The 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards recently celebrated the best of K-content, with Netflix’s “When Life Gives You Tangerines” taking the grand prize, and stars like IU, TXT’s Yeonjun, Kian84, and Hyeri earning major accolades.
A Night of Stars and Streaming Success
The prestigious 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards unfolded on July 18 at the Paradise City Hotel in Incheon. Hosts Jun Hyun Moo and YoonA returned for their fourth consecutive year, steering the star-studded event.
This year highlighted the surging popularity of South Korea’s Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms. Many major releases are now skipping traditional broadcasters, heading straight to global streaming services, making the competition fiercer than ever.
“When Life Gives You Tangerines” Dominates
Netflix’s original series, “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” was the night’s biggest winner, clinching the Daesang, or Grand Prize. The show’s lead, IU (Lee Ji Eun), also took home the Best Actor award, a significant recognition of her performance.
Accepting her award, IU shared, “This will likely remain the proudest work of my life. It made me feel more alive and expressive than ever.” She dedicated her win to the characters and the dreams they embodied.
Yeom Hye Ran, who played Gwang Rye in the series, won Best Supporting Actor. Overwhelmed by the support, she thanked the writer and director for the “once-in-a-lifetime project.” Even Park Bo Gum, who had a memorable role, accepted the Best Show award for the series, thanking the crew and his co-stars.
Other Major Wins and Emotional Speeches
Another Netflix hit, “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call,” also had a strong showing. It was named Best Drama, with Ju Ji-hoon earning Best Actor and Choo Young-woo winning Best New Actor for their roles in the medical series.
Ju Ji-hoon acknowledged the challenge of adapting a comic book, thanking everyone who helped bring it to life. Lee Kwang Soo also secured Best Supporting Actor for his work in “Karma.” His acceptance speech brought humor, referencing a funny dream shared by D.O. about a hair transplant.
Key Award Winners
- Grand Prize (Daesang): When Life Gives You Tangerines (Netflix)
- Best Drama: The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (Netflix)
- Best Actress: IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
- Best Actor: Ju Ji Hoon (The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call)
- Best Male Entertainer: Kian84 (Kian’s Bizarre B&B)
- Best Supporting Actress: Yeom Hye Ran (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
- Best Supporting Actor: Lee Kwang Soo (Karma)
- Best OST Popularity Award: TXT’s Yeonjun (Cinderella at 2 AM)
- Upbit Popularity Stars: Park Bo Gum, Hyeri, Lee Jun Hyuk, IU
The 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards truly showcased the immense talent thriving within South Korea’s booming streaming content landscape, celebrating both established stars and rising newcomers.
