2016 APAN Star Awards: Winners and Ceremony Overview

The 5th APAN Star Awards took place on October 2, 2016, in Seoul, South Korea. This annual ceremony honors excellence in South Korean television dramas broadcast between September 2015 and September 2016. The event is recognized for celebrating both domestic achievements and contributions to the broader Asia-Pacific entertainment landscape.

2016 APAN Star Awards ceremony — The 5th APAN Star Awards ceremony held in Seoul in 2016.

Major Award Winners

The 2016 ceremony was notably dominated by the success of the drama Descendants of the Sun, which received the Grand Prize and the award for Best Drama. Below are the primary winners across major categories:

Grand Prize: Song Joong-ki (Descendants of the Sun)
Best Drama: Descendants of the Sun
Best Actor (Mini Series): Cho Jin-woong (Signal)
Best Actress (Mini Series): Han Hyo-joo (W)
Best Actor (Serial Drama): Ahn Jae-wook (Five Enough)
Best Actress (Serial Drama): Kim So-yeon (Happy Home)
Best Couple: Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo (Descendants of the Sun)

Additional Categories

The awards also recognized excellence in supporting roles, new talent, and technical contributions to the industry.

Best Supporting Actor: Jin Goo (Descendants of the Sun) and Kim Eui-sung (W)
Best Supporting Actress: Kim Ji-won (Descendants of the Sun) and Ye Ji-won (Another Miss Oh)
Best New Actor: Park Bo-gum (Reply 1988) and Yun Kyun-sang (Doctors)
Best New Actress: Kim You-jung (Love in the Moonlight) and Hyeri (Reply 1988)
Best Director: Shin Won-ho (Reply 1988)
Best Screenplay: Kim Eun-hee (Signal)

International Recognition

The 2016 APAN Star Awards included categories designed to honor international collaboration and global influence. The Asia-Pacific Star Award was presented to several actors from across the region, including Song Joong-ki, Kim Hee-seon, Thanayong Wongtrakul, Jessy Mendiola, Hiroki Narimiya, and Joe Taslim. Additionally, the Global Star Award was presented to Lee Byung-hun.