Seoul International Drama Awards

Seoul International Drama Awards
Awarded for Excellence in television drama productions
Location Seoul
Country South Korea
Presented by
  • Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee
  • Korean Broadcasters Association
Hosted by
First awarded 2006
Last awarded 21 September 2023
Highlights
Most awards The Fragile Colossus
(France - 3 awards)
Grand Prize The Fragile Colossus
(France)
Serial Drama
Mini-Series
TV Movie
  • Mayflies
    (U.K.)
  • Belascoarán, PI
    (Mexico)
Outstanding Korean Drama
Website SDA
Television/radio coverage
Network KBS2

Seoul International Drama Awards (Korean: 서울 국제 드라마 어워즈), simply known as SDA, is an annual award ceremony based in Seoul, South Korea which honors excellence in television drama productions worldwide.

Ceremonies

Edition Year Date Venue Host Ref.
17th 2022 September 22, 2022 KBS Hall, Yeouido Joo Sang-wook and Jung Eun-ji
18th 2023 September 21, 2023 KBS Hall, Yeouido Jun Hyun-moo and Lee Se-young

Winners

Grand prize (Daesang)

Norwegian actress Charlotte Frogner attending Seoul International Drama Awards in 2009
Year Grand Prize Ref.
2008 Missing (Spain)
2009 Memoirs in China (China)
2010 Shoe-shine Boy (Japan)
2011 Three Kingdoms (China)
2012 Deep Rooted Tree (South Korea)
2013 Prisoners of War (Israel)
2014 Kaboul Kitchen (France)
2015 Naked Among Wolves (Germany)
2016 The Night Manager (U.K.)
2017 This Is Us (U.S.)
2018 Babylon Berlin (Germany)
2019 On the Spectrum (Israel)
2020 Orphans of a Nation (Brazil)
2021 Missing Child (South Korea)
2022 Help (U.K.)
2023 The Fragile Colossus (France)

Program

Winners are given the "Golden Bird Prize," and runners-up the "Silver Bird Prize."

Year Best TV Movie Best Mini-series Best Series Drama Best Juvenile Series Best Comedy Special Prize Jury Special Prize Ref.
2006
  • The Violin
    (Japan)
  • Runner-up: What Shall We Expect Tomorrow?
    (Netherlands)
— — —
  • Holed Slipper for Hamdani
    (Indonesia)
  • Bird, Bird
    (South Korea)
  • White Walls
    (Israel)
2007
  • A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball
    (South Korea)
  • Runner-up: Prime Suspect: The Final Act
    (U.K.)
  • Mortified
    (Australia)
  • Runner-up: Jump 2
    (South Korea)
—
  • The Iron Handed Phantom - Mayavi
    (India)
  • Runner-up: KHALA Word of Honor
    (Jordan)
  • Runner-up: Memories - Jail Bars
    (Philippines)
Can
(Germany)
2008
  • Devastation
    (France)
  • Runner-up: Kobra's Decision
    (Iran)
  • Ella Blue
    (South Africa)
  • Runner-up: Skins
    (U.K.)
  • Hero Without a Name
    (China)
  • Runner-up: Golden Bride
    (South Korea)
—
  • The Tutor
    (Israel)
  • Runner-up: Secrets of This House
    (Afghanistan)
—
2009
— —
  • Taipei 24H
    (Taiwan)
  • Live a Luxurious and Dissipated Life
    (China)
2010
— —
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
(India)
2011
  • Shades of Happiness
    (Germany)
  • Runner-up: When Harvey Met Bob
    (Ireland)
  • In the Name of Honour
    (Romania)
  • Runner-up: Passione
    (Brazil)
— —
—
2012
— —
—
2013
  • The Jewish Cardinal
    (France)
  • Runner-up: Welcome and...Our Condolences
    (Israel)
— —
  • The Perfect Day
    (South Korea)
  • Salam, New York!
    (Kyrgyzstan)
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
(India)
2014
  • Barefoot on Red Soil
    (Spain)
  • Runner-up: The Fat & The Angry
    (Sweden)
— —
—
2015 The Good Sister
(Canada) 		Misaeng: Incomplete Life
(South Korea) 		Jikulumessu - Open Your Eyes
(Angola) 		— — —
2016
  • Don't Leave Me
    (France)
  • Runner-up: Sabena Hijacking: My Version
    (Israel)
— Baskets
(U.S.) 		—
2017
  • Redemption Road
    (Germany)
  • Runner-up: Red Teacher
    (South Korea)
  • Please, Love Me
    (Belgium)
  • Runner-up: Deep Water
    (Australia)
— Fleabag
(U.K.) 		—
  • We Are One
    (Taiwan)
  • P.O.W – Bandi Yudh Ke
    (India)
2018
  • 54 Hours
    (Germany)
  • Runner-up: Crocodile
    (England)
— The New Black
(Israel) 		— The Memoir of Majie
(Malaysia)
2019
  • Billy
    (Netherlands)
  • Runner-up: Bauhaus
    (Germany)
— — —
  • Breasts
    (Montenegro)
  • The Herd
    (South Africa)
2020
  • The Turncoat
    (Germany)
  • Runner-up: Everything and Nothing
    (South Korea)
  • Bolívar
    (Colombia)
  • Runner-up: Mr. Fighting
    (China)
— — —
  • The Cage
    (Czech Republic)
  • XX
    (South Korea)
2021
  • Federica Montseny, the Woman Who Speaks
    (Spain)
  • Runner-up: This House Is Mine
    (Germany)
— — —
2022
  • Nobody's Child
    (France)
  • Take Me Home
    (Germany)
  • Last Summers of the Raspberries
    (Canada)
  • Anne
    (U.K.)
  • Hidden Truth
    (Turkey)
  • Destan
    (Turkey)
— — — The World Stands Still
(Germany)
2023
  • Mayflies
    (U.K.)
  • Belascoarán, PI
    (Mexico)
— — — Cammo
(Norway)

