'I'm Smitten': Kim Minha's 17 kg Transformation and Surprise Singing Chops Steal the Cheongryong Awards Opening

Actress Kim Minha opened the 5th Cheongryong Series Awards on the 31st with a live rendition of Frank Sinatra's That's Life, and the room at Paradise City in Incheon's Yeongjong Island had a hard time remembering she is primarily known for acting.

Performing in an off-shoulder silk dress, Minha delivered a controlled, richly expressive set that drew on a vocal depth few in the audience likely knew she had. The performance was restrained in movement but generous in tone, letting her voice do the work rather than leaning on spectacle. It was, by most accounts in the room, not what anyone expected from an awards ceremony opener.

MC Jeon Hyun-moo captured the mood afterwards: "I'm not sure there's another awards show this sincere about its opening performances. It just keeps getting better. Tonight wasn't actress Kim Minha; it was musician Kim Minha. A surprise like that is always welcome." His co-MC Im Yoona added context for why Minha was on that stage in the first place: last year's opening was handled by Im Si-wan, also a previous winner, cementing what she called "a fun new tradition" of past honorees kicking off the next ceremony. Minha won the Best New Actress award at last year's Cheongryong Series Awards.

Minha's appearance also arrived with a physical storyline the audience was already tracking. She had recently confirmed losing 17 kg for an upcoming project, and the off-shoulder silhouette drew immediate attention to a noticeably leaner frame. The combination of the news cycle around her transformation and the unexpectedly strong live performance made her the clear talking point of the night's first act.

She returned to the stage later as a presenter, joined by actor Na Sang-hyeon. After handing out the award, Na turned to her and said plainly, "I'm smitten," prompting a shy "Thank you" from Minha and warm laughter from the audience. Minha herself admitted the stakes felt real: "Of all the sets and stages I've been on, this one made me the most nervous."

The Cheongryong Series Awards is South Korea's first awards ceremony dedicated to streaming series content, now in its fifth year. If the opening performance is any measure, the bar for next year's winner has been set noticeably higher.