Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
FILIPINA actress Kathryn Bernardo achieved a milestone in her career by winning the Outstanding Asian Star award at the Seoul International Drama Awards 2023.
The 27-year-old personally accepted her trophy during the ceremony, sharing the spotlight with Thai actor Gun Atthaphan, who also clinched the same award.
South Korean actress Park Eun Bin was likewise honored with the title but received the award only through video message during the event that was held at the KBS Hall in Yeonido, Seoul on Thursday.
Bernardo was recognized for her exceptional performance as Ali in the hit TV series, “2 Good 2 Be True.” Dressed in a white ethereal ensemble designed by Martin Bautista, Bernardo took center stage and began her speech saying, “Hi, good evening everybody. My name is Kathryn Bernardo and I’m a Filipina actress. When I initially found out about this nomination and recognition for my craft by such an esteemed award-winning body, that in itself is already a win for me. But being here tonight to personally receive this award, along with my fellow awardees from Asia, I’m still overwhelmed and it still feels surreal.” She went on to thank the whole team of “2 Good 2 Be True,” including directors Mae Cruz-Alviar and Paco Sta. Maria, head writer Mel Mendoza-del Rosario, as well as her co-actors Ronaldo Valdez and on and off-screen partner Daniel Padilla, Bernardo also made sure to use her influence for good as she paid tribute to health workers and raised awareness about Alzheimer’s disease in her acceptance speech.
“I fell in love with this project because of its unique storyline. It’s always been more than just about sharing a love story with our audience, but also about spreading awareness on Alzheimer’s Disease and educating people about those who struggle with it and how we can offer them the best support they need. So this project made me appreciate our nurses and our healthcare workers. So it was really more than another TV show for me,” she said.
She further expressed her deep appreciation for her Filipino fans, acknowledging them as “gems” in her journey. She celebrated “2 Good 2 Be True” as the first-ever collaboration between ABS-CBN and Netflix, expressing hope for the continued production of world-class projects for a global audience.
“I am so proud and humbled to be on this stage representing Filipino talent, and being a Filipina. This means so much to me. Again, thank you so much. And from the bottom of my heart, maraming, maraming salamat po,” she ended.
The Kapamilya actress is officially the sixth Filipino celebrity to win the award. In 2022, Belle Mariano made history by being the first Filipina to earn the same recognition. — Iza Iglesias
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Credit belongs to: www.manilatimes.net
