Netflix Sweeps 2025 Blue Dragon Series Awards: IU and 'Culinary Class Wars' Lead Wins
Korean streaming content took center stage Friday night as the 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards crowned this year's best series and performances. Netflix dominated the ceremony, with "When Life Gives You Tangerines" claiming the coveted Grand Prize.
Grand Prize Goes to "When Life Gives You Tangerines"
Netflix's "When Life Gives You Tangerines" won the night's biggest honor, with the Jeju Island-set drama capturing hearts worldwide since its March 2025 release. The series, starring IU and Park Bo-gum, follows the love story of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik from the 1950s through multiple decades.
Park Bo-gum thanked his crew, saying: "I sincerely thank the crew who worked hard through all four seasons. It was an honor to portray Gwan Sik."
IU Claims First Blue Dragon Acting Award
IU won Best Actress for her dual role in "When Life Gives You Tangerines," calling it "the proudest work of my life". Her emotional speech honored viewers who live authentically: "To all the Aesoons who lived their lives vividly in a world that told us to stay blurry, I dedicate my respect and gratitude."
"Trauma Code" Takes Drama Awards
Ju Ji-hoon won Best Actor for Netflix's medical drama "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call", adding to his recent Baeksang Arts Award win for the same role. Rising star Cho Young-woo earned Best New Actor for his supporting role in the series.
"Culinary Class Wars" Wins Big
Netflix's cooking competition "Culinary Class Wars" captured Best Entertainment Program. Director Kim Hak-min revealed the show's unexpected global reach: "I once dreamed that Natalie Portman commented on the show. That dream came true in some way."
The team confirmed Season 2 is coming soon, promising to showcase more talented chefs and restaurants.
Variety Show Personalities Shine
Lee Soo-ji from "SNL Korea" won Best Female Entertainer, while Kian84 from "Kian's Bizarre B&B" took Best Male Entertainer. Kian84 thanked his celebrity guests, including BTS's Jin, for participating in his unconventional show format.
Yeom Hye-ran won Best Supporting Actress for "When Life Gives You Tangerines", playing the mother figure who anchored the multigenerational story. Lee Kwang-soo earned Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Karma."
The ceremony celebrated emerging stars across both drama and variety content:
New Actor Awards:
- Male: Cho Young-woo ("The Trauma Code")
- Female: Kim Min-ha ("A Time Called You")
New Entertainer Awards:
- Male: Moon Sang-hoon ("Subjective Restaurant")
- Female: Mimi ("Kian's Unusual Restaurant")
Fan-voted Upbit Popularity Awards went to Park Bo-gum, Hyeri, Lee Jun-hyuk, and IU. A brief moment of confusion occurred when Lee Jun-young mistakenly approached the stage due to similar names, providing unexpected entertainment.
The Blue Dragon Series Awards, now in its fourth year, exclusively honors streaming content from platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and others. This year's ceremony evaluated content released between June 2024 and May 2025, with winners selected through professional jury votes and public voting.
The ceremony was broadcast live from Paradise City in Incheon, reaching global audiences through multiple platforms with multilingual subtitles.
The awards reflect Korean streaming content's growing international influence, with winners representing both local storytelling traditions and global entertainment trends that continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
