Kim Tae-ri walked away with the Best Actress in Television award at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards, held on the afternoon of May 5th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
The competition was no joke this year. In the Best Actress category for television, the nominees were a strong lineup—Jang Na-ra (Good Partner), IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines), Kim Hye-yoon (Lovely Runner), Go Min-si (The Frog), and of course, Kim Tae-ri herself for Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born. A lot of eyes were especially on IU and Kim Hye-yoon, both of whom had massive fan support and standout performances.
But it was Kim Tae-ri who ultimately took the trophy, and she didn’t take the moment lightly. In her acceptance speech, she said,
“I am filled with so many shortcomings that I feel ashamed to receive such a big award. If I were to interpret it positively, like Director So-bok’s (played by Ra Mi-ran) teachings about being a ‘performer,’ I tried not to compromise. It wasn’t the absolute right answer, but I think that was my romantic ideal at the time. Thinking of my shortcomings as a romantic ideal seems to be a way for me to want to do better next time.”
She added a heartfelt note of gratitude, saying,
“I will strive to become an actress who isn’t ashamed of her desire to do well, using it as a driving force to move forward. I want to share this award with the staff who have been with me with love, affection, passion, and responsibility in both visible and invisible places, and with my fellow actors who walked this difficult path together.”
The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci isn’t just any ceremony—it covers TV, film, and theater, and each year they set a special theme to reflect on the last year’s achievements in popular culture and the arts. It’s all about recognizing talent and helping push Korean culture forward as it continues making waves globally.
