The 27th Busan International Film Festival, which will be held from Oct 5 (Wed) to Oct 14 (Fri), has appointed Lee Young-ae and Kim Sangkyung as jury members for this year’s Actor & Actress of the Year Award.

Established Actors LEE Young-ae and KIM Sangkyung

Searching for New Talents Who Will Carry the Torch Forward for the Future of Korean Cinema!

(From Left: Actors LEE Young-ae, KIM Sangkyung)

[Source: GROUP 8, KOOK ENTERTAINMENT]

The ‘Actor & Actress of the Year Award’ is an award dedicated to the discovery of new actors who possess the talent and potential to lead the future of Korean cinema.

The Actor & Actress of the Year Award is presented to one new actor and one new actress for their outstanding performance. The nominees are actors and actresses from Korean independent feature films nominated in the New Currents and the Korean Cinema Today - Vision sections. The award is very special in that highly-accomplished actors, who represent Korean cinema, present the award in person to emerging talents who will carry forth the future of Korean cinema.

Established in 2014, the following actors and actresses were honored with the Actor & Actress of the Year Award: Choi Woo-shik for Set Me Free (2014) and Cho Soohyang for Wild Flowers (2014), Lee Ju-won for ALONE (2015) and Jang Sun for Communication & Lies (2015), Gu Gyohwan and Lee Minji for Jane (2016), Park Jonghwan for Hit the Night (2017) and Jeon Yeo-been for After My Death (2017), Lee Juyeong for Maggie (2018) and Moon Choi for Our Body (2018), Kim Junhyung and Mun Hye-in for The Education (2019), Lim Seong-mi for FIGHTER (2020), and Kwon Daham for Through My Midwinter (2021) and Im Jee-ho for The Apartment with Two Women (2021).

Actress Lee Young-ae, who was appointed as the jury member for the 27th BIFF Actor & Actress of the Year Award, has showcased a range of acting skills through many films, including One Fine Spring Day (2001), Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005), and Bring Me Home (2019), and has established herself as a preeminent actress representing Korean cinema. Lee Young-ae, who gained much attention by taking on a challenging role in the drama series Inspector Koo (2021) after a 4-year hiatus, was previously appointed as the jury member for the International Competition section at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival. Lee Young-ae is also expected to interact with the audience this year through the Busan International Film Festival’s Actors’ House program.

Actor Kim Sangkyung, who has continued his acting career with his latest drama series Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist (2022), has built a solid filmography based on his outstanding acting skills that have led various films to light, including Memories of Murder (2002), The Discloser (2017), and The Vanished (2017). Kim Sangkyung has been beloved by the audience for many years for his versatile acting abilities and the characters he has portrayed across all genres.

Each of the winners will be granted a cash prize of 5,000,000 KRW, which will be presented by the jury members, Lee Young-ae and Kim Sangkyung, in person, at the BIFF Closing Ceremony on Oct 14 (Fri).

■ Actress LEE Youngae Filmography

- Films: Joint Security Area / JSA (2000), Last Present (2001), One Fine Spring Day (2001), Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005), Bring Me Home (2019), and more

- Drama Series: Medical Brothers (1997), The Reason I Live (1997), Romance (1998), Wave (1999), Invitation (1999), Fireworks (2000), Dae Jang Geum (2003), Saimdang, Light’s Diary (2017), Inspector Koo (2021), and more

■Actor KIM Sangkyung Filmography

- Films: Turning Gate (2002), Memories of Murder (2002), May 18 (2007), The Tower (2011), The Discloser (2017), The Vanished (2017), TOXIC (2022), and more

- Drama Series: Invitation (1999), Days of Delight (1999), Lawyers (2004),
The Great King, Sejong (2007), What Happens to My Family? (2013-2014), Jang Yeong-sil (2016), Racket Boys (2020), Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist (2022), and more