The Netflix series 'You Have Been Fooled' has won the Grand Prize.
The series, written by Im Sang-chun, directed by Kim Won-seok, and produced by Pan Entertainment in collaboration with Baram Pictures, received the Grand Prize in the mid-to-long form category at the '2025 New Media Content Awards' held on the 17th at COEX in Seoul.
Judges at the '2025 New Media Content Awards' praised 'You Have Been Fooled' for "expanding regional specificity into universal emotions, showcasing the cultural diversity and potential of K-content."
Pan Entertainment CEO Park Sang-hyun expressed gratitude, saying, "Thanks to the global audience who loved 'You Have Been Fooled,' we have reached this honorable position." He also thanked the staff, writer, director, and actors.
Park further added, "Above all, I sincerely thank the global viewers who loved our work. We will do our best to bring more great works in the future, so please watch us with affection."
'You Have Been Fooled' is a series that unfolds the adventurous life of 'rebellious rascal' Aesoon (played by IU) and 'unyielding iron man' Gwansik (played by Park Bo-gum) across four seasons in Jeju. It has been praised for its intricate script, delicate direction, and the perfect harmony of the actors' performances.
Upon its initial release, 'You Have Been Fooled' quickly rose to No. 1 on Netflix Korea and No. 4 in the global TOP 10 (non-English), receiving explosive reactions. It later topped the global TOP 10 series (non-English) category and maintained its position in the TOP 10 for eight weeks, drawing attention. In the first half of the year, it recorded approximately 35 million views (calculated by dividing total viewing hours by the runtime), captivating audiences worldwide.
Notably, 'You Have Been Fooled' has been recognized for both its popularity and artistic merit, being nominated for the most categories and winning multiple awards at various content ceremonies this year, including four awards at the '61st Baeksang Arts Awards,' three awards at the '4th Blue Dragon Series Awards,' and three awards at the '2025 International Streaming Festival' Global OTT Awards.
Reporter: Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr