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.

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Actor Song Kang Ho shocked fans by revealing the surprising reason he initially turned down the iconic role in Joint Security Area (JSA).

On February 4, the movie JSA was celebrated as a "Visionary" work at a special GV (Guest Visit) event for CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was attended by director Park Chan-wook and stars like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Young Ae, Kim Tae Woo, and Ko Kyung Beom, who shared stories from the making of the film.

Joint Security Area, a groundbreaking film by director Park Chan-wook, tells the story of North and South Korean soldiers caught in a tragic incident at the border, highlighting the human side of the divided nations. The film has been widely praised for changing the perception of inter-Korean relations and is seen as a key moment in Korean cinema.

During the event, Song Kang Ho admitted that he turned down the JSA script at first, saying, "The script was just too perfect. It was so well-written and tightly woven that I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really Korean cinema at this level?’ I felt it was too good, and I figured the movie wouldn’t live up to the script."

He also mentioned that at the time, Park Chan-wook’s previous films hadn’t done well, which made him even more doubtful. "But after meeting the director, I started to trust him," Song Kang Ho added.

Reflecting on the film 20 years later, Song Kang Ho joked, "I was flipping through channels and watched JSA again. I thought, ‘There was a time when I wasn’t envious of Lee Byung Hun,’ but he looked so handsome and cool back then." He continued, laughing, "One thing about Park Chan-wook's films is that they have a depth and elegance that you just can’t forget. It’s probably why his new movie is called I Can’t Help It."

Song Kang Ho also spoke fondly of reuniting with his JSA co-stars after 25 years. He shared, "We didn’t watch the film together, but we had a cozy two-hour dinner. After all this time, it felt nostalgic. It was heartwarming to sit together again and reminisce about the past. It really made me realize how meaningful these moments are."

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