Lee Sang-min took home the top honor at the 2025 SBS Entertainment Awards on Tuesday, with the ceremony highlighting his return after years of personal hardship while also honoring industry veterans and introducing a new AI-based award. Lee’s win resonated with viewers familiar with his long-publicized struggles, many of which have unfolded on SBS variety programs over the years. Beating out heavyweights such as Yoo Jae-suk and Jun Hyun-moo, Lee’s personal journey emerged as a defining storyline of the awards night. Lee has appeared on SBS’s long-running variety show “My Little Old Boy” since 2017, where his frugal lifestyle and candid portrayal of financial difficulties earned him the nickname “Gungsang-min,” a play on his name meaning someone who lives in extreme thrift. He also spent four years and five months on “Dolsing Fourmen,” a talk-variety program that recently ended its run. Accepting the grand prize, Lee became emotional as he reflected on how openly his life has been documented on television. “I never imagined that just showing how hard I struggle to get