Blue Dragon Series Awards 2026 Celebrates Streaming Drama and Variety Standouts

The fifth Blue Dragon Series Awards turned Incheon into a meeting point for Korea’s streaming-era stars on July 31, with actors, entertainers, musicians and creators gathering to celebrate the past year’s original programming. The ceremony, held at Paradise City, continued its focus on drama and variety work made for streaming platforms, a space that has become increasingly central to Korean entertainment.

Its results reflected both established names and newer faces. The Legend of Kitchen Soldier won Best Drama, while Better Late than Single took Best Entertainment Program. The program honored projects that have found audiences through the flexibility and reach of streaming, where scripted series and unscripted formats now compete for attention on the same global stage.

A night for drama performances

Shin Hye Sun received Best Actress for The Art of Sarah, and Park Hae Soo won Best Actor for The Scarecrow. Supporting honors went to Park Bo Kyung for The Art of Sarah and Yoon Kyung Ho for The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, highlighting an evening in which ensemble work was recognized alongside leading performances.

The newcomer awards also pointed toward the next group of performers gaining visibility in the streaming field. Jeon So Young was named Best New Actress for If Wishes Could Kill, while Kim Jae Won earned Best New Actor for Yumi’s Cells 3. With series often reaching viewers beyond their original release market almost immediately, a breakout role can now introduce a performer to a much wider audience at once.

Popularity honors added another dimension to the ceremony. Go Youn Jung and Lee Soo Ji shared the female award, while Byeon Woo Seok and Yoo Jae Suk shared the male award. Go Youn Jung also received the Global Icon Award, underscoring the overlap between a performer’s screen work, public profile and international visibility.

Variety talent shares the spotlight

Variety categories made clear that streaming entertainment is not defined by drama alone. Kim Sook was named Best Female Entertainer for Screwballs 4, with Kim Won Hoon taking Best Male Entertainer for SNL Korea 8. Outstanding Entertainer awards went to Jung Yi Rang for Dabang Sisters and Joo Woo Jae for Screwballs 4.

Newer variety performers were also recognized. Kim Kyu Won won Best New Male Entertainer for SNL Korea 8, and STAYC’s Yoon received Best New Female Entertainer for The White Collars 2. IVE’s Yujin collected the OST Popularity Award for “Sad Saltiness,” from The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, linking the awards night to the continuing influence of K-pop artists in television and streaming soundtracks.

Red carpet gathers a broad streaming lineup

Before the trophies were handed out, the red carpet offered a visual survey of the industry gathered for the event. Hosts YoonA and Jun Hyun Moo were joined by nominees and presenters including Kim Go Eun, Kim Woo Bin, Kim Seon Ho, Park Bo Young, Lee Kwang Soo, Arin, Hyun Bin, Song Geon Hee and many more. The mix of drama actors, comedy personalities and music figures matched the ceremony’s cross-format identity.

As streaming originals continue to expand their production scale and cultural footprint, ceremonies such as the Blue Dragon Series Awards provide a focused marker of what has resonated across the field. This year’s winners showed the breadth of that ecosystem: high-profile lead actors, strong supporting casts, veteran entertainers, emerging talent and music performers all occupied the same awards-stage conversation.