Actor Seo Kang-jun won the grand prize at the 2025 MBC Drama Awards 12 years after his debut. The meaning was deepened as actor Kang Tae-oh, who debuted with him in Surprise, also won the top excellence award at the same event.
On the 30th, at the 2025 MBC Drama Awards, Seo Kang-jun won the grand prize. It was the result of his performance as the lead Jeong Hae-seong in the 12-episode drama Undercover High School, which aired from Feb. 21 to March 29.
Undercover High School is a work that depicts the slapstick multiple high school exploits of a National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent who goes undercover as a high school student to trace the whereabouts of the missing gold bullion of Emperor Gojong, and it was loved, recording a peak nationwide household rating of 8.3% by Nielsen Korea. That was the highest rating among MBC miniseries and Friday-Saturday dramas broadcast this year.
In past broadcaster drama awards ceremonies, awards tended to be decided in order of a work's popularity and performance unless there was an upset. Therefore, the multiple wins by the Undercover High School team and Seo Kang-jun being at least a candidate for the grand prize and likely to win were widely predicted. Nevertheless, upon receiving the grand prize, Seo Kang-jun humbly said, "If I tell you how I feel now, I am more embarrassed than happy. I am very surprised and embarrassed."
He went on to first thank those he worked with, saying, "I thank my agency's CEO and all the staff. And thank you to the actors of Undercover." He added, "My family, I hope my mother and father stay healthy and I love them. And my sister, you are married—congratulations and live well. Congratulations on becoming family to my brother-in-law, too," directing a teasing, characteristic "real-life siblings" acceptance speech at his sister that drew laughter.
Seo Kang-jun officially debuted in 2013 through the web drama After School: Lucky or Not, and he has been loved for his exotic-looking eyes and solid "handsome actor" image. Through the drama Cheese in the Trap, he etched the image of a man who looks as if torn from a comic and was often referred to as the "original face genius."
But visuals are not all of Seo Kang-jun's filmography. Rather, he broadened his acting range through various genre dramas such as Are You Human?, The Third Charm, Watcher, When the Weather Is Fine, and Grid. He was even remembered for a role where he hid his looks with braces and painted-on freckles. Moreover, Undercover High School was Seo Kang-jun's comeback project after military service. Fans' support that his grand prize win meant that his acting and the work's achievements, which had been hidden by ratings, were now recognized seems to have grown even stronger.
Coincidentally on the same day, Kang Tae-oh, who debuted with Seo Kang-jun as part of the actor group Surprise, also enjoyed the honor of winning an award. Kang Tae-oh also debuted through After School: Lucky or Not. As a result of his passionate performance as one of the title roles, Lee Kang, in Moon River, he won the best couple award with Kim Se-jeong, who played Park Dal, and also received the miniseries male top excellence award.
Even after leaving the agency where they debuted, Seo Kang-jun and Kang Tae-oh still share the same agency, Man of Creation. Seo Kang-jun, who was a candidate for the miniseries male top excellence award alongside Kang Tae-oh, showed the reaction only close friends can—looking disappointed at missing the trophy for Kang Tae-oh's win—which drew laughter. Thus, 12 years after debut, Seo Kang-jun won the grand prize and Kang Tae-oh won the top excellence award and the best couple award, creating a double celebration. The warm trajectory of these close friends draws even more attention.
[Photo] Provided by MBC.
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