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News18
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
BLACKPINK's Jisoo Wins Outstanding Asian Star At Seoul Drama Awards 2025
Jisoo's role in Newtopia, a zombie apocalypse drama by Coupang Play, has been well-received by both critics and audiences. BLACKPINK's Jisoo has added another feather to her cap. The singer has been named the Outstanding Asian Star at the Seoul International Drama Awards 2025. She earned the honour for her performance in Newtopia, her second acting project, where she played the female lead Kang Yeong Ju. The Seoul International Drama Awards is a yearly event that celebrates television drama productions from across the globe for their invaluable contributions to the industry. The official ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 2 at KBS Hall in Seoul. Post the ceremony, public celebrations are planned at Banpo Hangang Park and Songpa Naru Park on October 3 and 4. Congratulations actress #JISOO on winning Asia star award — 'Outstanding Asian star' at the 2025 Seoul international drama awards. — BLΛCKPIИK GLOBAL FANBASE (@BLACKPINKGLOBAL) July 20, 2025 Jisoo's role in Newtopia, a zombie apocalypse drama by Coupang Play, has been well-received by both critics and audiences. Even though it was only her second acting project, she impressed many with her strong performance. She won the award by securing 38.28 per cent of the votes. This marks her first major acting award following her earlier win in 2022 when she received the Outstanding Korean Actress title in the Hallyu Drama Award category. That earlier win was for her debut role in the JTBC drama Snowdrop, which aired from 2021 to 2022. JISOO won 'Outstanding Asian Star — Korea Popularity Awards (Female)' with 38.28% of the votes at the 20th Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA). Congratulations to everyone who participated in the voting and the actress we are proud of! Outside of her acting work, Jisoo has also been making waves in music. She released her first solo EP, titled Amortage, on February 14 this year. The album features four tracks in both Korean and English. Its lead single was titled Earthquake, and it was dropped alongside the EP. Currently, Jisoo has reunited with fellow BLACKPINK members Rose, Jennie and Lisa for their much-awaited Deadline World Tour. The tour began on July 5 at Goyang Stadium in South Korea. It marked the group's return to full-stage performances nearly two years after wrapping up their Born Pink world tour in September 2023. As part of the new tour, BLACKPINK is set to perform in several major cities. They recently played back-to-back shows in Los Angeles on July 12 and 13 and then moved on to Chicago on July 18. Their next concerts will be held in Toronto on July 22 and 23 and New York City on July 26 and 27. Their Europe leg includes performances in Paris on August 2 and 3, Milan on August 6, Barcelona on August 9 and London on August 15 and 16. The final stops of the tour are scheduled for Tokyo in January, followed by Hong Kong on January 24 and 25. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Epoch Times
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Documentary ‘State Organs' Screens at Seoul Film Festival Despite Pressure to Cancel
The award-winning documentary 'State Organs' was screened at a film festival in South Korea's capital on May 30, after organizers were forced to change venues three times due to ' .' The film exposes a ' harrowing government-run organ harvesting operation ' in China, seven years gathering evidence and interviewing families of victims to complete the documentary. The Seoul Larkspur International Film Festival, an annual event centered on the themes of justice, freedom, and human rights, selected 'State Organs' as its opening film. Other films spotlighting human rights abuses in China and North Korea were also scheduled, with organizers reporting significant pressure from unnamed sources while finalizing the screening list. The festival's opening ceremony was ultimately held at KBS Hall, at the Korean Broadcasting System headquarters in Seoul—but not without obstacles. , one of the event's guest speakers, praised the organizers' perseverance and public support. 'I've seen real hope,' Tae said on stage, addressing the packed hall. 'When I first received the invitation, I had no idea how many people would come.' Related Stories 5/22/2025 5/14/2025 'Although we lack government support and haven't secured major sponsorships or donations, we'll continue to speak out for freedom, justice, and human rights,' Tae added. A former North Korean diplomat who to South Korea in 2016, Tae served in the 21st National Assembly and currently holds the position of Secretary General at the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a bipartisan presidential advisory body. Last-Minute Cancellations The Seoul Larkspur International Film Festival team spent a full year preparing for the five-day festival, which was held from May 30 to June 3. Initially, they arranged screenings at CGV, one of Korea's top cinema chains. After CGV pulled out, organizers moved the event to MEGABOX Dongdaemun, another major theater operator. However, on the eve of the festival's opening, MEGABOX unilaterally canceled all screenings, citing the ' ' of the films. This left organizers scrambling to relocate the event at the last minute. Director Calls for Investigation Raymond Zhang, director of 'State Organs,' told The Epoch Times that during screenings in Taiwan last year, his team received hundreds of threats via email and social media and faced online harassment from Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-aligned networks. 