The Winners of the 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards

30 Dec 2025, 20:24 by K-Soul · allkpop

Lee Sang Min took home the coveted Grand Prize at the 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards, delivering an emotional acceptance speech that reflected on his long and difficult journey in the industry.

The 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards ceremony was held on the afternoon of December 30 at SBS Prism Tower in Sangam, Mapo District, Seoul. The event was hosted by Jun Hyun Moo, Cha Tae Hyun, and Lee Soo Ji. The awards celebrate SBS variety programs that brought laughter, emotion, joy, and heartfelt moments to viewers throughout the year, with entertainers from across the network gathering to mark the occasion.

This year’s Grand Prize nominees included Yoo Jae Suk, Jun Hyun Moo, Tak Jae Hoon, Shin Dong Yup, Lee Sang Min, Seo Jang Hoon, and Ji Suk Jin. The top honor ultimately went to Lee Sang Min, recognized for his work on 'My Little Old Boy' and 'Dolsing Fourmen.' Overcome with emotion by the unexpected result, Lee Sang Min reflected on his past, adding deeper meaning to the award.

Recalling his early days on 'My Little Old Boy,' Lee Sang Min said, “I started filming the show in a small rented apartment with no air conditioning, where the landlord even lowered my rent. There were many critical eyes on me, but I never imagined that my life, just as it was, would receive this much love. I also never thought I would one day pay off debts that felt like they would follow me forever.”

Holding back tears, he added, “I’ve received more love from SBS than I could ever repay in a lifetime. A lot happened this year, and I want to dedicate this honor to my beloved wife. We couldn’t even have a wedding ceremony or a honeymoon, but she quietly stood by my side and supported me. She is the greatest gift of my life.”

Marking its 15th anniversary, 'Running Man' won the award for Most Popular Program. The long-running variety show once again proved its staying power by ranking first in the key age 20–49 demographic in its time slot throughout the year. Kim Jong Kook declared, “I’ll keep running healthily for 20 or even 30 more years,” while Ji Suk Jin expressed gratitude, saying, “Thank you sincerely for giving us such an amazing award year after year.” In addition, 'Running Man' enjoyed a multi-award sweep, taking home Special Awards, Excellence Awards, Producer Awards, and the AI-selected “Face of SBS” category.

From Flagship Shows to Fresh Formats: SBS Variety’s 2025 Achievements

SBS variety programming saw notable success in 2025, particularly with new shows such as 'The Ballad of Us,' 'My Grumpy Secretary,' and 'My Turn.' The first-ever ballad audition program, 'The Ballad of Us,' consistently ranked No. 1 in Tuesday-night 20–49 ratings during its run and surpassed 100 million cumulative views across major online platforms. At the awards ceremony, it received the Broadcast Writer Award, Buzzworthy Program Award, and Producer Award. Writer Mo Eun Seol shared, “At the planning stage, actor Cha Tae Hyun sincerely worried about the project, but I’m grateful that so many viewers connected with it.”

'My Grumpy Secretary' also gained momentum, with its December 26 broadcast recording a peak minute-by-minute rating of 5.5%. At the ceremony, Lee Seo Jin and Kim Kwang Gyu won the Top Excellence Award in the Show and Variety category. Kim Kwang Gyu dedicated the honor to his late father, saying, “I hope my life can be entertaining,” while Lee Seo Jin joked, “The awards ceremony was getting a bit long and boring, so thank you for giving me an award,” drawing laughter with his trademark wit.

'My Little Old Boy' continued to generate buzz with the addition of new cast members such as Yoon Shi Yoon, Jo Hyun Ah, Hyun Bong Sik, and Jo Jin Se. The show won multiple honors, including Top Excellence Award, Excellence Award, Best Entertainer Award, and Challenge of the Year Award. 'Kick a Goal' and 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny' also delivered strong results. Lee Hyun Yi, who appeared on both programs, won the Female Top Excellence Award and used her speech to encourage working mothers, saying, “I hope this gives strength to all working moms who are juggling multiple roles.” Watching from the audience, Lee Ji Hye was visibly moved to tears.

Discovering Variety Show Rookies: Yoon Shi Yoon, Yoon Hyun Min, and Yoo Yeon Seok

The year also stood out for spotlighting new variety show standouts. Among seasoned entertainers, several figures distinguished themselves with sharp wit, sincerity, and an approachable charm that revealed sides of them rarely seen before.

Yoon Shi Yoon, who delivered both laughter and emotion on 'My Little Old Boy,' won the Excellence Award in the Reality category. In his acceptance speech, he said, “I’ve thought about what it means to be a good actor and a good adult, but I don’t think I ever thought about being a good son. Through My Little Old Boy, I realized how immature and unlikable I can be. I’m grateful to understand my parents’ hearts after they quietly watched over me for so long. I think of this as an award I received together with my mother.”

Yoo Yeon Seok won both the Best Couple UP Award and the Excellence Award in the Show and Variety category. Following his Rookie Award win last year, he achieved remarkable success in just one year. He said, “Winning the couple award with Yoo Jae Suk alone already meant so much to me, and I’m grateful for this award as well. I’ve thought about ‘gaps’ in life—gaps aren’t failures, but spaces where we can breathe,” delivering a thoughtful message that resonated with viewers.

Yoon Hyun Min, who received the Best Entertainer Award for 'My Little Old Boy,' shared, “I have two mothers in my life. Deciding to appear on 'My Little Old Boy' couldn’t have been an easy choice, but both of them supported me without hesitation. If given the chance, I’d like to show a more honest and unfiltered side of myself next year—not just the Yoon Hyun Min people see in dramas.” In April, Yoon previously opened up about his family history on the show, candidly discussing his parents’ divorce, his father’s remarriage, and his affection for his half-sibling, earning widespread empathy.

2025 SBS Entertainment Awards Winners List

Grand Prize: Lee Sang Min

Producer Award: Yang Se Chan, Jun Hyun Moo

Most Popular Program: Running Man

Top Excellence Award: Lee Seo Jin, Kim Kwang Gyu, Choi Jin Hyuk, Lee Hyun Yi, Kim Jin Kyung

Excellence Award: Yoon Shi Yoon, Park Ha Yan, Yoo Yeon Seok, Ji Ye Eun

Special Award: Haha

Lifetime Achievement Award: Lee Kyung Kyu

AI-Selected Face of SBS: Yoo Jae Suk

Buzzworthy Program Award: The Ballad of US

Best Entertainer Award: Yoon Hyun Min

Best Teamwork Award: Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny

Best Couple UP Award: Yoo Jae Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok

Good Influence Award: Jung Eun Hye, Jo Young Nam

Scene Stealer Award: Tak Jae Hoon, Choo Sung Hoon

ESG Award: Lim Young Woong

Hot Clip of the Year: Cha Tae Hyun

Challenge of the Year Award: Im Won Hee, Kim Seung Soo, Heo Kyung Hwan

Broadcast Writer Award: Mo Eun Seol (Our Ballad)

Radio DJ Award: Hwang Jae Sung

Rookie UP Award: Lee Chae Yeon

Rookie Award: Kim Won Hoon, Lee Soo Ji

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