Lee Young-ae On Female Representation and the 17th AFA Excellence in Asian Cinema Award

South Korean veteran actress Lee Young-ae has just been announced as the winner of this year’s Excellence in Asian Cinema Award at the 17th Asian Film Awards, which is set to take place in Hong Kong on March 10, 2024.

The Excellence in Asian Cinema Award celebrates distinguished talented actors and actresses and affirms their achievements and contributions to the Asian film industry and culture. Winners of this category are recognised for pushing the boundaries of their own performances and making significant contributions to their respective fields. Lee Young-age is one of two winners this year, a veteran Korean actress whose illustrious career spans three decades, whose roles in works such as the hugely successful drama series “Jewel in the Palace”, the crime thriller “Sympathy For Lady Vengeance”, has made her one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed actresses in South Korea. The 2005 thriller earned her best actress at Korea’s Blue Dragon Film Awards, where the film also won the best picture award.

“I’m pleasantly surprised to receive this distinguished award,” she says in a statement. “It’s beyond words for me to express my gratitude. But I’m certainly delighted to come to Hong Kong and take part in this prestigious event for the Asian film industry. I look forward to more collaborations and engagements with Asian filMMAkers across the region to raise international awareness of Korean cinema and culture.”

Lee started her career in 1993 in Korean drama series How’s Your Husband, and later also worked in Medical Brothers, Invitation and Fireworks. Starring alongside Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho in Park Kwang Su’s Joint Security Area made her one of the biggest stars in the early 2000s. But Lady Vengeance is often considered her most iconic work in films.

Because of it, her popularity also grew abroad. Lee says she never imagined that Lady Vengeance would have done as well as it did, on the heels of Jewel in the Palace. “At that time, I did wonder if the international audience would find appeal in a story describing a female’s vengeance, and whether this would pique their interest,” says Lee. “In the end, the film made me challenge myself and boosted my confidence. Lady Vengeance can be considered a turning point in my career.”

Lee also often picks complex female roles to embody, saying that they inspire her. “Representation of women, when compared to before, are more challenging and diverse,” she says. “The setting of characters has become more creative. Audience can recognise the diversity of Asian women through the films. I came to realise that I gradually evolved from playing more two-dimensional characters to those with more complexity. The characters are also more colourful. I believe that these female characters are positive and inspiring for me. I strive to be a multifaceted to showcase the different aspects of females.

Lee Young-ae is confirmed to attend the 17th Asian Film Awards Ceremony and will receive the prestigious Excellence in Asian Cinema Award on March 10 at the Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District.