The 2025 APAN Star Awards turned into a night of celebration, emotion and star power as the prestigious ceremony was held at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza on December 29. Honouring excellence across television and streaming content released between November 2024 and October 2025, the event brought together some of the biggest names in Korean entertainment.
The evening belonged to IU, who emerged as the undisputed highlight after winning the coveted Grand Prize (Daesang). Her acclaimed series When Life Gives You Tangerines also took home the top honour for Best Drama, cementing its status as one of the most impactful shows of the year.
IU’s emotional Daesang moment
Accepting the Daesang, IU appeared visibly moved as she reflected on the journey of When Life Gives You Tangerines
and its emotional resonance. “When Life Gives You Tangerines is a proud and precious piece of work that I will always treasure, just for having participated in it,” she said during her speech.
IU wins the Daesang award at the APAN Star Awards 2025. pic.twitter.com/885plAymG1
— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 29, 2025
She went on to connect the show’s themes with everyday life, adding, “Our work is about people living each day diligently. I sincerely hope that all viewers who have shown support, understanding, and empathy for their lives will find a wonderful and enchanting reward, like the rapeseed fields that Ae-sun and Gwan-sik walked through, waiting for them at their next crossroads.”
The drama further strengthened its dominance at the awards by winning Best Director for Kim Won-seok, underscoring its strong storytelling and emotional depth.
Lee Jun Ho’s big wins and standout performances
Another major winner of the night was Lee Jun Ho, who reinforced his global popularity by taking home three awards. He won Best Actor (Top Excellence Award, Miniseries) for Typhoon Family, along with the Idol Champ Popularity Award (Actor) and the Idol Champ Global Star Award.
Several other performances were also recognised across categories, celebrating both established stars and emerging talent. Cha Joo-young won the Top Excellence Award for Actress in a Miniseries for The Queen Who Crowns, while Ahn Jae-wook and Uhm Ji-won claimed top honours in the serial drama categories for For Eagle Brothers.
New talent shone brightly as well, with Lee Chae-min and Kang You-seok sharing the Best New Actor award, and Ha-young and Hong Hwa-yeon being named Best New Actress. When Life Gives You Tangerines continued its strong showing with wins in the child actor category, highlighting its impact across age groups.
