MANILA — Kapamilya actress Kim Chiu wasn’t able to hold back her tears while delivering her acceptance speech at the 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News after the awards show, Chiu said she had a speech prepared on her phone but it accidentally got erased. “Buti na lang memorize ko na siya by heart,” she said.

Chiu dedicated her awards to her legion of fans and to key people who opened doors of opportunities in her 18-year long career. Her father-figure from Pinoy Big Brother, the reality show that introduced Kim to the world back in 2005, Laurenti Dyogi or who she fondly calls Direk Lauren was present during the awarding ceremonies. Her voice began to crack when she started dedicating her award to the late Deo Endinal, founder of Dreamscape Entertainment.

“Sobrang hindi ako makapaniwala. Diba, naiyak pa ko?! Una pa lang, start pa lang, na-starstruck na ko sa lahat ng nakita ko. Kasi lahat ng mga nanalo, yung ‘Moving’  yung ‘Mask Girl’, ang daming palabas. Napanood ko siya habang nasa bahay ako tapos ngayon nakita ko yung directors, producers, actors tapos kasali ako sa event. So naoverwhelmed ako, so nung nagpasalamat na ko, naiyak na ko,” said Chiu.

Some of the Korean celebrities whom Chiu met were ‘Mask Girl’ lead cast and Seoul Drama Awards K-Drama Best Actor and Best Actress Ahn Jae-hong and Yeom Hye-Ran.

“Yung mga speech nila kanina, yung magtiwala lang sa project. Na kahit hindi pa siya gaano kaalam o katanggap ng mga tao, basta may tiwala ka lang sa ginagawa mo. Yun yung nangibabaw (sa akin),” she said.

Chiu also got to bond with her co-Outstanding Asian Star awardees Kim Hye-yoon of South Korea, Desmond Tan from Singapore, Win Metawin from Thailand and Siti Saleha from Malaysia.

The Kapamilya actress has nothing but gratitude to her fans who rallied and voted for her in this year’s competition. She also thanked her mother network ABS-CBN during her acceptance speech.

During the after party, Chiu also got the chance to personally thanked Bang Moon Shin, the Chairman of SDA 2024 Organizing Committee.