” and “Eun-jung and Sang-yeon”. These acclaimed productions will face off for the drama prize against global hits with powerful fan bases, including “Beef 2”, “A Better Man” and “Slow Horses 5.”

The 2026 Seoul Drama Awards ceremony, which is expected to draw the attention of drama fans around the world, will open with a grand event on Oct. 8 at KBS Hall in Yeouido.