'I hope Korean authorities investigate whether Chinese interference was involved in the cancellations and bring the truth to light,' Zhang said. (L-R) Panel host Roman Balmakov, film director Raymond Zhang, and Wang Zhiyuan, director of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, speak during a panel discussion after a screening of "State Organs" at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times 'This Crime Must Be Stopped' Min Kyung-wook, a former Korean lawmaker and presidential spokesperson, shared his reaction after viewing the documentary. The 'testimonies of families struggling in pain, the firsthand accounts of doctors involved in [extracting organs], and the confessions of police and soldiers who once carried out persecution and torture left me so shocked that I wished none of it were true,' he told The Epoch Times. Min condemned the CCP's forced organ harvesting of mainly Falun Gong practitioners, calling it 'a crime against humanity.' 'It's almost beyond belief that such atrocities are being systematically carried out to suppress faith, elevated to the level of state-sponsored, industrial-scale operations,' he said. 'I hope the truth reaches not just the Korean people, but the global community—so these crimes can be stopped as soon as possible.' 'We must stop this brutal slaughter from continuing. We must pay attention. We must act,' Lee told The Epoch Times after watching the film. 'If Koreans Don't Wake Up, We'll Become Another China' Dayner Kim, a well-known South Korean YouTuber with over 288,000 subscribers, also spoke out after attending the State Organs screening. He said the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong and organ harvesting is widely known, but the film's focus on a single family presents that reality with a depth that's emotionally devastating. 'It left me with a profound sense of grief and solidarity,' Kim said. Kim also condemned the sudden cancellation of multiple human rights films at MEGABOX. 'There are forces in South Korea working in tandem with the CCP to block any content that criticizes or exposes its crimes. That's why we're seeing sponsorships withdrawn, venues revoked, and films banned,' Kim said in an interview after the screening. Other films affected by the last-minute cancellation include ' ,' ' ,' and ' .' The first two films depict the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual faith, in China, and the third film is a documentary on Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement in 2019. He added a pointed warning: 'If the Korean people aren't outraged—if we don't wake up—this country could become another China, no different from a nation under CCP rule.' Lee, from the University of Ulsan, expressed deep frustration over the obstacles the film faced in being screened, calling it 'painful and infuriating.' 'What kind of sovereign nation are we if a film can't even be shown freely?' he asked. 'We're seeing clear evidence that the CCP has deeply infiltrated many sectors in South Korea—politics, the arts, academia. It's heartbreaking.' While condemning the CCP for its interference in South Korea, Lee reminds people to distinguish Chinese people from the CCP. 'The film draws a clear distinction between the two—that's what makes this film so meaningful,' Lee said. 'The Chinese people must be freed from the CCP's oppression, and South Korea must break free from its influence,' Lee added. Organ Tourism and the Urgency of Exposure A 2017 by South Korea's TV Chosun revealed that with low domestic organ donation rates, only 10 percent of the 32,000 patients in need ever receive a transplant. As a result, many Koreans seek quicker options in China, where wait times are shorter and access is easier—despite growing concerns over the source of those organs. State Organs is now featured on the website of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting ( ), an organization founded by medical professionals to expose and end forced organ harvesting practices. The film is no longer available on the internet. DAFOH describes forced organ harvesting as a 'crime against humanity' and works globally to promote ethical medical standards and protect human dignity. Cindy Song, one of the producers of 'State Organs,' emphasized the importance of the film's message for Korean audiences. 'The victims in the film are from Qingdao, which is just across the sea from South Korea,' she said. 'I believe it's important for the Korean public to hear this story.' An Jing contributed to this report.
