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| Blue Dragon Series Awards 2026 Full Winners List: Kim Go-eun, Park Hae-soo and Shin Hae-sun Celebrate Big Wins. |
The 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards delivered exactly what K-drama fans had hoped for on 31 July 2026 at Paradise City, Incheon. Korea's biggest celebration dedicated to streaming originals handed out its top honours to some of the industry's finest performers, while emotional speeches, unexpected audience reactions and a handful of unintentionally hilarious moments quickly became just as memorable as the trophies themselves. By the end of the evening, Kim Go-eun, Shin Hae-sun, Park Hae-soo and Go Youn-jung had emerged as the biggest talking points, proving once again that award ceremonies are never just about the awards.
The night's highest honour, the Daesang (Grand Prize), went to Kim Go-eun for her acclaimed performance in You and Everything Else. The award recognises the most outstanding overall contribution of the year, making it the ceremony's ultimate prize.
Fighting back tears, Kim admitted she felt deeply honoured to stand alongside so many respected seniors and colleagues. She said she accepted the award not only for herself but for everyone who worked tirelessly on You and Everything Else, The Price of Confession and Yumi's Cells, adding that she hoped one day to become "a senior who can support others just as my seniors supported me." It was one of the evening's most heartfelt moments and drew a lengthy standing ovation.
Of course, social media had another favourite moment. As soon as Kim Go-eun's name was announced, fellow actor and close friend Lee Sang-yi erupted into celebration with wide eyes, animated gestures and enough excitement to power half the venue.
One viral clip appeared to capture him shouting, "WOAHHH YAAA! KIM GOEUN!" as the audience laughed around him. Sometimes your biggest supporter forgets there are television cameras everywhere, and thankfully for viewers, this was one of those occasions.
The acting categories also reflected a remarkably competitive year for Korean streaming dramas. Park Hae-soo claimed Best Actor for The Scarecrow, while Shin Hae-sun secured Best Actress for The Art of Sarah.
Both performances had already generated considerable praise throughout the awards season, and their victories were widely viewed as deserved recognition for emotionally layered performances that carried their respective series.
Supporting honours went to Park Bo-kyung, who won Best Supporting Actress for The Art of Sarah, and Yoon Kyung-ho, named Best Supporting Actor for The Legend of Kitchen Soldier.
During his acceptance speech, Yoon became visibly emotional as he thanked the production team and fellow cast members, struggling to hide his tears while expressing gratitude for everyone who believed in him. It was one of those speeches that reminded audiences why genuine emotion almost always lands better than carefully rehearsed lines.
Park Bo-kyung also touched hearts with her own acceptance speech. She admitted that watching sincere award speeches had always moved her more than perfectly scripted performances, making it especially meaningful to stand on stage herself.
Meanwhile, cameras caught her husband, actor Jin Seon-kyu, wiping away tears from the audience, creating another touching highlight that viewers quickly shared across social media.
The industry's next generation also enjoyed an impressive evening. Jeon So-young was named Best New Actress for If Wishes Could Kill, while Kim Jae-won collected Best New Actor for Yumi's Cells 3.
Their victories reflected another strong year for fresh talent stepping confidently into leading roles across Korea's increasingly competitive streaming landscape. Popularity awards generated plenty of cheers as Go Youn-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Soo-ji received the Popular Star Award.
It was an especially successful night for Go Youn-jung, who also picked up the Global Icon with LAVIEN Cosmetics Award for Can This Love Be Translated?, reinforcing her growing international profile as one of Korea's most recognisable young stars.
Drama and programme honours celebrated productions that dominated streaming conversations throughout the year. The Legend of Kitchen Soldier secured the coveted Best Drama award, while Better Late Than Single walked away with Best Variety Show after becoming one of the year's standout unscripted hits.
Entertainment personalities also enjoyed their moment in the spotlight. Kim Sook received the Top Excellence Award for Female Entertainer for Screwballs 4, while Kim Won-hun earned the male equivalent for SNL Korea 8. Jung Yi-rang claimed the Excellence Award for Female Entertainer for Dabang Sisters, and Joo Woo-jae collected the Excellence Award for Male Entertainer for Screwballs 4, recognising another successful year for Korean variety programming.
The newcomer entertainment awards went to Yoon for The White Collars 2 as Best New Female Entertainer, while Kim Kyu-won won Best New Male Entertainer for SNL Korea 8.
Meanwhile, An Yu-jin received the OST Popularity Award for her contribution to The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, highlighting another soundtrack that resonated strongly with audiences.
The ceremony itself was smoothly guided by returning hosts Lim Yoona and Jun Hyun-moo, whose relaxed chemistry kept the evening moving even when emotions occasionally threatened to steal the schedule.
Actress IU, presenting one of the awards, reflected warmly on her own previous Blue Dragon victory and encouraged nominees to treasure every moment on stage, reminding everyone how quickly careers and opportunities can evolve.
One of the funniest audience moments arrived when Shin Min-ah stepped forward to present the Daesang. Before the winner was even fully announced, Lee Kwang-soo enthusiastically cheered from his seat beside Kim Woo-bin, whose embarrassed laughter quickly became the centre of attention. Fans joked that Lee Kwang-soo once again proved he could accidentally become the main character without ever leaving his chair.
Reaction online has been overwhelmingly positive, although not without lively debate. Many viewers celebrated Kim Go-eun's Grand Prize as one of the strongest choices in recent years, while others praised Shin Hae-sun and Park Hae-soo for delivering career-best performances.
Meanwhile, clips of Lee Sang-yi's explosive celebration and Lee Kwang-soo's enthusiastic cheering rapidly spread across fan communities, with many joking that the unofficial competition for "Best Audience Reaction" might have been even tougher than the acting categories themselves.
Broadcast live on KBS2 and streaming platforms, the 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards once again demonstrated how influential Korea's OTT productions have become. Between emotional speeches, deserving winners and unforgettable viral moments, the ceremony offered fans plenty to celebrate long after the final trophy had been handed out. Which winner made you happiest, and do you agree with this year's major awards?