Mediacorp actress Gladys Bay has won the Outstanding Asian Star: Singapore award at the 2026 Seoul International Drama Awards, securing 42.67 per cent of votes cast via the Idol Champ app. The win marks a career milestone for the 29-year-old, who was recognized for her role in the Channel 8 drama Under The Net.
Outstanding Asian Star: Singapore
The Outstanding Asian Star award, part of a six-nation category including China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, is determined through public voting. Bay secured 42.67 per cent of the votes cast via the Idol Champ app, outpacing actress Cheryl Chou, who earned 38.17 per cent in the Singapore category. Past Singaporean winners at the Korean award ceremony include Desmond Tan and Rebecca Lim.
Gladys Bay’s victory at the Seoul International Drama Awards underscores her growing prominence in the Southeast Asian entertainment scene. The 29-year-old, who rose to prominence after finishing as the first runner-up in the 2024 edition of Mediacorp’s talent competition Star Search, was recognized for her role in the Channel 8 netball-themed drama Under The Net (2025). The series also featured fellow Star Search 2024 finalists Gladys Ng and Cai Cheng Jun. Bay’s role in the show earned her the Best Rising Star award at Mediacorp’s Star Awards 2026.
In a press statement issued on July 24, Bay expressed gratitude to her supporters, calling the win a beautiful surprise.
Thank you to everyone who voted for me and supported my work. Your trust means so much to me,
she said. Bay will be at the Seoul International Drama Awards ceremony on Oct 8 to receive the award, as confirmed by Mediacorp.
Absolute Value Of Romance
Bay rose to prominence after appearing in the 2024 edition of Singapore broadcaster Mediacorp’s talent competition Star Search, in which she finished as the first runner-up. Her breakthrough came with Under The Net. The drama’s success led to her casting in the K-drama Absolute Value Of Romance (2026), where she played a Singaporean high school student on an exchange programme in South Korea. The 16-episode series, available on Coupang Play and Prime Video, featured South Korean stars Kim Hyang-gi, Cha Hak-yeon, and Kim Jae-hyun. Bay also appeared in the Mediacorp road-trip drama Highway To Somewhere (2026), in which she played a kidnapping victim.
The Seoul International Drama Awards ceremony, where Bay will receive her award, is scheduled for October 8. The event celebrates actors and actresses from participating countries, with winners selected through public voting. Other winners from the remaining countries include Blackpink member Jisoo, NCT member Jaemin, Yang Yang, Jin Akanishi, Paulo Avelino, and Becky Armstrong.
Star Awards 2026
The 31st edition of Star Awards 2026, held on April 19 at The Theatre at Mediacorp, featured special guests including Chinese actor-singer Luo Yunxi, Hong Kong stars Julian Cheung, Ada Choi, and Bowie Lam, as well as Taiwanese host Kevin Tsai and actor Jasper Liu. The night saw four stars—Guo Liang, Desmond Tan, Paige Chua, and Ya Hui—receive their tenth Top 10 Most Popular Artiste award, slating them to receive the All-Time Favourite Artiste Award next year. Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story (2025) won 11 awards, including Best Drama Serial.
Desmond Tan won Best Actor for his dual roles in Devil Behind the Gate (2025), while Jesseca Liu claimed Best Actress for her role in Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story. Tyler Ten won Best Supporting Actor for his role in the same series, and Chen Liping won Best Supporting Actress. Gladys Bay was awarded Best Rising Star for her role in Under the Net. The Young Talent Award went to child actress Ivory Chia for her role in Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story, where she played the young version of protagonist Zhang Xinniang.
Nick Teo, 36, won his first Top 10 Most Popular Male Artiste award, joining his actress wife Hong Ling, who also received the accolade. Andie Chen, 40, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and MyPick! The Most Hated Villain for his role in Fixing Fate, as well as Top 10 Most Popular Male Artiste, though he went home empty-handed.
All-Time Favourite Artiste Awards
The Most Popular Rising Stars award went to Tyler, Juin Teh, and Zhang Zetong. Actress-host Juin, who teared up on stage while giving her acceptance speech, spoke to media backstage about her first win: I would often doubt myself. And every time I did, someone would give me trust and a place to prove myself—including #JustSwipeLah and WonderShop… Sometimes you just need to prove yourself and you'll know that you're capable.
She admitted to telling people daily to cast votes for her, noting she felt “thick-skinned” as people sent her videos of them voting.
The All-Time Favourite Artiste Awards were presented to Romeo Tan, 41, and Carrie Wong, 32, the youngest recipient of the accolade. Preceding her is Joanne Peh, who received the honour two weeks before her 34th birthday in 2017. Bay’s latest accolade positions her as a rising star in both local and international entertainment circles. With her K-drama debut and continued success in Singaporean television, her career trajectory suggests further opportunities in cross-border collaborations. The Seoul International Drama Awards, which also featured winners from other Asian nations, highlight the growing influence of regional talent in global media.
Keep reading
