A homecoming for the ages: Star Awards 2025 marks 30 years of stories, stars and the road ahead
Singapore, 6 July 2025 – Three decades after its inaugural curtain-call in 1994, Star Awards 红星大奖 marked its 30th anniversary by bridging past triumphs with future promise. With cross-generation duo Guo Liang 郭亮 and Chantalle Ng 黄暄婷 at the helm, over 200 stars filled The Theatre at Mediacorp for Singapore’s biggest celebration of content and talent in the local Chinese entertainment industry, making for a night that transformed the Star Awards 2025 (SA2025) theme, “Walking Through Time Together” 时光同行, from a retrospective into a renewed vow to raise the bar.
If one artiste embodied the celebration’s past-meets-future spirit, it was Christopher Lee 李铭顺, who emerged as the night’s biggest winner. Exactly 30 years after finishing first runner-up in Star Search 1995, the homegrown star marked his homecoming with a trio of honours: “Best Actor” for the boundary-pushing thriller Kill Sera Sera 谁杀了她; “Best Programme Host” for Dishing With Chris Lee S2 阿顺有煮意 S2 – a programme itself named “Best Entertainment Programme” – and, crowning it all, the “Special Achievement Award”, a fitting tribute he accepted from Guest-of-Honour Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information. The hat trick adds to Christopher’s growing list of “Best Actor” accolades from prestigious award ceremonies in Taiwan, making for a portfolio that proves homegrown artistes can hold their own among the region’s best.
As local talents make their mark abroad, regional stars have also found compelling opportunities in Singapore’s productions. A perfect example is Hong Kong actress Jessica Hsuan 宣萱, whose performance opposite Christopher in Kill Sera Sera scored her a “Best Actress” win.
While new chapters are written, constants remain. Beloved household names Chen Hanwei 陈汉玮 and Cynthia Koh 许美珍 took home “Best Supporting Actor” and “Best Supporting Actress” for their work in Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 and Hope Afloat 浴水重生 respectively, affirming the staying power of performers who have grown alongside the industry. On the audio front, Mediacorp YES 933’s Zhong Kun Hua 钟坤华 took home “Best Audio Personality”, a nod to his prowess in blending radio’s timeless magic with today’s formats, across livestreams, podcasts and shortform video content.
True to Mediacorp’s commitment to nurture the stars of tomorrow, the night also cast a spotlight on a new guard of stars. For his standout performance in Unforgivable, Tyler Ten 邓伟德 earned the title of “Best Rising Star”. Meanwhile, Ayden Sng 孙政, Tyler Ten 邓伟德 and Zhang Ze Tong 张哲通 took home “Most Popular Rising Star” through audience votes.
And as the spotlight turned to the “Top 10 Most Popular Male/Female Artistes” awards, the night’s loudest cheers erupted when fan favourites Romeo Tan 陈罗密欧 and Carrie Wong 黄思恬 secured their tenth and final trophies in this category, heralding their induction into the “All-Time Favourite Artiste” Hall of Fame. Fellow winners include hosts Chantalle Ng 黄暄婷 and Guo Liang 郭亮, first-time “Top 10” winners Richie Koh 许瑞奇 and Zong Zijie 宗子杰, LOVE 972 DJs Marcus Chin 陈建彬 and Chen Biyu 陈碧玉, as well as Tasha Low 刘怡伶, Ya Hui 雅慧, Hong Ling 洪凌, Xu Bin 徐彬, Desmond Tan 陈泂江, Jeremy Chan 田铭耀 and more.
As Programme awards returned to the live show for the first time since 2022, police procedural Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 – lauded for its unflinching exploration of sex crimes – took home the night’s top honour: “Best Drama Serial”. Capping its run as Singapore’s highest-rated drama in 2024, these wins reflect a growing appetite on the part of both industry and audiences for bold, nuanced storytelling that continue to push creative boundaries. And on the audio front, Mediacorp YES 933’s The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio 双节坤佳 claimed “Best Radio Programme”, ending Mediacorp LOVE 972 The Breakfast Quartet’s four-year streak in a show of the competitive spirit that drives excellence in the evolving space.
For the full list of winners, please refer to Annex A.
Angeline Poh, Chief Customer & Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp, said: “Star Awards 2025 marked a celebration of how far Singapore storytelling has come and the possibilities that lie ahead. To every winner, nominee and fan: thank you for walking this journey with us. Your dedication has turned dreams into milestones, setting the stage for even greater things to come. The new chapter begins now, and together we will keep raising the bar as we strive to grow the love for Singapore’s stories among audiences at home and beyond.”
