Billed as a victory lap for a slate that delivered laughs, tears and everything in between, the show will gather SBS’s biggest variety stars under one roof. Here are the key storylines to watch.
▲ From "The Ballad of Us" to "Manager Seojin": Fresh SBS Hits that Ruled 2025
SBS rolled out a string of breakout newbies in 2025―"The Ballad of Us", "Manager Seojin", and "My Turn"―each grabbing big ratings and online buzz out of the gate. "The Ballad of Us", the first-ever ballad audition series, held the No. 1 spot among Tuesday variety shows in the 20-49 demo throughout its run and surpassed 100 million cumulative views across major platforms. "Manager Seojin" peaked at 5.5% in minute-by-minute ratings on its Dec. 26 episode and keeps trending up, while "My Turn" notched 10 million views even before its premiere. Notably, four new SBS titles―including "Island Hero"―also cracked Netflix’s Top 10.
▲ From "Running Man" to "My Little Old Boy": Flagship Hits Still Going Strong
"Running Man" celebrated its 15th anniversary while staying No. 1 in its time slot among 20-49s, proving the enduring power of Korea’s longest-running variety juggernaut. Sunday tentpole "My Little Old Boy" sparked fresh chatter with new cast additions Yoon Si-yoon, Jo Hyun-ah, Hyun Bong-shik and Jo Jin-se. "Kick a Goal" is expanding its universe with a new 2026 league in the works, "Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny"―the OG couples reality―kept uncovering new stories, and "Whenever Possible" kicked off Season 4 on Dec. 16, cementing its status as a successful seasonal format. Together, SBS’s variety slate remained a trusted national favorite―and a go-to comfort watch.
▲ The Stars Who Powered SBS in 2025―So Who Wins the Grand Prize?
Expect headline-making performances with SBS variety favorites taking the stage. The "The Ballad of Us" Top 12 will deliver a special set created just for the awards. Tak Jae-hoon of "My Turn" will mark his 30th debut anniversary with a surprise collaboration alongside rock band Crying Nut. On top of that, SBS variety stars are banding together for a one-off project group on the scale of ALLDAY PROJECT, and U-KNOW Yunho will perform a 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards version of his viral comeback hit "Thank U."
This year’s Grand Prize race is stacked with Yoo Jae-suk, Jun Hyun-moo, Tak Jae-hoon, Shin Dong-yup, Lee Sang-min, Seo Jang-hoon and Ji Seok-jin. After Yoo Jae-suk’s win last year, all eyes are on who lifts the trophy tonight.
The 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards will be hosted by Jun Hyun-moo, Cha Tae-hyun and Lee Su-ji, airing live tonight (Dec. 30) at 8:50 p.m. KST.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
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