Cover Kōki won Rising Star Award at Asian Film Awards 2025 (Photo: courtesy of AFA)
Kōki won Rising Star Award at Asian Film Awards 2025 (Photo: courtesy of AFA)
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Kōki, the daughter of famed Japanese actor Takuya Kimura, will come to Hong Kong next month to receive the Rising Star Award at the Asian Film Awards
The Asian Film Awards (AFA), which will take place on March 16 at Xiqu Centre this year, announced its first winner of 2025 earlier this week. Mitsuki Kimura, who performs professionally as Kōki, will receive the AFA Rising Star Award.
Kōki was recognised for her multifaceted talent: she has composed music since aged seven and made her modelling debut at 15. Since then, she has branched out into acting. Her latest film was the Icelandic romantic drama film Touch (2024), directed by Baltasar Kormákur.
This accolade recognises blooming talents in the film industry who have shown promise for their acting chops, filmmaking or for making an impact on Asian and international stages. Last year, the award went to Thai star Win Metawin.
Above Kōki (Photo: courtesy of AFA)
Kōki (Photo: courtesy of AFA)
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“I feel extremely humbled to receive this recognition and the Rising Star Award,” says Kōki in a press statement. “Being honoured outside Japan at such a prestigious event means so much to me. I sincerely thank the Asian Film Awards from the bottom of my heart.”
Kōki comes from an arts and film family. Her mother Shizuka Kudo is a singer, actor and former idol who has had a successful solo career with numerous musical hits after departing from girl group Onyanko Club. Her father is famed actor and singer Takuya Kimura, known for 2046 (2004), Love and Honour (2006) and Blade of the Immortal (2017). Her sister Cocomi is a celebrated flautist.
The 22-year-old actor feels blessed to be able to seek advice from Kimura. “When I am overseas working in a film, I would call him and ask him for his opinions and ideas. I feel so lucky to be able to have someone close who can understand the same experience,” she says.
Kōki will attend the AFA next month to receive the award.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