In a nod to continuity, the next chapter opened with familiar faces returning to the stage. Joining the celebrations was legendary superstar Chow Yun-fat 周润发, who presented the “Top 10 Most Popular Male / Female Artiste” awards. His return to Star Awards after first presenting at its inaugural edition in 1994 lent extraordinary gravitas, standing as the epitome of this year’s theme: “Walking Through Time Together”. Fellow titan Sean Lau 刘青云 also marked his return to the awards ceremony after 25 years to confer the “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” accolades, symbolically bridging Singapore’s showbiz scene with the larger Asian stage.
Homegrown luminaries shone just as brightly. 26 “All-Time Favourite Artistes” – led by icons such as Zoe Tay 郑惠玉, Li Nanxing 李南星, Christopher Lee 李铭顺 and Fann Wong 范文芳; and joined by this year’s new inductees Yvonne Lim 林湘萍 and Pornsak – gathered on stage for a once-in-a-generation portrait of Singapore screen royalty. One by one, they passed the torch by presenting the awards for the very categories they dominate, turning each hand-off into a reminder of how far local entertainment has come and how brightly its future will still burn.
Capping the evening, national icon Kit Chan 陈洁仪commanded the stage with a sweeping medley that spanned three decades of drama theme songs – from beloved early classics such as Home Affairs 家事 from the 2000 drama of the same name to period blockbuster Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story’s haunting Echoes of Petals 落花如雨. Backed by a full orchestra and cinematic visuals, her performance fused nostalgia with fresh energy, making for a reminder that great melodies, like great stories, never age.
The festivities continued with the Backstage LIVE commentary marathon and the Post-Show Party. Beyond candid scoops on the night’s glitz, glamour and extended acceptance speeches, both shows also saw the presentation of fan-driven awards. Of these were three MyPick! Awards, which saw Jesseca Liu 刘子绚taking home “The Show Stealer” for her performance in Unforgivable; Hong Ling 洪凌 earning “Most Emotional Performance” for the same title; and Hope Afloat’s Chantalle Ng 黄暄婷 and Zhang Ze Tong 张哲通 crowned “Favourite CP”. Testament to her growing star power, Chantalle also earned the “Bioskin Most Charismatic Award”, adding to her growing list of accolades.
But the night wasn’t just about celebrities – fans also had their moment in the spotlight. Edmund Ku 邱明财, a fan who voted in the BYD “Favourite Character” category walked away with more than just bragging rights – he also scored a BYD Sealion 7, an all-electric SUV worth S$94,888 (excluding COE). Selected via an electronic draw witnessed by independent auditors, he celebrated his win alongside Romeo Tan 陈罗密欧 and Carrie Wong 黄思恬, whose performances in Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories@Job Haunting III 周公讲鬼@行行再见鬼 and Coded Love 爱不虚拟 were crowned “BYD Favourite Male Character” and “BYD Favourite Female Character” respectively. In a moment that went beyond the prize, the celebration became a tribute to the shared successes between stars and their fans – a relationship always at the heart of the Star Awards.
The SA2025 Live Show, Walk of Fame, Backstage LIVE marathon and Post-Awards Party are available on demand via mewatch and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel. Fans can also catch a repeat telecast of the Walk of Fame and Live Show on Channel 8 on 28 April at 2.00pm – 3.30pm and 3.30pm – 6.30pm respectively.
For more information, please refer to www.mediacorp.sg/StarAwards.
