| Kaho Minami | |
| Native Name: | 南 果歩 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Birth Date: | 20 January 1964 |
| Birth Place: | Hyōgo, Japan |
| Spouse: | |
| Children: | 1 |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1986–present |
is a Japanese actress of Korean descent active in film, television and commercials.
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),[1] Masayuki Ochiai's Horror film Infection (2004),[2] [3] Tian Zhuangzhuang's The Go Master (2006),[4] and Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's Sketches of Kaitan City (2010) .[5]
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.
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.[6]
She focuses on various volunteer projects including the enlightenment activities of sharing her own experience as a breast cancer survivor.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 2nd Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Dream Street and others | [14] | |
| 1990 | 32nd Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Supporting Actress | [15] | ||
| 14th Elan d'or Awards | Newcomer of the Year | Herself | [16] | ||
| 2022 | 83rd Peabody Awards | Entertainment | Pachinko | [17] | |