The Asian Academy Creative Awards just shook up the entertainment world, and China emerged as the undisputed champion in the scripted categories, leaving everyone talking. But here’s where it gets even more fascinating: Singapore’s Ivory Chia stole the spotlight as the youngest actor ever to win at the AACA, clinching Best Supporting Actress in a nail-biting tiebreaker. And this is the part most people miss—China’s wins for Best Feature Film (“MuMu”) and Best Drama Series (“Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty: To The West”) were anything but predictable. The drama series victory, in particular, was a heart-stopper, with China edging out Korea’s heavily favored “When Life Gives You Tangerines” by a razor-thin 0.06 points. Was it a fair win, or did the judges miss the mark? Let’s discuss in the comments!
Overall, Japan and Singapore dominated with six awards each, followed by Korea and India with five. China and Hong Kong SAR each took home four, while Taiwan secured three. Australia, Malaysia, and the Philippines grabbed two wins apiece, and Thailand rounded out the list with one. The ceremony, held at Singapore’s historic Capitol Theatre, was packed with record-breaking moments, including Ivory Chia’s historic win at just nine years old for her role in “Emerald Hill: The Little Nonya Story.”
Netflix’s “The Queen of Villains” was another standout, with Yuriyan Retriever beating out heavyweights like Cate Blanchett and Kim Minha for Best Leading Actress. Did Yuriyan truly deserve the win, or was this a missed opportunity for Blanchett? Share your thoughts below! The show also snagged Best Direction (Fiction) for Kazuya Shiraishi. Hong Kong SAR’s four wins were particularly poignant, coming on the heels of the tragic fires that devastated the territory last week.
India’s streaming platforms made waves, with Prime Video’s “The Traitors India” and Netflix’s “Black Warrant” each bagging two awards. Karan Johar’s win for Best Entertainment Host for “The Traitors” was a highlight, but is he truly the best, or are there more deserving hosts out there? Korea’s victories included Best Comedy Program for “Head Over Heels” and Best General Entertainment Program for “2024 MAMA Awards.”
Documentaries shone across the region, with Australia’s “Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story,” Japan’s “Hiroshima’s Tower of Life,” and Singapore’s “Addicted – The Synthetic Curse” taking top honors. Which documentary left the biggest impact on you? The competition was fierce, with 11 nations and territories battling across 40 categories, and often, the top contenders were separated by just a single point.
Here’s the full list of winners, but before you dive in, ask yourself: Which win surprised you the most, and which snub still has you scratching your head?
Complete List of Winners:
- Best Children’s Program: “Super Guardians: Polar Rescue” (Korea)
- Best Animation: “My Melody & Kuromi” (Japan)
- Best Short Form (Non-Scripted): “Diablo: Father Antonio Beyond The Veil” (Singapore)
- Best Short Form (Scripted): “The Lines in My Head” (Hong Kong SAR)
- Best Branded Program: “Monumental Macao” (Singapore)
- Best Promo or Trailer: “Never Too Late” (Hong Kong SAR)
- Best Documentary Program (One-Off): “Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story” (Australia)
- Best News Program: “Cracking the Case: New Testimonies and Evidence in the Setagaya Family Murder” (Japan)
- Best Adaptation of an Existing Format (Non-Scripted): “The Traitors S1” (India)
- Best Original Production by a Streamer (Non-Fiction): “It’s OK to Feel Bad” (Chinese Mainland)
- Best Documentary History: “Hiroshima’s Tower of Life” (Japan)
- Best Cinematography (Non-Fiction): Jam Yau for “Monumental Macao” (Hong Kong SAR)
- Best Direction (Non-Fiction): Rowena Loh for “Karikal Mahal: A Silent Witness” (Singapore)
- Best Infotainment Program: “Tech for Good: Robotics Inspired by Nature” (Korea)
- Best Game or Quiz Program: “SME S.W.A.T.” (Malaysia)
- Best Editing: Tanya Chhabria for “Black Warrant” (India)
- Best Adaptation of an Existing Format (Scripted): “Saving Grace” (Philippines)
- Best Cinematography (Fiction): Pei Ji-wei for “Black Tide Island” (Taiwan)
- Best Lifestyle Program: “Tokyo by Night” (Japan)
- Best Factual Presenter: Amish Tripathi for “Legends of Shiva with Amish” (India)
- Best Documentary Series: “Addicted – The Synthetic Curse” (Singapore)
- Best Original Production by a Streamer (Fiction): “Study Group” (Korea)
- Best Music Or Dance Program: “Singer 2025” (Chinese Mainland)
- Best Sound: Kunal Sharma for “Black Warrant” (India)
- Best Single Drama/Telemovie/Anthology Episode: “Granny Must Die” (Taiwan)
- Best General Entertainment Program: “2024 MAMA Awards” (Korea)
- Best Theme Song or Title Theme: “Bebas” by Andy Gan, Afrah Athasha, Zalelo for “Korban Part 2” (Singapore)
- Best Entertainment Host: Karan Johar for “The Traitors” (India)
- Best Non-Scripted Entertainment: “Muster Dogs Series 3” (Australia)
- Best Comedy Program: “Head Over Heels” (Korea)
- Best Screenplay: Tanida Hantaweewatana, Vasudhorn Piyaromna, Pattaranad Bhiboonsawade for “Mad Unicorn” (Thailand)
- Best Visual Or Special VFX: Moonshine Studio for “Black Tide Island” (Taiwan)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Hisyam Hamid for “Memori” (Malaysia)
- Best Actor/Actress in a Comedy Role: Jinny Ng for “Battle Of Marriage” (Hong Kong SAR)
- Best Direction (Fiction): Kazuya Shiraishi for “The Queen of Villains” (Japan)
- Best Feature Film: “MuMu” (Chinese Mainland)
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Ivory Chia for “Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story” (Singapore)
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: Dennis Trillo for “Green Bones” (Philippines)
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Yuriyan Retriever for “The Queen of Villains” (Japan)
- Best Drama Series: “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty: To The West” (Chinese Mainland)
So, what’s your take? Which wins were well-deserved, and which ones left you questioning the judges’ choices? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments!