Individual

Year Best Actor Best Actress Best Director Best Screenwriter Best Cinematographer Best Music Director Best Art Director Ref.
2006 Michael Therriault
(Prairie Giant - Canada) 		Lu Yuan
(Watch for the Happiness - China) 		Akihiko Ishimaru
(Crying out Love, in the Center of the World - Japan) 		Patrick Bucley
(Family Portrait - Spain) 		Kim Seung-hwan
(Emperor of the Sea - South Korea) 		Taro Iwashiro
(The Violin - Japan) 		Min Eon-ok
(Princess Hours - South Korea)
2007 Takuya Kimura
(The Grand Family - Japan) 		Helen Mirren
(Prime Suspect: The Final Act - U.K.) 		Takeuchi Hideki
(Nodame Cantabile - Japan) 		Frank Deasy
(Prime Suspect: The Final Act - U.K.) 		Shi Luan
(The Great Revival - China) 		Takeuchi Hideki
(Nodame Cantabile - Japan) 		Lee Cheol-ho
(Hwang Jini - South Korea)
2008 Dvir Benedek
(The Tutor - Israel) 		Pan Li-li
(Artemisia - Taiwan) 		Carlos Sedes, Manuel Palacios
(Missing - Spain) 		Gao Mantang, Sun Jianye
(Chuang Guandong - China) 		Piotr Wojtowicz
(Let's Go to the Movies Tomorrow - Poland) 		Braam du Toit, Ronelle Loots
(Ella Blue - South Africa) 		Huo Wan
(Hero Without a Name - China)
2009 Akira Kume
(The Shopping Trip - Japan) 		Charlotte Frogner
(Maria - Norway) 		Duane Clark
(XIII: The Conspiracy - U.K.) 		Marc Didden
(The Emperor of Taste - Belgium) 		— — —
2010 Carl-Kristian Rundman
(Easy Living - Finland) 		Margôt Ros, Maike Meijer
(Tower C - Netherlands) 		Nick Copus
(The Summit - Canada) 		Craig Warner
(The Last Days of Lehman Brothers - U.K.) 		— — —
2011 Chen Jianbin
(Three Kingdoms - China) 		Na Moon-hee
(It's Me, Grandma - South Korea) 		Miguel Alexandre
(Shades of Happiness - Germany) 		Albert Espinosa
(The Red Band Society - Spain) 		— — —
2012 Jonas Nay
(Homevideo - Germany) 		Christine Neubauer
(Hanna's Decision - Germany) 		Brian Kirk
(Great Expectations - U.K.) 		Sarah Phelps
(Great Expectations - U.K.) 		— — —
2013 Lee Moon-sik
(Sangkwoni (Business District) - South Korea) 		Lucy Liu
(Elementary - U.S.) 		Philipp Kadelbach
(Generation War - Germany) 		Lars Lundström
(Real Humans - Sweden) 		— — —
2014 Edgar Selge
(A Blind Hero - The Love of Otto Weidt - Germany) 		Kim Hee-ae
(Secret Affair - South Korea) 		Cecilie Mosli
(Mammon - Norway) 		María Jaén
(Barefoot on Red Soil - Spain) 		— — —
2015 Engin Akyürek
(Black Money Love - Turkey) 		Simona Stašová
(The Self Lover - Czech Republic) 		— — — — —
2016 Azat Seitmetov
(Father - Kazakhstan) 		Samia Sassi
(Don't Leave Me - France) 		Susanne Bier
(The Night Manager - U.K.) 		Eva Spreitzhofer
(Little Big Voice - Austria) 		— — —
2017 Kerem Bürsin
(Heart of the City - Turkey) 		Alexandra Nikiforova
(Anna Detective - Russia) 		Urs Egger
(Gotthard - Switzerland) 		Rodica Doehnert
(Das Sacher - Austria) 		— — —
2018 Joan Pera
(The Power of Silence - Spain) 		Lee Bo-young
(Mother - South Korea) 		Kilian Riedhof
(54 Hours - Germany) 		Uli Bree, Klaus Pieber
(A Dance to Remembrance - Austria) 		— — —
2019 Kim Dong-wook
(Special Labor Inspector - South Korea) 		Alicia von Rittberg
(Bauhaus - Germany) 		Christophe Charrier
(Jonas - France) 		Jed Mercurio
(Bodyguard - U.K.) 		— — —
2020 Waleed Zuaiter
(Baghdad Central - U.S.) 		Gong Hyo-jin
(When the Camellia Blooms - South Korea) 		Adam Smith
(World on Fire - U.K.) 		Lim Sang-choon
(When the Camellia Blooms - South Korea) 		— — —
2021 Park Hyuk-kwon
(Missing Child - South Korea) 		Elle Fanning
(The Great - U.S.) 		Cho Yong-won
(Missing Child - South Korea) 		Russell T Davies
(It's a Sin - U.K.) 		— — —
2022 Stephen Graham
(Help - U.K.) 		Jodie Comer
(Help - U.K.) 		Akim Isker
(Nobody's Child - France) 		Han Hee-jung
(The King's Affection - South Korea) 		— — —
2023 Wei Fan
(The Long Season - China)
Stéphanie Murat
(The Fragile Colossus - France)
  • Aude Marcle
    (The Fragile Colossus - France)
  • Nima Javidi
    (Actor - Iran)
— — —

