Kim Go-eun takes top prize at Blue Dragon Series Awards

Kim Go-eun, who starred in two of the most talked-about series of the past year — Netflix’s “You and Everything Else” (2025) and Tving romance “Yumi’s Cells” (2021–26) — received the highest honor at the fifth Blue Dragon Series Awards on Friday.

“I have never taken it for granted that I get to work on a project,” Kim said as tears streamed down her face after she was awarded the Grand Prize. “I try to approach every role with sincerity, determination and a strong sense of responsibility."

"I will keep working hard so that audiences remain curious about what else I can show as an actor, and I hope I will continue to be given opportunities," she said. 

It marked her second win at the annual awards, after she won Best Actress for the titular role of Yu-mi in the first season of "Yumi's Cells" at the inaugural ceremony in 2022.

The Blue Dragon Series Awards, organized by sports and entertainment newspaper Sports Chosun, honor achievements in television and streaming, separately from the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Nominees are selected through online polls and evaluations by Sports Chosun reporters and industry experts. Winners are chosen by a panel of six experts and fan voting, the latter accounting for one-seventh of the final score.

Stars began arriving on the red carpet at the Paradise City resort complex on Yeongjong Island in Incheon from 7 p.m. Many struck the standard cheek-heart pose, while others flashed the trending upside-down V sign.

Yoona, actor and member of Girls' Generation, and Jun Hyun-moo co-hosted the awards ceremony for the fifth year. 

ENA's "The Scarecrow" had led the nominations for this year with six. Park Hae-soo won Best Actor for playing a detective tracking a serial killer in the mystery thriller. 

The top prize for drama, however, went to the Tving comedy "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier" starring Park Ji-hoon as a fresh-faced soldier serving up meals in military canteens. Yoon Kyung-ho, who recently also found success with the SBS action series “Agent Kim Reactivated,” won Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Tving show.

Shin Hye-seon won Best Actress for her master con artist character in Netflix thriller "The Art of Sarah."

In the variety category, the first season of Netflix’s reality dating show “Better Late Than Single” (2025-) won Best Entertainment Program. The show returned for its second season earlier in July with a new group of noncelebrity contestants who had never dated before.

Comedian Lee Eun-ji, a cast member who provides commentary on the show, thanked the participants for having the "courage to take part.”

“I sincerely thank you for sharing your lives and your personal stories with us,” she said.

The Netflix reality show “Screwballs” (2025-) and Coupang Play’s “Saturday Night Live Korea 8” (2021-) were also major winners. Kim Sook of “Screwballs” won Best Female Entertainer, while Kim Won-hoon of “Saturday Night Live Korea” took home Best Male Entertainer. 

A visibly emotional Kim Won-hoon brought a “Death Note” prop onstage to accept his award, referencing the notebook from the manga series in which anyone whose name is written inside dies.

“Whenever I attend an awards ceremony, I prepare not an acceptance speech, but how I’ll react if I don’t win,” he said.

“I was going to write the names of the organizers in the 'Death Note' if I did not win, but since you gave me the award, I will let you live,” he joked.

Musical performances included the Taste Boys, a fictional boy band from “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier,” and Choi Ye-na, who was joined by the personified brain cells from "Yumi's Cells" during her performance of “NemoNemo” (2024) and "Catch Catch."

Tiger JK was joined by Lee from “Better Late Than Single” for “Angel” (2014) before the rapper took the stage with Oh My Girl's Mimi for “Good Life” (2001) and the crowd-pleaser “Monster” (2009) ahead of the night’s top awards.

BY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]