Kaori Oinuma graduates with psychology degree, caps decade-long journey

“Every sacrifice, every late night, every setback led me here,” Kaori wrote in the caption.

Her graduation marks the latest chapter in an academic journey she pursued while maintaining a busy career in the entertainment industry.

Earlier this year, Kaori also gave followers a glimpse of her college pinning ceremony, a milestone that marks a student’s transition from classroom learning to professional internship.

The actress has been open about the challenges of balancing her studies and showbiz commitments. At the height of her thesis and internship requirements, she even joked about being “MIA” on social media due to her academic workload.

Kaori’s determination was evident even before entering college. In July 2023, she announced that she had finally completed high school after a decade-long journey marked by interruptions and setbacks.

“After 10 years of finishing my high school!!! Sa dami ng nangyari, repeat after repeat after repeat, finally! This journey hasn’t been easy and I’ve eagerly awaited this day,” she wrote at the time.

She also shared a lesson from the experience: “One thing I realized, life is not a race, but embracing your own pace and defining your own success.”

Kaori first rose to prominence after joining “Pinoy Big Brother: Otso” in 2018, where she earned the nickname “The Kawaii Daughter of Japan.” She later built an acting career through projects such as He’s Into Her and Love At First Stream.

Beyond her accomplishments in showbiz and academics, Kaori previously revealed in an interview with Karen Davila that one of her biggest dreams is to bring her mother back to the Philippines from Japan.

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