Kim Tae Ri has just been awarded the Grand Prize at the 2024 SeoulCon APAN Star Awards for her outstanding role in Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born.

The event took place on December 28th at the Art Hall 1 of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. This year’s prestigious Grand Prize was given to Kim Tae Ri, recognizing her exceptional performance in the hit tvN drama Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born.

Kim Tae Ri expressed her gratitude, saying, “Whenever I receive an award like this, I always wonder if I can ever be calm. At the APAN Awards, I received the Best New Actress award for my role as Go Ae Shin in my first drama, Mr. Sunshine. Now, I am so thankful to the judges for awarding me the Grand Prize as well.”

Reflecting on her time working on Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born, she continued, “Spending such a long time with this drama made it feel surreal when it ended. I realized I hadn’t fully grasped the emotions. It was like leaving a room without turning off the light. As I thought about my acceptance speech, I wanted to remember and reflect on how I felt during that time, instead of focusing on how I feel now.”

Kim Tae Ri also shared a touching memory, “I remember singing a song from the drama quietly in a taxi. The driver asked why I was singing so quietly. He told me it reminded him of his mother and shared childhood stories with me. In the busy and tiring moments of life, I hope the viewers found happiness during the time Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born aired. I want to share the joy and emotions I experienced, whether filming by the beach, in the forest, or under the sun. I believe those feelings naturally came through in my performance.”

The actress went on to express her hopes for the future: “If I have one big wish, it’s for women’s traditional Korean theater (Gukgeuk) to truly find its place in our cultural arts, to be preserved, and passed down. That’s my hope.”

Wrapping up her speech, Kim Tae Ri offered a heartfelt message: “The weather is cold, and I believe 2024 has been especially tough for everyone. I hope that 2025 will bring true peace and prosperity to everyone.”

The 2024 SeoulCon APAN Star Awards is an all-encompassing drama awards ceremony that honors content from all platforms, including terrestrial, cable, and OTT channels.

Organized by the Korea Entertainment Management Association and the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency, the event recognized the best drama content from November 2023 to October 2024 across 19 categories.

Source: [1]

BLACKPINK’s Jennie recently shared a fun conversation with her mom, revealing her mother’s unexpected reaction to her becoming a Chanel ambassador!

On March 13, a video was uploaded to the YouTube channel "Study King Genius Hong Jin Kyung." In the video, Hong Jin Kyung visited Jennie’s office.

Since Jennie had previously mentioned that Hong Jin Kyung always makes her laugh, she greeted her warmly with a big hug.

During their chat, Hong Jin Kyung shared a personal story, saying, "My daughter Rael went all the way to the U.S. to watch BLACKPINK at Coachella, but she got scammed when buying tickets. So, she couldn’t see BLACKPINK and ended up crying her eyes out." Jennie reacted with surprise and sympathy.

As they got to know each other better, Jennie decided to call her mom to ask about her prenatal dream. However, her mom didn’t answer right away, so Jennie joked, "She’ll call back later."

Jennie also opened up about her childhood, saying, "I had a strong sense of style from a young age. I loved fashion. I was a really obedient child, but when it came to school, I insisted on wearing what I wanted."

She then talked about her experience studying alone in New Zealand for five years, starting at age nine. "I think it was a crucial experience that helped shape who I am today," she shared.

When the topic of her Chanel ambassadorship came up, Jennie said, "It’s a brand I work with, but since I’ve been with them for so long, they feel like family."

Later, Jennie’s mom finally returned her call. When Jennie asked, "What was my prenatal dream?" her mother replied, "A really big tiger… ah, it caught a carp." Jennie laughed and said, "I think Mom is confused too."

But the moment that caught everyone’s attention was when Jennie asked how her mom felt about her being a Chanel ambassador. Her mother simply said, "Ah, it’s over."

Hong Jin Kyung then joked, "Does that mean it's now my daughter's era? It’s over?"—causing everyone to burst into laughter.

Later, Hong Jin Kyung playfully suggested playing a traditional Korean game with Jennie and made a hilarious request: "Jennie, when you go to Paris, I want to carry your bag. With my own money. But I’ll just bring a tiny camera and follow you a little. I won’t go inside Chanel."

After Hong Jin Kyung won the game, Jennie kept her promise and said, "See you in Paris (in October)," leaving fans excited for what’s next!

Source: [1]