Joining other personalities from different parts of the world.
Recently, the Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) announced the nominees for its 21st edition this year.
According to the Korea-based award-giving body, it logged a record-breaking 352 submissions from 46 countries and regions, which surpassed the previous record of 346 that was set in 2024.
This milestone, it told, “marks the largest field in the festival’s history and highlights SDA’s growing role as a global platform for television storytelling.“
Apart from Korean personalities, on-screen personalities, production people, and even the programs they made.
In the Outstanding Asian Star category, 23 celebrities were nominated, led by the likes of Anne Curtis, Kim Chiu, Paulo Avelino, and Joshua Garcia, who earned nominations for their recent works.
Anne and Joshua, together with Carlo Aquino, are nominated for the Philippine adaptation of It’s Okay To Not Be Okay, while Kim and Paulo are up for the award for The Alibi.
Also included in the nominees’ circle are Dingdong Dantes and Max Collins for The Master Cutter, Bela Padilla for Blood vs. Duty along with Gerald Anderson, who is also nominated for Sins Of The Father with Shaina Magdayao, as well as Angelica Panganiban and Zanjoe Marudo for The Silent Noise.
The What Lies Beneath cast, comprising Kaila Estrada, Charlie Dizon, JM De Guzman, and Jake Cuenca, Ivana Alawi for Love Is Never Gone (which also includes Joshua Garcia), and from GMA’s Kamao, Anton Vinzon, Roi Vinzon, Amy Austria, and Katrina Halili.
The trending stars JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith round up the list of nominees from the Philippines for their roles in the iWant series Ghosting.
Voting for the 21st Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) Outstanding Asian Star opened on June 15 through the global voting platform IDOLCHAMP and will run until July 14.
IDOLCHAMP is a global voting platform with users from more than 230 countries and regions. Voting results will determine the winners, and a variety of reward events will also be held for participants.
The Outstanding Asian Star Award recognizes actors and actresses who have made a significant impact over the past year in six participating countries: Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Korea’s lineup features many of the year’s most anticipated drama stars include Gang Dong-won and Giana (Tempest), Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung (Can This Love Be Translated?), Ji Chang-wook and Doh Kyung-soo (The Manipulated), Kim Woo-bin and Suzy (Genie, Make a Wish), Im Yoona (Bon Appétit, Your Majesty), Park Bo-young (Gold Land), Jisoo (Boyfriend on Demand), and Park Ji-hoon (The Legend of Kitchen Soldier).
In addition, idol-actors from short-form dramas have also joined the lineup such as NCT DREAM’s Jeno and Jaemin (Wind Up) and VERIVERY’s Kangmin (Jump Boy Live).
Across Asia, the lineup features many of the region’s most recognizable stars like Dilraba Dilmurat, Lusi Zhao, Yang Yang, and Bai Jingting from China, and Win Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, Gemini Norawit Titicharoenrak, Milk Pansa Vosbein, Love Pattranite Limpatiyakorn, Namtan Tipnaree, Film Rachanun, and Rebecca Patricia Armstrong fron Thailand.
Also included in the category are Haruna Kawaguchi, Kazuya Kamenashi, Shun Oguri, and Jin Akanishi from Japan, and Tyler Ten, Richie Koh, Hong Ling, and Tasha Low from Singapore.
The 21st Seoul International Drama Awards ceremony will be held at KBS Hall on October 8, 2026. The event will be broadcast live on MBC in South Korea’s and the official Seoul International Drama Awards YouTube channel.
There will also be public programs and fan events will be held from October 9 to 10 at Banpo Hangang Park and Songpa Naru Park in Seoul.
