Actor Shim Eun-kyung won Best Actress at Japan’s storied Kinema Junpo Awards, one of the country’s longest-running and most respected honors.
Her agency, Fanfare, said Shim attended the 99th Kinema Junpo Awards in Tokyo on the 19th and received the Best Ten Best Actress prize in person.
Founded in 1919, Kinema Junpo is Japan’s most prestigious film magazine. Its annual “Best Ten,” chosen by critics and journalists, is considered one of the most credible accolades in Japan.
Shim earned the trophy for Miyake Sho’s film "Two Seasons, Two Strangers," becoming the first Korean actor ever to win the award―and the first in 32 years since Ruby Moreno in 1993. The win came as "Two Seasons, Two Strangers" also claimed No. 1 in this year’s “Best Ten,” making the moment even more significant.
Taking the stage, a visibly moved Shim delivered a heartfelt speech to industry peers and the audience. “It’s an honor to receive an award at a ceremony with such a deep history like Kinema Junpo,” she said. “I’m especially happy to be recognized for 'Two Seasons, Two Strangers.'” She added, “Through this film, I truly felt the meaning and joy of making movies together.”
Shim also opened up about her struggles as an actor. “Being an ‘actor’ has often felt difficult and filled with doubt. There were moments I wanted to give up,” she shared. “But through this project, I resolved to keep moving forward. That promise was only possible because we created it ‘together,’” she said, expressing her deep affection for the film.
She thanked the team behind the project: “My sincere gratitude to director Miyake Sho and all the staff who created this set, to writer Tsuge Yoshiharu for this precious opportunity, and to my fellow actors.”
She closed with her outlook: “I won’t settle for the present. I’ll keep studying and working hard.”
Shim will continue meeting fans in Korea with nonstop activities. She returns to TV in March with the tvN drama "Mad Concrete Dreams," marking her first small-screen role in six years. In May, she takes on her first-ever domestic theater stage with the National Theater Company’s play "Banya Ajae."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)