SBS's year-end variety extravaganza, the "2025 SBS Entertainment Awards," has locked in seven Daesang (Grand Prize) nominees, setting the stage for a fierce showdown. With the entertainers who lit up the year-end buzz all making the list, anticipation is surging over how the ceremony will end.
On the 24th, SBS announced this year's nominee lineup. The first name that jumps out is, of course, Yoo Jae-suk. This year, Yoo not only continued to anchor Running Man but also successfully led Whenever Possible, through Season 4, reaffirming his status as "the gold standard of variety."
Jun Hyun-moo is also seen as a formidable contender. He delivered steady hosting across formats like The Ballad of Us and JUNGLE BOB 2, becoming an indispensable face of SBS variety this year. After personally addressing the recent "in-car IV drip" allegation and putting the controversy to rest, attention is now on whether he'll take home the trophy.
Having already won the top honor at the "2025 KBS Entertainment Awards," Jun could clinch a rare double if he lifts the trophy at SBS as well. Right after winning, he said, "I believe my hometown, KBS, gave me a great gift," adding, "I'll work even harder for my hometown."
Following Yoo Jae-suk and Jun Hyun-moo, Tak Jae-hoon of My Little Old Boy and Invitation from Bacheloragains successfully reinvented himself through My Turn to join the final slate. Longtime My Little Old Boy pillars Shin Dong-yup and Seo Jang-hoon, Lee Sang-min—who drew attention with his candid talk and storytelling—and Running Man's dependable eldest member Ji Seok-jin round out the seven nominees.
With the entertainment world rocked by a string of incidents and controversies this year, there's keen interest in whether this awards show can shake off the heavy mood and truly end the year as a "festival."
The winner of the fiercely contested Daesang will be revealed live at 8:50 p.m. on the 30th, hosted by Jun Hyun-moo, Cha Tae-hyun, and Lee Soo-ji at the "2025 SBS Entertainment Awards."