Industry

Screenwriter Eun-sook Kim has been named the recipient of the Golden Bird Prize, the highest honor presented by the Seoul International Drama Awards Organizing Committee (SDAOC). Kim is behind a string of internationally recognized dramas, including Lovers in Paris, Secret Garden, Descendants of the Sun, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Mr. Sunshine, The Glory and Genie, Make a Wish. The Golden Bird Prize is awarded directly by SDAOC and recognizes creators and productions based on criteria including depth of message, originality, global appeal, and achievements that have pushed the artistic boundaries of television series.

Kim’s recognition marks the first time a screenwriter has received the Golden Bird Prize. The award was first presented in 2023, when it went to the Disney+ series Big Bet and actor Min-sik Choi. In 2024, director Chan-wook Park, co-showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s The Sympathizer, received the prize, followed by Ben Stiller, director of Apple TV+’s Severance S2, in 2025.

Kim began establishing her distinctive creative universe with Lovers in Paris, which recorded a 57.6% viewership rating. She subsequently developed what became known as the Eun-sook Kim World through titles such as Secret Garden and The Heirs, with memorable characters and lines that became cultural phenomena. Her relationship with the Seoul International Drama Awards now comes full circle. Fifteen years after receiving the Outstanding Korean Screenwriter prize, Kim will return to the SDA stage in 2026 to accept its highest honor, the Golden Bird Prize.

The SDA 2026 Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 8, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul. The ceremony will air live on MBC and stream simultaneously on the official Seoul International Drama Awards YouTube channel.