Shim Eun Kyung Wins Best Actress in 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize

Actress Shim Eun Kyung took home the Best Actress award in the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize, also referred to as the Japanese Academy Awards, for her performance in the movie titled 'The Journalist'.

On Friday, March 6, the actress was present at the aforementioned award-giving ceremony that took place at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo. The event was launched in 1978, but this is the very first time that they granted an award to a Korean celebrity.

Previously, the young actress showcased her acting in Japan, taking home numerous awards like the Best Actress at the 774th Mainichi Film Awards, Best New Actress at Tama Cinema Forum Awards, and Best Actress at the 34th Takasaki Film Festival. 

The awarding ceremony is meaningful, since it was chosen by a filmmaker that is being established by the Japan Academy Prize Association when they gained official permission from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

When the young actress was announced to get her award, she was in tears and expressed that she didn't have a speech ready, since she didn't even expect that she would be the recipient of the award. Giving her thanks and appreciation to those who watched her film 'The Journalist', Shim Eun Kyung also mentioned that she felt honored to star alongside Tori Matsuzaka. She thanked everyone and promised that she will work harder.

'The Journalist'  centers around journalist Erika Yoshioka, portrayed by Shim Eun Kyung, who is on a quest to uncover the secret behind a new medical school, built by the government as a front to perform illegal experiments. While the government tries to hide and destroy big or small traces of evidence, Eika Yoshioka, elite bureaucrat Takumi Sugihara played by Tori Matsuzaka, alongside other characters, join forces to unearth the truth.

Shim Eun Kyung made her acting debut when she was 9. She made her acting debut in the TV series 'The Woman Who Wants to Marry', and afterwards made a career and was known as one of the best child actresses of her generation. First, she received attention for her role as a sexually abused girl in horror fairytale 'Hansel and Gretel'. She also starred in other TV series. such as 'The Legend', 'Hwang Jini', 'The Great Merchant', and 'Women of the Sun'. There were also remarks that said she, at times, even outshined her adult counterparts.

Fast forward to the year 2011, Shim Eun Kyung transitioned successfully as a lead actress in the retro, drama-comedy movie 'Sunny'. This tells the story of seven friends who went to the same high school in the 1980s where they formed their clique, which they later on named as the title of film. They parted ways but met again decades later to reunite. Well known for its period detail, witty dialogue and the performances of its outstanding casts, the film crashed the common belief that women-centered pictures can't achieve blockbuster-level success. 

Big Congratulations to actress Shim Eun Kyung!