[Exclusive]Lim Yoon-ah: "Now, Meaning Lies More in the Process" — 'AAA' Grand Prize Winner, the 'Box Office Queen,' Enters Her Next Chapter [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lim Yoon-ah, who is active as a member of the group Girls' Generation and as an actress, filled the year 2025 with her own unique color. Moving between television screens and the big screen, she achieved consecutive successes, proving both her box office appeal and acting prowess, thereby solidifying her presence. With her consistent transformations and stable leading-role power, Lim Yoon-ah now naturally evokes the descriptor "an actress you can trust."

Lim Yoon-ah's upward trajectory was confirmed simultaneously in both drama and film. Playing the title role of Yeon Ji-young in the tvN drama "The Tyrant's Chef," she led the story and drove the work's box office success, demonstrating her capabilities as a leading actress. The series recorded the highest viewership ratings among mini-series aired in 2025 and ranked number one for two consecutive weeks in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) category, garnering significant attention both domestically and internationally.

Her presence on the big screen was equally undeniable. Appearing as Jung Sun-ji in the film "The Devil Came to Town," Lim Yoon-ah showcased a visual and emotional range different from her previous roles, expanding her acting spectrum. Her ability to embody the character without fear of change earned positive evaluations from both audiences and critics.

These achievements were directly linked to her Yeon Seu-reop-ge (수상). On December 6 last year at the 10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025 held at the Kaohsiung National Stadium, Lim Yoon-ah achieved a triple crown by winning the AAA Grand Prize for Best Actress of the Year, along with the AAA Best Artist Award and the AAA Asia Star Award. It was a moment that reaffirmed her standing as an actress.

Lim Yoon-ah's connection with the "AAA" has continued for a long time. Having participated since the first edition in 2016, she has consistently attended the ceremony over the years, maintaining her presence. This 10th-anniversary ceremony felt even more special to her.

Lim Yoon-ah smiled, saying, "You've always done things beautifully, but because it was the 10th anniversary, the scene felt truly magnificent. I remember attending half of the ceremonies over the past 10 years. That's why I genuinely wanted to offer my congratulations. So, when giving my acceptance speech, I really wanted to say 'Congratulations on the 10th anniversary.' It made me feel even more familiar."

Especially, winning the Grand Prize left a new meaning for her. Lim Yoon-ah expressed pride, stating, "I've never received such a big award while working on a project. Especially, the AAA Grand Prize has now been added to my award history." She also shared that receiving the "Asia Star Award," a popularity award, held special significance for her. She said, "A popularity award should truly reflect popularity, right? I sometimes worry that if I take a break and come back, things might have changed a bit, but I keep receiving popularity awards. I was grateful to my fans."

Her acceptance speech delivered in Chinese at the time also sparked discussion. Regarding this, Lim Yoon-ah said, "I was so nervous that my hands and voice were trembling uncontrollably. I feel a bit of regret that I could have done better if I had been less nervous."

She also conveyed her sincere feelings toward her fans. She said, "I am always happy and grateful. However, I haven't always been able to express my gratitude. Through this opportunity, I was grateful to be able to say 'thank you.'"

Behind-the-scenes moments from the ceremony were also revealed. In particular, an anecdote involving actor Lee Jun-hyeok drew attention. Lee Jun-hyeok had previously apologized to Lim Yoon-ah for a situation where he told her he "wanted to disappear" during an interview with StarNews about the awards.

Regarding this, Lim Yoon-ah recalled, "Jun-hyeok oppa kept sitting next to me. At first, we just greeted each other, but he spoke to me a lot so it wasn't awkward. I thought his personality was so nice, and a sense of inner closeness developed."

She continued, "I didn't realize he felt sorry. Instead, he approached me first, spoke to me, and talked to me in a friendly manner as an oppa, so I was grateful. I could have been sitting alone without anyone to talk to, but it was nice that he talked to me. When moving around, if he was on the far side, I would feel a bit sad. Now, when we meet, I feel happy that I can greet him in a friendly manner."

Having shared the stage and ceremonies with juniors for a long time, her perspective on them has also changed. Lim Yoon-ah said, "The scene was so magnificent that it felt like watching a concert. Even when hosting the year-end MC, I enjoyed watching songs I liked during the year or stages I wanted to see directly at the venue."

Her affection for her agency's juniors also naturally emerged. She said, "When you go to such places, you naturally end up watching SM juniors' stages. I watched them thinking, 'Our Rise is doing well, doing well.'" When asked about her thirst for the stage, she smiled and replied, "I will gather my thirst all at once and then satisfy it."

She also answered questions carefully regarding Girls' Generation activities. Lim Yoon-ah mentioned next year's 20th debut anniversary, saying, "I have been thinking, 'Shouldn't we at least have a celebration?'" but added, "There is nothing specifically decided regarding activities yet."

She showed a pleased reaction to juniors' cover stages. She said, "Recently, I saw IVE cover Girls' Generation's 'Tell Me Your Wish.' I watched it wondering, 'Is this the right choreography?' They did it so well and expressed our charm very well. I watched it very coolly." She added, "That cover stage made me recall the stage videos from our active days. However, those videos had too low quality, which was a bit disappointing."

There was also a moment at the ceremony where she felt her position acutely. Lim Yoon-ah said, "It's not easy to see juniors like Rise directly, but friends from projects like All Deif or Curtis had exciting stages, and the atmosphere was good."

She continued, "I was sitting and watching, and the juniors kept greeting me. Thinking about it, I was the most senior person at that spot. It was strange that the day had come when I was in the position of a senior, following Girls' Generation, 2PM, and IU. And while I am the most senior among idol groups, coming to receive an award as an actress made the feeling fresh and gratifying."

Regarding her current position, she also shared a more calm mindset. Lim Yoon-ah said, "I think I felt more burdened when I was younger. Now, I have started to place more meaning in the process of telling stories I want to enjoy. If the process is good, the result will likely be good too, but even if the result doesn't follow, if the process was good, I think it becomes an experience of growth."

Her will to try new things remained strong. Lim Yoon-ah said, "I feel satisfied by acting in things I couldn't do before. So, I have the thought that I must show new sides through my works."

She added, "I want to try various things without genre distinctions, regardless of the field. As I gradually broaden my range and show new images, it seems like another path will open. I want to learn various sides from the works I take on."

Finally, she said, "I will quickly choose a work and show good activities so that I can attend AAA again," looking forward to the future.

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*This content was translated by AI.