Kaho Minami

{{short description|Japanese actress of Korean descent (born 1964)}} {{Infobox person | name = Kaho Minami | image =  | alt = | caption = | native_name = 南果歩 | native_name_lang = ja | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|01|20}} | birth_place = Hyōgo, Japan | death_date =  | death_place = | other_names = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage| Hitonari Tsuji|1995|2000|end=div.}} * {{marriage| Ken Watanabe|2005|2018|end=div.}} }} | children = 1 | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1986–present | credits = | website = }}

{{nihongo|'''Kaho Minami'''|南果歩|Minami Kaho|born January 20, 1964}} is a Japanese actress active in film, television and commercials.

==Life and career== Kaho Minami was born on January 20, 1964, in Amagasaki in Hyogo, Japan, and is of third-generation Korean descent. She graduated from Toho Gakuen College of Drama & Music in Tokyo, Japan.

While attending college, Minami auditioned for the first time and got the main role in her debut film, Kohei Oguri’s ''For Kanako'' (1984). Soon after, Minami played the main role on TBS television’s drama series in 1985. Her stage play debut was as Juliet in ''Romeo & Juliet'', directed by Tamasaburō Bandō, the legendary Kabuki actor. In the many decades following, she has appeared in numerous projects that span across theater, movies, television dramas, in both main and supporting roles. She starred in many films by filmmakers including Gakuryu Ishii's ''Angel Dust'' (1994),<ref>{{cite news |last=Phipps |first=Keith |date=April 4, 2002 |title=Angel Dust |newspaper=The A.V. Club |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/angel-dust,18661/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130729081103/http://www.avclub.com/articles/angel-dust,18661/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 29, 2013}}</ref> Masayuki Ochiai's Horror film ''Infection'' (2004),<ref>{{cite web |last=Vijn |first=Ard |date=August 31, 2007 |title=INFECTION (KANSEN) R3 Hong-Kong DVD Review |url=http://twitchfilm.com/2007/08/infection-kansen-r3-hong-kong-dvd-review.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060714/http://twitchfilm.com/2007/08/infection-kansen-r3-hong-kong-dvd-review.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=July 29, 2013 |publisher=Twitch Film}}</ref><ref name="IV2008">{{cite book |author=Stuart Galbraith IV |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f7o8pq6G_dYC&pg=PA434 |title=The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography |date=16 May 2008 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-1-4616-7374-3 |page=434}}</ref> Tian Zhuangzhuang's ''The Go Master'' (2006),<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Uhlich |first=Keith |date=September 28, 2006 |title=The Go Master |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/the-go-master |magazine=Slant Magazine}}</ref> and Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's ''Sketches of Kaitan City'' (2010) .<ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=Maggie |date=January 7, 2012 |title=Sketches of Kaitan City: Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sketches-kaitan-city-film-review-279322 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>

Other notable appearances internationally are ''Oh, Lucy!'' (2017) with actor Josh Hartnett, ''Gensan Punch'' (2021) by Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, and ''Pachinko'', a 2022 TV series by Apple TV+ based on Min Jin Lee's novel of the same name.

==Personal life== Minami was married to actor Ken Watanabe from 2005 until 2018. Their divorce was announced about a year after a media outlet reported that Watanabe, who later admitted to the allegation, had been cheating on Minami.<ref>{{cite news |title=Japanese actor Ken Watanabe has split with actress wife: agency |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2018/05/18/entertainment-news/japanese-actor-ken-watanabe-split-actress-wife-agency/ |access-date=16 May 2022 |work=The Japan Times |date=18 May 2018}}</ref>

She focuses on various volunteer projects including the enlightenment activities of sharing her own experience as a breast cancer survivor.

