All Global OTTs Gathered... 2025 International Streaming Festival Announces Global OTT Awards Nominees by Category

The "2025 International Streaming Festival Global OTT Awards," which brings together streaming content from around the world, has announced its nominees in 14 categories.

This year's awards ceremony will take place on August 24 at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center. The event is co-hosted by the Korea International Streaming Festival (Co-Executive Directors Kim Bokkeun and Kim Sungcheol) and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency. Having started as a program linked to the 2023 and 2024 Busan International Film Festivals, the Global OTT Awards is launching as an independent event for the first time this year.

Global OTT platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, iQIYI, Viu, and Youku, as well as content production companies from Korea and abroad, including Studio Dragon, SLL, TVING, and TBS, are participating, demonstrating the prestige of this world-class streaming festival. Preliminary judges from various countries, including Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and Ukraine, took part in the selection process.

Best Creative Nominees. (From left) Death Sentence Order, Mad Unicorn, Buk-sang, Unknown Seoul, Completely Fooled.

In the Best Creative category, Netflix's "Death Sentence Order," "Mad Unicorn," iQIYI's "Buk-sang," tvN's "Unknown Seoul," and Netflix's "Completely Fooled" were nominated. Among these, tvN's "Unknown Seoul" drew attention for being nominated for the first time at a domestic awards ceremony through this event.

The Best OTT Original category, which recognizes original OTT works that excel in both commercial success and artistic merit, includes Netflix's "Spotlight Is Mine," Coupang Play's "Family Plan," Youku's "Nan Hong," Disney+'s "Nine Puzzle," TVING's "Study Group," and Viu's "Yesterdays You."

For the Best Asian Content category, which honors content that has gained significant popularity across Asian countries, TV Plus's "4°C," PTS Plus's "Hua Wai Zhi Yi," Prime Video's "Saving Grace," Yomiuri TV's "All the Girls in My Class, I Liked Them All," and Viu's "What If" have been selected.

In the Reality and Variety category, Netflix's "Dae Hwan Jang Gian Jang," meWATCH's "Old Taste Detective 5," Coupang Play's "SNL Korea Season 7," and TVING's "World of Street Woman Fighter" will compete. "World of Street Woman Fighter" is also drawing attention for being nominated for the first time this year.

For Best Director, the nominees are Shim Nayoun for JTBC's "Good Boy," Notaphon Boonprakob for Netflix's "Mad Unicorn," You Xiaofeng for iQIYI's "Buk-sang," Volodymyr Yanoshchuk for Channel DIM's "The Train," and Kim Wonseok for Netflix's "Completely Fooled." "The Train" is the first entry to be set against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.

In the Best Writer category, the nominees are Tokuo Koji and Ichinoe Yoshino for TBS's "Lion's Lair," Kang Full for Disney+'s "Lighting Shop," Zhang Suxian and Wen Yufang for PTS Plus's "Hua Wai Zhi Yi," Lee Kang for tvN's "Unknown Seoul," Ho Chingyi for Viu's "What If," and Lim Sangchun for Netflix's "Completely Fooled."

For Best Leading Actor, the nominees are Berik Aichanov for TV Plus's "4°C," Baek Kyungjung for Youku's "Nan Hong," Park Bogum for JTBC's "Good Boy," Nattarat Noparatthayapon for Netflix's "Mad Unicorn," Ju Jihoon for Netflix's "Critical Trauma Center," and Kentaro Sakaguchi for Coupang Play's "After Love Comes."

The Best Leading Actress nominees are Park Eunbin for Disney+'s "Hyper Knife," Baek Rok for iQIYI's "Buk-sang," Park Boyoung for tvN's "Unknown Seoul," IU for Netflix's "Completely Fooled," and Hirose Suzu for TBS's "Who Saw the Duke Dance?"

Best Leading Actor Nominees. (From left) Nattarat Noparatthayapon, Ju Jihoon, Kentaro Sakaguchi.

Best Leading Actor Nominees. (From left) Berik Aichanov, Baek Kyungjung, Park Bogum.

Best Actress Nominees. (From left) Park Eunbin, Baek Rok, Park Boyoung, IU, Hirose Suzu.

In the Best Supporting Actor category, the nominees are Wang Chenyuan for iQIYI's "Bleach," Wu Zhenyu for Youku's "Bian Su Wang Sa," Oh Jungse for JTBC's "Good Boy," Bando Ryota for TBS's "Lion's Lair," and Choi Daehun for Netflix's "Completely Fooled." For Best Supporting Actress, the nominees are Zhong Xinling for Netflix's "Spotlight Is Mine," Moon Ki for Youku's "Yi Ren Zhi Xia 2," Ono Machiko for TBS's "Lion's Lair," Jang Youngnam for tvN's "Unknown Seoul," and Yum Hyeran for Netflix's "Completely Fooled."

For Best New Actor, the nominees are Jahan Kapoor for Netflix's "Death Sentence Order," Hirankit Changkham and Wongravee Nateeton for GMM25's "High School Frenemy," Saphengwon for iQIYI's "Cha Myeong I Saeng," Kang Yuseok for tvN's "Resident Life," and Chu Youngwoo for Netflix's "Critical Trauma Center." In the Best New Actress category, the nominees are Seo Yakham for iQIYI's "Annie: I Love You," Suri Lin for Netflix's "Spotlight Is Mine," Lee Suhyeon for Coupang Play's "Family Plan," and Jung Subin for U+mobiletv's "Good Competition."

In the Best Digital VFX category, which recognizes visual creativity using digital technology, JTBC's "More Beautiful Than Heaven," Youku's "Yi Ren Zhi Xia 2," Disney+'s "Lighting Shop," and iQIYI's "Rehuman: Among People" will compete.

For Best Music, the nominees include the theme song of JTBC's "More Beautiful Than Heaven" sung by Lim Youngwoong, Youku's "Nan Hong" theme song "As You Like" by Wu Yueqian, "Sunset" from tvN's "Unknown Seoul" featuring 10CM, "When That Day Comes" by Tomorrow X Together, and "Who Saw the Duke Dance?" by Ado, representing both domestic and international artists.

Netflix's "Completely Fooled" set a record for the most nominations, being named in six categories, including Best Creative, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Leading and Supporting Actor/Actress.

Voting will be held for the 31 nominees in the acting categories (Leading, Supporting, and Newcomer), and the male and female nominees with the highest number of votes will receive the "People's Choice Award." Fan voting will take place through the global platform "My One Pick."

This year's final judging panel includes Im Euisin, Bae Jongok, music director Yoon Ilsang, Jennifer Zhao (Chairperson of the Taipei Film Commission), Nobuyuki Kawaguchi (Chairman of Taiga Pro), Marianne Lee (Chief Content Officer of Viu), Ngo Thi Bich Han (Vice President of Vietnam BHD), and Professor Cha Seungjae of Dongguk University.

The 2025 International Streaming Festival will be held for four days from August 22 to 25 at the Busan Cinema Center and Paradise Hotel. Centered around the Global OTT Awards, the event will feature a range of OTT-focused technology and cultural convergence programs, including investment showcases, Media & Brand Day, the International Streaming Summit, an OST concert, and series screenings.