Are you curious about who will earn the biggest trophy when a year of drama ends? In 2025, SBS put five very different performances on the same starting line: a crime legend, a workaholic CEO, a fallen sports hero, a vigilante driver, and a man trapped inside a two-trillion-won scandal. However, none of these roles wins by being “likable” alone; they win by being unforgettable as well. This is your quick guide for the 2025 SBS Drama Awards Deasang nominees—who they are, what they played, and why their characters hit so hard.
2025 SBS Drama Awards: Meet the 5 Grand Prize (Daesang) Nominees
The SBS Drama Awards will grace the end of 2025. Shin Dong-yuk, the MC of the SBS Drama Awards for 9 consecutive years, will co-host the event along with Chae Wonbin and Heo Namjoon.
This is your SBS Drama Awards 2025 Daesang Nominees cheat sheet. In 2025, SBS Drama Awards Daesang put five different genres and performances on the same starting line: a crime legend, a workaholic CEO, a fallen sports hero, a vigilante driver, and a man trapped inside a two‑trillion‑won scandal.
But none of these roles win only by being “likable.” They win by being unforgettable. If you only have a few minutes, this is your quick guide—who they are, what they played, and why their characters hit so hard. Ready to pick your Daesang?
5 Grand Prize (Daesang) Nominees
Go Hyun Jung — “Queen Mantis”
Born in 1971, Go Hyun Jung is a long-running A-list TV star. She’s known for intense roles that raise the emotional temperature fast. Many fans still remember her early breakout in the K-drama “Sandglass” and her later impact in the historical drama “Queen Seondeok.”
In “Queen Mantis,” she plays Jung Yi-shin, imprisoned for serial murder. Then copycat killings begin, and the case drags in her estranged son, detective Cha Soo-yeol—turning the investigation into something painfully personal. Her performance stays slippery and magnetic. She can terrify you, then pull you closer in the same breath.
Han Ji Min — “Love Scout”
Born in 1982, Han Ji Min is praised for warm, grounded acting. She moves easily between romance, historical work, and more hard-hitting stories. In “Love Scout,” she plays Kang Ji-yoon, the CEO of the headhunting company Peoplez.
She’s brilliant at work, but her real life is a mess. That shifts when she meets Yoo Eun-ho, her competent secretary and a single father. The role flips the usual workplace-romance power balance. Her comedy lands clean, but the real hook is simple: what happens when success stops feeling like enough?
Yoon Kye Sang — “The Winning Try”
Born in 1978, Yoon Kye Sang began as a member of g.o.d. He then built a respected acting career. He often plays charm with a bruise under it. In “The Winning Try,” he is Ju Ga-ram, a disgraced former rugby star who returns as coach.
The team he inherits always comes in last. So his job is not only to teach a sport. It’s to rebuild trust, starting with his own broken name. The drama gets loud when it needs to, but his best moments stay quiet. He makes coaching feel like a confession.
Lee Je Hoon — “Taxi Driver 3”
Born in 1984, Lee Je Hoon is known for turning action into character work. He has range, and he knows how to hold tension without overplaying it. In “Taxi Driver 3,” he returns as Kim Do-gi, a former special forces captain. He works with Rainbow Taxi, delivering revenge-for-hire for victims of the failed system.
Season 3 raises the stakes again with new cases and bigger villains. What makes his performance hit is control. Even in action scenes, you can feel the grief under the mask. Lee Je Hoon shows not only his acting prowess but also his versatility in language and fashion, which supports the initial premise.
Park Hyung Sik — “Buried Hearts”
Born in 1991, Park Hyung Sik began in ZE:A and has since become a leading drama actor. He’s known for switching between sweet romance and darker roles. In “Buried Hearts,” he plays Seo Dong-ju (also known as Huh Seong-hyeon), a secretive corporate insider.
He hacks a two-trillion-won political slush fund, then gets hit with an attack and memory loss. After that, the story becomes a ruthless chase powered by greed and revenge. This is not a “nice guy” lead. It’s a survival role, and he sells the panic while still plotting the next move.
In addition to his nomination for Daesang, Park Hyung Sik has been nominated for the Best Couple award alongside Hong Hwa Yeon for their chemistry in the drama.
Before the Envelope Opens
Five nominees. Five genres. One question.
Before the 2025 SBS Drama Awards ceremony names the Daesang winner, which actor captivated you with their standout role? Share your choice in the comments!
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