==Filmography== ===Film=== * ''Hyōryū Kyōshitsu'' (1987) * ''Tomorrow'' (1988) * ''Tokyo: The Last War'' (1989) * ''Angel Dust'' (1994) * ''Ruby Fruit'' (1995) – Maiko * ''Open House'' (1997) * ''J Horror Theater'' (2001) * ''Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack'' (2001) * ''The Laughing Frog'' (2002) * ''Infection'' (2004) – Head nurse<ref name="IV2008"/> * ''The Great Yokai War'' (2005) * ''Night Time Picnic'' (2006) * ''The Go Master'' (2006) * ''Gegege no Nyoubou'' (2010) * ''Sketches of Kaitan City'' (2010) * ''Hankyu Railways: A 15-Minute Miracle'' (2011), Yasue Ito * ''Gene Waltz'' (2011) * ''Household X'' (2011) * ''Chronicle of My Mother'' (2012) * ''Kabukicho Love Hotel'' (2014)<ref name="variety">{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/hot-japanese-stars-sometani-shota-and-maeda-atsuko-say-sayonara-kabukicho-1201261959/|title=Hot Japanese Stars Sometani Shota and Maeda Atsuko Say 'Sayonara Kabukicho'|date=14 July 2014}}</ref> * ''Masterless'' (2015) * ''And Then There Was Light'' (2017) * ''Oh Lucy!'' (2017) * ''21st Century Girl'' (2019) * ''Blue Hour'' (2019) * ''And Life Goes On: The Movie'' (2019)<ref name=ikiru>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/91750/|title= 劇場版そして、生きる|access-date= May 5, 2022|work= eiga.com}}</ref> * ''Nōten Paradise'' (2020) * ''Gensan Punch'' (2021)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Frater |first1=Patrick |title=Brillante Mendoza's 'Gensan Punch' Set as HBO Original Movie (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/brillante-mendoza-gensan-punch-busan-hbo-1235075040/ |work=Variety |date=28 September 2021}}</ref> * ''Miss Osaka'' (2022) * ''How to Forget You'' (2025), Yōko<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/100221/|title= 君の忘れ方|access-date= 10 September 2024|work= eiga.com}}</ref> * ''Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash'' (2025), Reiko Nanbara<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/103241/|title= 長崎閃光の影で|access-date= 25 April 2025|website= Eiga.com|language=ja}}</ref> * ''Rules of Living'' (2025)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/103909/|title= ルール・オブ・リビング|access-date= 19 May 2025|website= Eiga.com|language=ja}}</ref> * ''La Campanella'' (TBA)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240206/k00/00m/200/224000c|title= 「奇跡の漁師ピアニスト」映画化伊原剛志さん主演佐賀で撮影|access-date= February 9, 2024|work= Mainichi Shimbun}}</ref>

===Television=== * ''Sannen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei'' (1985–1987) * ''Tobu ga Gotoku'' (1990), Suga<ref>{{cite web |url= https://haiyaku.web.fc2.com/90-taiga.html|title= 翔ぶが如く|access-date= 25 September 2025|website= Haiyaku Jiten|language=ja}}</ref> * ''Genroku Ryōran'' (1999) * ''Specialist'' (2016)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2063182/full/|script-title=ja:草なぎ剛主演、連ドラ版『スペシャリスト』に夏菜＆和田正人が新加入|access-date=2016-04-12|publisher=oricon ME inc.|language=ja}}</ref> * ''And Life Goes On'' (2019)<ref name=ikiru/> * ''Awaiting Kirin'' (2020), Miyoshino<ref>{{cite web |url= https://thetv.jp/program/0000944735/cast/|title= 麒麟(きりん)がくるの出演者・キャスト一覧|access-date= March 26, 2024|work= The Television}}</ref> * ''Love Begins When the Money Ends'' (2020), Sachi Kuki * ''Pachinko'' (2022), Etsuko * ''Soul Mate'' (2026), Nanami Narutaki<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/news/20260421/6/|title= 磯村勇斗×オク・テギョン「ソウルメイト」に橋本愛、水上恒司、安田顕ら参戦|access-date= 21 April 2026|date= 21 April 2026|website= Eiga.com|language=ja}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Nominee(s) ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Ref heading}} |- | 1989 | 2nd Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | rowspan=2|''Dream Street'' and others | {{won}} | <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/award/ns-cinema/history/|title= 日刊スポーツ映画大賞歴代受賞者・作品|access-date= 17 October 2024|work= Nikkan Sports}}</ref> |- | rowspan=2|1990 | 32nd Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Supporting Actress | {{won}} | <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.allcinema.net/award/%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%83%9C%E3%83%B3%E8%B3%9E(1989)|title= 1989年第32回ブルーリボン賞|access-date= 17 October 2024|work= allcinema}}</ref> |- | 14th Elan d'or Awards | Newcomer of the Year | Herself | {{won}} | <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.producer.or.jp/backnumber/elandor/elandor-00.htm|title= エランドール賞歴代受賞者一覧|access-date= 17 October 2024|work= All Nippon Producers Association}}</ref> |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.kaho-minami.com/}} * [http://www.horiagency.co.jp/talent/minami/ Official profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109141707/http://www.horiagency.co.jp/talent/minami/ |date=2021-11-09 }} at Hori Agency * {{IMDb name|0590907}}

{{Navboxes |title = Awards for Kaho Minami |list = {{Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actress}} {{Nikkan Sports Film Award for Best Supporting Actress}} }} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minami, Kaho}} Category:Japanese actresses Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:People from Amagasaki Category:Japanese actresses of Korean descent Category:Yeongyang Nam clan