Japanese film magazine Kinema Junpo has selected Shim Eun-kyung as the best actress winner, making her the first Korean to receive the honor. The award recognizes her performance in director Sho Miyake's Japanese film "Two Seasons, Two Strangers," which also won best Japanese film.
On January 30, 2026, South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung won the best actress award in the Best Ten category from Japan's prestigious film magazine Kinema Junpo, becoming the first Korean to achieve this milestone. According to at9 Film, the honor was for her role as a screenwriter in a slump in director Sho Miyake's film "Two Seasons, Two Strangers," which also received the best Japanese film award. The story follows the protagonist traveling to a snow-covered small town.
In her acceptance statement, Shim said, "Thank you for giving me this incredible award. I am already happy to have miraculously been able to be part of this film and am even happier to receive this award."
Founded in 1919, Kinema Junpo is a leading Japanese film publication known for its annual Best Ten awards, one of the most respected honors in Japanese cinema.
Shim debuted in 2003 and has starred in box-office hits like "Sunny" (2011) and "Miss Granny" (2014), before appearing in Japanese films such as "The Journalist" (2019). This win marks a significant step for Korean actors in the Japanese film industry.
