Films | Movies

Secret Sunshine wins big at the 2nd Asian Film Awards

South Korea shone again at the Asian Film Awards (AFA), which was held in Hong Kong on March 17.

At the inaugural AFA last year, South Korea’s monster flick The Host bagged four awards out of the 10 categories. The box office smash hit won for Best Actor (Song Kang-ho), Best Cinematographer (Kim Hyung-koo), Best Visual Effects and Best Film.

Winners all: Secret Sunshine stars and director (right).
The film bagged 3 awards at the 2008 Asian Film Awards

This year, another South Korea flick won big. Secret Sunshine/ Milyang scooped the coveted awards for Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film!

Jeon Do-yeon, who has already won seven awards for her powerful performance in Secret Sunshine, added another Best Actress trophy to her collection.

Happy: South Korea actress Jeon Do-yeon (right) with
Hong Kong actor Tony Leung

The 35-year-old star beat out fellow nominees Tang Wei (Lust, Caution), Joan Chen (The Home Song Stories), fellow South Korean Kim Yun-jin (Seven Days), Kiki Kirin (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad) and Deepika Padukone (Om Shanti Om).

Meanwhile, Secret Sunshine director Lee Chang-dong took home the award for Best Director.

In the movie, Jeon plays Shin-ae, a widow who suffers from a mental breakdown after the deaths of her husband and soon after, her son.

Last year’s Best Actor winner Song Kang-ho was nominated for the award again for his work in Secret Sunshine, but lost to Tony Leung Chiu Wai of Lust, Caution.

Congratulations to the winners and nominees!

Here’s a quick look at all the nominees from South Korea:

Best Film
Secret Sunshine (winner)

Best Director
Lee Chang-dong for Secret Sunshine (winner)

Best Actor
Song Kang-ho for Secret Sunshine

Best Actress
Jeon Do-yeon for Secret Sunshine (winner)
Kim Yun-jin for Seven Days

Best Supporting Actor
Chun Ho-jin for Skeletons in the Closet

Best Supporting Actress
Kong Hyo-jin for Happiness
Kim Hye-soo for Skeletons in the Closet

Best Screenwriter
Im Sang-soo for The Old Garden

Best Production Designer
Kim Yu-jeong & Lee Min-bok for Epitaph (Gidam)

Best Editor
Lee Eun-soo for The Old Garden

Best Visual Effects
Shim Hyung-rae for D-War

Surfing: Asian Film Awards 2008

Pics credit: Associated Press

Related:
Top Hallyu stars at the 2008 Asian Film Awards

One thought on “Secret Sunshine wins big at the 2nd Asian Film Awards

  • fraulein

    Secret sunshine is showing here in s’pore now. Must find someone willing to sit thru it with me…..

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