1st Korea Short Drama Awards Close, From Lee Joon-ik Screening to Grand Prize for Lee Ju-seung

The inaugural Korea Short Drama Awards, jointly hosted by Cineplay (CEO Choi Tae-hyung) and the Korean Film Archive (KOFA), headed by Mo Eun-young, concluded Saturday, Aug. 29 at KOFA's main facility in Sangam-dong after a program aimed at discovering and supporting the next generation of K-content video creators.

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Roughly 200 entries were submitted during the two-month submission window from May 20 to July 20. A five-person jury—chaired by Director Min Kyu-dong, president of the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK), and including Mo Eun-young of the Korean Film Archive, Director Han Jung-soo (CEO of Yeondu Company), Kim Won-jin (head of MCA Creative and chief director), and actor Lee Yeon of 〈Gyeongju Travelogue〉 and 〈21st Century Daegunbuin〉—selected winners in four categories from the 12 finalists: Grand Prize, Excellence Award, Actor Award, and New Creator Award.

The program at KOFA Cinematheque ran in two parts on the 29th. Part one, held in Cinematheque KOFA Theater 1, opened with a screening of Director Lee Joon-ik's short drama "Father's Home-cooked Meal." Based on the webtoon of the same name by webtoon author Goritah, the short marks Director Lee Joon-ik's first foray into the short-drama format; Lee's feature credits include The King and the Clown, The Throne, Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet, and The Book of Fish. The short features Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun, Byeon Yo-han, and Park Ji-yeon.

"Father's Home-cooked Meal" follows the story of Ha-eung (played by Jung Jin-young), a father who has eaten home-cooked meals three times a day for forty years, as he steps into the kitchen for the first time to replace his wife Sun-ae (Lee Jung-eun), who has developed a condition that leaves her unable to cook. After the screening, film journalist Lee Hwa-jung moderated a Q&A with Director Lee Joon-ik. Lee explained the unique aesthetics of vertical short dramas, saying, "In horizontal films there is a hierarchy of leads and supporting actors, but the vertical frame is an egalitarian form in which every character can receive a one-shot." He added, "The strength of short drama is that it allows you to feel a character's inner life up close and in detail," comparing film to a horizontal landscape painting and short drama to a vertical portrait. "Father's Home-cooked Meal" is set for an official theatrical release on September 9.

Part two, held in Cinematheque KOFA Theater 2, featured the awards ceremony and a screening of the Grand Prize winner. In his opening remarks, Cineplay CEO Choi Tae-hyung said, "The compressed passion and sensibility that creators squeeze into narrow vertical frames one or two minutes long have become a powerful cultural phenomenon capturing global attention. Cineplay will continue to stand close to emerging creators as they undertake bold challenges and will serve as a reliable bridge and hub for K-short dramas expanding into global markets." Representing the event's sponsor, Park Chan-soo, CEO of The Hankyoreh, delivered congratulatory remarks: "Short dramas unfolding in vertical frames of a few minutes have evolved beyond disposable content; they now establish a new visual language with original storytelling and strong immersion. We will continue to support young creators' endeavors." Mo Eun-young, head of the Korean Film Archive, said in a welcome address, "The works selected today will be preserved at our archiving institution, creating opportunities to show them not only to future generations but also to present-day audiences."

The awards began with the New Creator Award, intended to discover raw talent who will lead the next generation of short dramas. Jury chair Min Kyu-dong reflected in his overall remarks, "In feature filmmaking I often faced moments of frustration when production companies, investors, and audience expectations led to self-censorship. I envied the finalists here because they translated the stories they'd always dreamed of into film without that kind of self-censorship." Canon Korea team leader Son Sook-hee joined the presentation of the New Creator Award and handed the winner a new EOS R6 V KIT camera valued at approximately 4.3 million won. The New Creator Award went to Director Lee Yoo-jin for "Gili Boimyeon Castinghae" (editorial transliteration). A former actor, Lee Yoo-jin said, "I dreamed of directing long before I dreamed of acting. When I won a newcomer award as an actor it was hard to get my name out there; now, as a new director, I have to make my name known again, and that responsibility feels heavier," she said upon accepting the award.

The AI Short Drama Award, which highlights innovative combinations of technology and content, concluded this year without a winner. Kim Won-jin, who presented the award and whose work won the grand prize at the 2025 KT AI P.A.N AI Film Competition, said, "We enjoyed works that used AI to experiment with stories and genres difficult to attempt in live-action, but after long discussions the jury agreed that the heart of drama remains story — the humanities and emotional power. Even as technology and expression advance, the story must remain central, and with that criterion we regrettably could not select a winner. I hope to see more fully realized works next year."

The Excellence Award, given for outstanding storytelling and production quality that affirmed the short drama's aesthetic value, went to Director Lee Saet-byeol for "Betting Man: God's Eye." The award was presented by Han Jung-soo, CEO of Yeondu Company. Accepting the 2,000,000 won prize, Lee Saet-byeol said, "New directors, new writers, new crew, new actors — they keep taking on challenges. I'm deeply grateful to Cineplay and the Korean Film Archive for hosting the 1st Korea Short Drama Awards and to everyone who supported this event. Director Lee Joon-ik is here with us today; in fact, I was on Director Lee Joon-ik's TV series Yonder production team. It's overwhelming to receive this award in front of a director I respect so much."

The Actor Award, given to an artist who delivered overwhelming immersion and performance within the vertical frame, went to Ji-woo for "Red Shadow." The award was presented by juror and actor Lee Yeon. Ji-woo said, "This is my first time receiving an award, so I'm still in disbelief. I'm grateful to directors Lee Jung-seop and Park Kyung-min for trusting me. Preparing and filming a short drama, where you must convey a story in a very short time, taught me a lot and was enjoyable. I will continue to give my best and act with sincerity in every project," she said. Ji-woo's dual-role performance in "Red Shadow" is currently available on OTT platforms.

The evening's highlight, the Grand Prize, carried a top cash award of 10,000,000 won. The prize was presented by Cineplay CEO Choi Tae-hyung, and the honor went to Director Lee Ju-seung for "Sarinja Witjip Geunyeo" (editorial transliteration). Lee Ju-seung said, "I didn't expect to win. This project began when EpicStorm CEO Oh Seo-young encouraged me to submit after a short-film festival afterparty last year. I wrote the story based on a real dispute over noise between apartment floors, and I want to become a director who can transform difficult moments into art," he said, thanking actress Yoon So-yi and the Rezinsnack staff involved in the project. Lee Ju-seung's short drama "Sarinja Witjip Geunyeo" starts from the question, 'To what extent can creation be forgiven?' and examines, with wit and weight, the conscience of people who consume others' tragedies as art.

After all five awards were presented, winners and jurors posed for a group photo, followed by a screening of the Grand Prize work "Sarinja Witjip Geunyeo," bringing the 1st Korea Short Drama Awards to a close. Each winner received a high-end WiiM Sound smart streaming speaker sponsored by Orpheo as a prize, and all winning works were permanently registered in the Korean Film Archive, giving audiences more chances to see them in the future. Cineplay editor Joo Sung-chul said, "Short dramas must now consider an aesthetic beyond mere entertainment and value as they move to the next stage. I hope today marks a historic first step where the know-how of Korean film meets the innovation of short drama to open a new future for K-content."