[2025 Year-End Review] Cineplay Arts Awards Best Actress 4

The year 2025 is coming to a close. Just as previews for year-end settlements often come in, the end of the year requires a time to reflect and summarize the year. Therefore, Cineplay is also looking back on the year and selecting impressive works in various fields. We have selected awards for films, scripted, unscripted, actors, rookie actors, and special awards regardless of the field. This post features one actress who has shown excellent acting among Korean female actors, selected by each reporter. Similar to the previous BEST work selection, we chose from actors in films and dramas officially released in Korea until December 10, 2025. We applaud all the actors who filled this year with their presence and introduce the four selected by Cineplay reporters.

Seongchan Eol - 〈The Master of Confession〉 Kim Go-eun

To me, 〈The Master of Confession〉 felt like a succession ceremony. The falsely accused Ahn Yoon-soo and the clear murderer Mo-eun were played by Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Go-eun, respectively. I thought attention would naturally be drawn to Jeon Do-yeon, but what remained in my memory after watching was entirely the unfocused eyes of Mo-eun, who was not functioning. Kim Go-eun's presence, which stood out without being overshadowed while sharing the screen with the best actress of the time, Jeon Do-yeon, was like a sign of how much further actress Kim Go-eun could go after 〈The Grave〉. The succession ceremony of a proven great actress and a budding actress was like CPR for a somewhat flimsy drama.

Choo Ah-young - 〈Unknown Seoul〉 Park Bo-young

The unknown and future of 〈Unknown Seoul〉 encompass both of Park Bo-young's acting styles. The bright and lovely 'Pobly' and the darker yet serious 'Dark Boyoung'. In this way, Park Bo-young fully utilized her strengths and excellently performed a dual role. Her delicate yet strong inner performance naturally evokes emotions and empathy for the character.

Joo Seong-cheol - 〈The Break〉 Lee Hye-young

The title of 'Korea's Glenn Close' is not at all undeserved. The 60s killer Jo Gyeong (Lee Hye-young), who has been 'sanitizing' emotionless cockroach-like humans for over 40 years, is revered as a living legend known as 'the Godmother', but is treated as a has-been killer in the company she has been with for a long time. Have you ever seen a veteran actor with such poise and self-control? From the awkward and embarrassed emotional acting to the action scenes of struggling to survive, every moment sent chills down my spine.

Kim Ji-yeon - 〈Eunjoong and Sangyeon〉 Park Ji-hyun

Since it is a drama that is entirely driven by 'the power of the character', the actors had no place to hide. Therefore, it was also the drama where the actors shone the most. The reason I was finally able to understand the character Sang-yeon, who is difficult to comprehend in 〈Eunjoong and Sangyeon〉, was because of Park Ji-hyun's acting. Sang-yeon, who claims solitude while yearning for love, repeatedly makes choices that are unlovable despite being the villain. Park Ji-hyun convincingly embodied Sang-yeon's contradictory complexity.