Outstanding Korean Drama

Year Grand Prize Top Excellence Award Excellence Award Best Actor Best Actress Best Director Best Screenwriter Best Original Soundtrack (OST) Ref.
2010 The Slave Hunters — —
Kwak Jung-hwan
(The Slave Hunters) 		Kim Young-hyun and Park Sang-yeon
(Queen Seondeok) 		—
2011 — Marry Me, Mary! Sungkyunkwan Scandal Park Yoochun
(Sungkyunkwan Scandal) 		Moon Geun-young
(Marry Me, Mary!) 		Shin Woo-chul
(Secret Garden) 		Kim Eun-sook
(Secret Garden) 		Baek Ji-young – "That Woman"
(Secret Garden)
2012 — Rooftop Prince The King 2 Hearts Park Yoochun
(Rooftop Prince) 		Han Ji-min
(Rooftop Prince) 		— — Taeyeon – "Missing You Like Crazy"
(The King 2 Hearts)
2013 — Arang and the Magistrate King of Ambition Lee Joon-gi
(Arang and the Magistrate) 		Bae Suzy
(Gu Family Book) 		— — Kim Jaejoong – "Living Like a Dream"
(Dr. Jin)
2014 — My Love from the Star The Heirs Kim Soo-hyun
(My Love from the Star) 		Kim Hee-ae
(Secret Affair) 		— — Lyn – "My Destiny"
(My Love from the Star)
2015 — Kill Me, Heal Me
Lee Joon-gi
(Gunman in Joseon) 		Hwang Jung-eum
(Kill Me, Heal Me) 		— — Taeyeon – "Love, That One Word"
(You're All Surrounded)
2016 — Descendants of the Sun The Flower in Prison Song Joong-ki
(Descendants of the Sun) 		Shin Min-a
(Oh My Venus) 		— — Gummy – "You Are My Everything"
(Descendants of the Sun)
2017 — Love in the Moonlight
Park Bo-gum
(Love in the Moonlight) 		Park Bo-young
(Strong Girl Bong-soon) 		— — Ailee – "I Will Go to You Like the First Snow"
(Guardian: The Lonely and Great God)
2018 — While You Were Sleeping
Park Seo-joon
(Fight for My Way) 		Son Ye-jin
(Something in the Rain) 		— — —
2019 — The Fiery Priest Doctor Prisoner Kim Nam-gil
(The Fiery Priest) 		Jang Na-ra
(The Last Empress) 		— — Davichi – "Falling In Love"
(The Beauty Inside)
2020 — When the Camellia Blooms
Kang Ha-neul
(When the Camellia Blooms) 		Son Ye-jin
(Crash Landing on You) 		— — Punch – "Like a Heroine in the Movie"
(When the Camellia Blooms)
2021 — Vincenzo
Song Joong-ki
(Vincenzo) 		Bae Suzy
(Start-Up) 		— — Young Tak – "Okay"
(Revolutionary Sisters)
2022 — —
Kim Seon-ho
(Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha) 		Jisoo
(Snowdrop) 		— — Lim Young-woong – "Love Always Runs Away"
(Young Lady and Gentleman)
2023 — —
Lee Seung-min
(Reborn Rich) 		— — — Kim Ho-joong – "Meet You Among Them"
(Three Bold Siblings)

