Actor Seo Kangjoon (32) has won his first-ever Grand Prize for acting, 12 years after his debut.
At the 2025 MBC Drama Awards held on December 30 at the MBC Public Hall in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Seo Kangjoon received the Grand Prize for his role in the Friday-Saturday drama "Undercover High School." He said, "Rather than feeling happy, I am extremely flustered and surprised. Since this was my first project after returning from military service, I missed being on set so much. I am grateful to receive such a significant award."
He became emotional and added, "I will act with even more passion so that I can be an actor who is irreplaceable until the very end."
"Undercover High School," which recorded the highest viewership rating among MBC dramas this year at 8.3%, swept four awards that night, including Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor, and Drama of the Year, in addition to the Grand Prize. The drama tells the story of a top National Intelligence Service agent who goes undercover as a high school student and excels in his mission.
Seo Kangjoon first gained recognition as a member of the actor group "Surprise" in 2012 and officially debuted in 2013. He has since appeared in numerous works, including "Cheese in the Trap" and "When the Weather Is Fine." He enlisted in the Army in November 2021, was discharged on May 22, 2023, and chose this drama as his comeback project.
"The Moon Flows Over the Igang" also made a strong showing. This drama produced winners in a total of seven categories, including Best Actor and Best Actress (Kang Taeoh and Kim Sejeong), Best Character (Jin Goo), and Best Couple, making it the most-awarded drama of the night.
The Best Actor and Actress awards in the miniseries category went jointly to Jin Kijoo of "Undercover High School" and Kim Sejeong and Kang Taeoh of "The Moon Flows Over the Igang." In the daily and one-act drama category, the Best Actor and Actress awards went to Jang Shinyoung ("Woman Who Swallowed the Sun") and Song Changui ("Kind Seonju").
The Best Actor awards were claimed by Jung Kyungho and Lee Seyoung. Jung Kyungho said, "I received this award on behalf of the staff," giving credit to the crew, while Lee Seyoung commented, "My job satisfaction is at its peak," and promised to repay the love through her acting.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was posthumously given to the late veteran actor Lee Sunjae, who passed away last month. Lee Seunghee, who accepted the award on his behalf, paid tribute by saying, "He always tried not to cause any inconvenience to fellow actors and staff until the very end."
Additionally, the Excellence in Acting awards went to Na Inwoo and Lee Sunbin (miniseries), and Oh Changseok and Yoon Ahjeong (daily and one-act). The Rookie of the Year award was shared by four actors: Lee Chaemin, Lee Shinyoung, Jo Aram, and Hong Sujoo.
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