Jun Ji Hyun has received the Extraordinary Star Asia Award at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival, adding another major international honor to her career.
The actress attended the festival with director Yeon Sang Ho as their film “The Colony” was selected as this year’s opening movie.
During the gala ceremony held on July 11 local time, Jun Ji Hyun received the Extraordinary Star Asia Award, one of the festival’s top honors. The award recognizes actors who have contributed to Asian cinema and shown outstanding success on the international stage.
The recognition also celebrated Jun Ji Hyun’s long career, which includes well known films such as “Il Mare,” “My Sassy Girl,” “Windstruck,” “The Thieves,” “The Berlin File,” and “Assassination.”
In “The Colony,” Jun Ji Hyun plays Kwon Se Jeong, a biotechnology professor who leads a group of survivors. Her performance highlights the character’s calm judgment, strong leadership, and personal struggles without revealing major details from the story.
The film has also achieved strong commercial success. “The Colony” recorded the biggest opening among Korean movies released in 2026 and surpassed 5 million admissions, moving well beyond its break even point.
It was previously invited to the Midnight Screenings section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, earning attention for both its cinematic quality and audience appeal.
With appearances at Cannes and New York, followed by her latest award, Jun Ji Hyun has once again shown her strong presence on the global stage.
The actress will next appear in JTBC’s upcoming drama “Human X Gumiho,” which is expected to air in the first half of 2027 and reach international viewers through Amazon Prime Video.