- end -
Annex A – Winners of Star Awards 2025
Performance Awards
|
Special Achievement Award特别成就奖 |
|
Artiste |
|
Christopher Lee 李铭顺 |
|
Best Actor 最佳男主角 |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Christopher Lee 李铭顺 |
Kill Sera Sera 谁杀了她 |
|
Best Actress 最佳女主角 |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Jessica Hsuan 宣萱 |
Kill Sera Sera 谁杀了她 |
|
Best Supporting Actor 最佳男配角 |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Chen Hanwei 陈汉玮 |
Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 |
|
Best Supporting Actress最佳女配角 |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Cynthia Koh 许美珍 |
Hope Afloat 浴水重生 |
|
Best Programme Host (Entertainment & Infotainment) 最佳综艺及资讯节目主持人 |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Christopher Lee 李铭顺 |
Dishing With Chris Lee S2 阿顺有煮意 S2 |
|
Best Audio Personality 最佳主持人（广播/播客类) |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Zhong Kun Hua 钟坤华 |
The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio 双节坤佳 |
|
Young Talent Award 青苹果奖 |
||
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
Character |
|
Lincoln Ang 洪御凯 |
Born to Shine 孺子可教也 |
远场 |
|
Best Rising Star 最佳潜力星 |
|
|
Artiste |
Programme Title |
|
Tyler Ten 邓伟德 |
Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 |
Popularity Awards
|
All-Time Favourite Artiste Award超级红星奖 |
|
|
Name |
中文名字 |
|
Yvonne Lim |
林湘萍 |
|
Pornsak |
- |
|
Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes 十大最受欢迎女艺人 |
|
|
Name |
中文名字 |
|
Carrie Wong |
黄思恬 |
|
Chantalle Ng |
黄暄婷 |
|
Chen Biyu |
陈碧玉 |
|
Chen Ning |
陈宁 |
|
Denise Camillia Tan |
陈楚寰 |
|
Gao Meigui |
高美贵 |
|
Hong Ling |
洪凌 |
|
Paige Chua |
蔡琦慧 |
|
Tasha Low |
刘怡伶 |
|
Ya Hui |
雅慧 |
|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes 十大最受欢迎男艺人 |
|
|
Name |
中文名字 |
|
Benjamin Tan |
陈丰谚 |
|
Desmond Tan |
陈泂江 |
|
Guo Liang |
郭亮 |
|
Jeff Goh |
|
|
Jeremy Chan |
田铭耀 |
|
Marcus Chin |
陈建彬 |
|
Richie Koh |
许瑞奇 |
|
Romeo Tan |
陈罗密欧 |
|
Xu Bin |
徐彬 |
|
Zong Zijie |
宗子杰 |
|
Most Popular Rising Stars 最受欢迎潜力星 |
|
|
Name |
中文名字 |
|
Ayden Sng |
孙政 |
|
Tyler Ten |
邓伟德 |
|
Zhang Ze Tong |
张哲通 |
Programme Awards
|
Best Drama Serial最佳戏剧 |
|
Programme Title |
|
Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 |
|
Best Entertainment Programme最佳综艺节目 |
|
Programme Title |
|
Dishing With Chris Lee S2 阿顺有煮意 S2 |
|
Best Infotainment Programme最佳资讯节目 |
|
Programme Title |
|
Legends of Singapore Comedy 逗笑人间60年 |
|
Best Short-form Entertainment Programme 最佳短篇综艺节目 |
|
Programme Title |
|
#JustSwipeLah #刷一刷 |
|
Best Radio Programme 最佳电台节目 |
|
|
Programme Title |
Radio Station |
|
The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio 双节坤佳 |
Mediacorp YES 933 |
|
Best Theme Song 最佳主题曲 |
||
|
Song Title |
Programme Title |
Singer |
|
Remnants 残念 |
Once Upon A New Year's Eve 那一年的除夕夜 |
Jim Lim 林倛玉 |
Awards presented exclusively at SA2025 Backstage LIVE and Walk of Fame
MY PICK! Awards
|
Favourite CP 最强 CP |
||
|
Artistes |
Characters |
Programme Title |
|
Chantalle Ng 黄暄婷 & |
Xu Tian Qing 许天晴 & |
Hope Afloat |
|
The Show Stealer 最吸睛角色 |
||
|
Artiste |
Character |
Programme Title |
|
Jesseca Liu 刘子绚 |
Gao Shu Ya 高舒亚 |
Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 |
|
Most Emotional Performance - 最赚人热泪奖 |
||
|
Artiste |
Character |
Programme Title |
|
Hong Ling洪凌 |
Guan Lin 关霖 |
Unforgivable 不可饶恕的罪恶 |
|
Bioskin Most Charismatic Award Bioskin魅力四射奖 |
|
Artiste |
|
Chantalle Ng 黄暄婷 |
|
BYD Favourite Female Character Award 比亚迪最喜爱女角色奖 |
||
|
Artiste |
Character |
Programme Title |
|
Carrie Wong 黄思恬 |
林思雨 |
Coded Love 爱不虚拟 |
|
BYD Favourite Male Character Award 比亚迪最喜爱男角色奖 |
||
|
Artiste |
Character |
Programme Title |
|
Romeo Tan 陈罗密欧 |
Hendrix |
Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories@Job Haunting III |
