Actors Won Hyang-ra and Kang Seung-ho will receive the Actor of the Year award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).
The Actor of the Year award is intended to discover actors who have demonstrated brilliant performances and potential among works featured in the "Vision - Korea Section". Selected as jurors this year, Yoo Yeon-seok and Ko A-sung chose Won Hyang-ra from "Beyond Love's Horizon" and Kang Seung-ho from "Cosmic Trace".
Explaining the primary focus of their evaluation, the two jurors stated, "It is quite rare for an actor to judge another actor's performance. If an opportunity like this ever came, we wanted to focus on an actor's 'professionalism.'"
They continued, "Rather than the charm of a fresh and pure image, a mask that feels mysterious to critics, or an untamed, raw quality, when we see an actor who keeps their body open in the direction the story unfolds, listens to the director's guidance while internalizing it as their own, accurately perceives the distance between the camera and themselves in the film, and displays confidence through that awareness, the audience gains trust along with a sense of stability and becomes fully immersed in the film," explaining why they selected Won Hyang-ra and Kang Seung-ho as the recipients.
Yoo Yeon-seok and Ko A-sung conveyed, "Actor Won Hyang-ra's performance in 'Beyond Love's Horizon' was, quite literally, that of a professional actor. Along with our heartfelt applause, we would like to present her with the Actor of the Year award."
"Beyond Love's Horizon" is a work that captures the journey of a married couple becoming parents. Directed by Park Songyeol, the film features Won Hyang-ra not only in the lead role but also active as a producer. The two are a real-life married couple who unraveled their autobiographical story in an honest voice.
Regarding Kang Seung-ho, they praised, "He demonstrated the ability to lead the drama with a steady presence not typical of a newcomer. His comfortable delivery of lines and unexaggerated emotional expression were impressive, conveying the character's emotions naturally and convincingly. His delicate emotional expression and the varied layers of feeling held in his gaze provided deep insight into the character's inner world."
They also added, "We selected him as a recipient by highly evaluating not only his current acting completeness, but also his growth potential as an actor who can actively perform in even more diverse works moving forward."
"Cosmic Trace" is a film portraying the story of Hyun-ji, an assistant YouTube producer, and Ji-hyun, an unknown actor, who continue living together amid anxiety about reality and the future, only to confront sudden death and seek the meaning of existence amid life's uncertainties. Kang Seung-ho, who played the lead, is an actor who previously drew attention through the film "House of the Seasons," which was released in 2024.
The presentation of the Actor of the Year award is scheduled to take place at the closing ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, held this afternoon, October 15.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
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