Yook Sung-jae is the chosen male actor of 2026.

[OSEN=Reporter Choi Yi-jeong] On the 6th, Yook Sung-jae won the Male Actor (Drama) award for the most promising actor to lead 2026 at the '2026 Korea First Brand Awards'.

Through his agency, Yook Sung-jae said, "I am honored to be able to start the new year with such a meaningful award," and added, "I will work even harder to live up to the title of actor who will lead 2026."

He said, "I am grateful and love our Melody and Ochil (fandom name) who have always been my strong supporters."

This award is the result of Yook Sungjae's all-round performance across dramas, music, and variety shows over the past year. In particular, his passionate performance as Yoon Gap, a prosecutor possessed by the evil Imoogi Kang Cheol in the SBS drama "Ghost Palace," not only maintained the highest viewership ratings in its time slot throughout its run, but also ranked first in 89 global OTT platforms. Last year, Yook Sungjae released his first mini-album "All About Blue" and showcased his mature vocal abilities with the title track "Ijeya." He also successfully completed his solo fan concert "THE BLUE JOURNEY" across Asia, including Seoul, Japan, and Hong Kong. He also revealed his daily life living alone for eight years for the first time on MBC's "I Live Alone," exuding a friendly and easygoing charm. Since its airing, it has led the Friday variety show viewership ratings to number one.

https://m.entertain.naver.com/home/article/109/0005458120