People's choice

Year Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year Popular Drama Popular Actor Popular Actress Ref.
2008 — Time Between Dog and Wolf
(South Korea) 		Lee Joon-gi
(Time Between Dog and Wolf - South Korea) 		Nam Sang-mi
(Time Between Dog and Wolf - South Korea)
2009
Boys Over Flowers
(South Korea) 		Kim Hyun-joong
(Boys Over Flowers - South Korea) 		Moon Geun-young
(Painter of the Wind - South Korea)
2010 NCIS (season 7)
(U.S.) 		— Lee Seung-gi
(Brilliant Legacy - South Korea)
2011 The Walking Dead
(U.S.) 		—
2012 Scarlet Heart
(China) 		—
  • Aoi Miyazaki
    (Lady Butterfly - Daughter of a Samurai - Japan)
  • Wang Ding-zhu
    (Days We Stared at the Sun - Taiwan)
2013 Mistresses
(U.S.) 		—
Ya-chi Hsu
(Are You Christine? - Taiwan)
2014 Sherlock (series 3)
(U.K.) 		—
—

Special awards

Year Category Recipient Notes Ref.
2008 Star Hall of Fame Choi Bool-am
2009 Choi Ji-woo
2015 New Trend Award
Asia Star Grand Award
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
Asia Star Award
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
Mango TV Popularity Award Lee Min-ho, Choo Ja-hyun, and The One
(South Korea)
10th Anniversary Hallyu Achievement Award Lee Young-ae
Lee Byung-hoon
Lee Min-ho
Special Invitation Midnight Diner (season 3)
(Japan)
2016 Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year Dramaworld
(U.S.)
Asia Star Award
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
2017 Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year Mozart in the Jungle (season 3)
(U.S.)
Asia Star Award
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
2018
Special Invitation Special Gourmet
(Japan)
2019 Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year
Asian Star Prize
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
2020 Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year
Golden Bird Prize for Best Short-form Drama 18h30
(France)
Asian Star Prize
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
2021 Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year
Short-form Drama
  • Golden Bird Prize:
    Passengers
    (Russia)
  • Silver Bird Prize:
    Delete Me
    (Norway)
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
Asian Star Prize
Awardees were selected through the Jury and committee.
2022
Awardees for 2022 were determined through fan votes and online voting.
Seoul Business Agency Prize Our Beloved Summer
2023 Golden Bird Prize for Program Big Bet
(South Korea) 		The Golden Bird Prize is a new award given by the organizing committee recognizing works and individuals that have made a mark in the drama industry by achieving success in both artistic value and popularity among popular works from around the world.
Golden Bird Prize for Individual Choi Min-sik
(Big Bet - South Korea)
Asian Star Prize
Awardees for 2023 were determined through fan votes and online voting.
Idolchamp Artist Award Park Sung-hoon
(Mimicus - South Korea)

See also