The SBS Entertainment Awards, another pillar of the year-end variety show showdown, is also drawing attention with a fiercely competitive field. Candidates who proved their presence in their respective roles have been named, and some figures will face the awards ceremony amid controversy and public attention.
The '2025 SBS Entertainment Awards,' held on the 30th, includes Yu Jae-seok, Jun Hyun-moo, Jee Seokjin, Tak Jae-Hoon, Shin Dong-yeob, Lee Sang Min and Seo Jang-hoon as grand prize contenders. The faces that have legitimately represented SBS entertainment have all assembled.
The most eye-catching figure is undoubtedly Yu Jae-seok. He led programs steadily this year, including Running Man and Whenever Possible, but this year he faced an unusually frequent share of unwanted 'backlash.' He was criticized for silence during Lee Yi-kyung's departure, and his name was again summoned as rumors about Cho Sae-ho spread. The production team and his agency issued direct explanations and the matter was settled, but it was a year that again revealed the burden and responsibility created by his position as the nation's MC. Nevertheless, the weight of his candidacy for the grand prize remains, given that he maintained the program's center and showed an unwavering presence.
Jun Hyun-moo is regarded as the candidate who had the most "dynamic year." Amid the fallout from the Park Narae controversy, suspicions about "injection procedures" also spread, but his agency's official explanation and the release of medical records fully dispelled the doubts. In addition, he recently took home the grand prize at the 2025 KBS Entertainment Awards, reversing the mood. Eyes are on whether Jun Hyun-moo, who stands at the center of entertainment moving between SBS and MBC, can also raise the trophy at SBS and achieve a "double crown."
Jee Seokjin's name cannot be left out. He, who has protected Running Man for a long time, has been mentioned as a grand prize candidate every year but has tasted defeat at decisive moments. In particular, the scene when his longtime close friend Yu Jae-seok won the grand prize — smiling through it but showing regret — is still talked about. This year, his name is again listed as a grand prize candidate, and even the members are cheering, saying "it's time for him to receive it now," focusing attention on the outcome.
Tak Jae-Hoon, Shin Dong-yeob, Lee Sang Min and Seo Jang-hoon have all built solid characters and narratives on their respective programs, so it would not be a surprise no matter who wins. That makes this year's SBS Entertainment Awards compressed into a field where "any winner would be acceptable."
Controversy and explanations, and quiet endurance. Among candidates who have passed through different times behind the seats that make people laugh, interest is growing over whose hands the honored grand prize trophy will land.
The '2025 SBS Entertainment Awards' will be broadcast live at 8:50 p.m. on the 30th.<
[Photo] OSEN DB / provided by SBS
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