Ra Mi-ran poses on the red carpet at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards held in Seoul, Nov. 29. (Yonhap)

Actor Ra Mi-ran was awarded the Film Artist of the Year honor at the Women in Film Korea festival on Monday, in recognition of her achievements as one of the industry’s most versatile and reliable performers.

Known for her seamless transition between comedy and drama, Ra has built a reputation for portraying characters with authenticity and depth, often stealing scenes with her nuanced performances.

Ra’s rise has been anything but overnight. After years in theater, she spent nearly a decade in supporting roles before the 2015 TV series “Reply 1988” made her a familiar face to Korean viewers. Playing the boisterous, leopard-print-loving neighborhood mom, Ra brought unvarnished sass and warmth to the screen -- a blend that has since become her trademark.

The award recognizes Ra’s recent lead performance in “Citizen of a Kind,” where she plays Deok-hee, a laundress whose life savings are wiped out in an elaborate phone scam. Ra infuses her character with a palpable mix of vulnerability and determination as Deok-hee discovers that her scammer may himself be a victim. This revelation sets Deok-hee on a dangerous path of amateur sleuthing, risking her safety in pursuit of justice.

“I want to express my deepest respect and gratitude for all the women in our film industry,” Ra said in her acceptance speech. “Their perseverance has really driven things forward. This award feels like a pat on the shoulder after 20 years of acting -- it tells me that all those years meant something.”

At 49, Ra is hitting her stride as a leading lady -- a refreshing trajectory in an industry often obsessed with youth. “Citizen of a Kind” marks only her third starring film role since her lead debut in 2019’s "Miss & Mrs. Cops," yet it highlights the full range of her capabilities, from physical comedy to heart-wrenching drama.

The timing of this recognition feels particularly fitting as Ra continues to expand her repertoire across genres and mediums.

She recently appeared in the period drama “Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born” as the charismatic leader of a theater company, and showed her unscripted side in the variety show “Europe Outside Your Tent,” where she guided novice campers through adventures across Europe.