Youn Yuh-jung wins Oscar

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210426000245

Veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung, 73, won the best supporting actress prize at the 93rd
Academy Awards on Monday for her portrayal of eccentric grandmother Soon-ja in
the US film “Minari.”

Youn became the first Korean to win an Oscar trophy in an acting category. No other
Korean actor, including those from last year’s breakthrough Oscar winner “Parasite,”
had received any trophies from the Academy Awards.

“Tremendous thanks to Academy members who vote for me,” Youn said during her
acceptance speech made at Union Station in Los Angeles, where this year‘s
ceremony was held in a hybrid form.

She also thanked her four co-stars in the film -- Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim
and Noel Kate Cho -- as well as Korean American director Lee Isaac Chung.
“He was our captain and my director, so thanks to him,” she said.

“Minari” depicts the story of a first-generation Korean immigrant family of four -- dad
Jacob (Yeun), mom Monica (Han), son David (Kim) and daughter Anne (Cho). The
family relocates to rural Arkansas to pursue the American dream. One day, grandma
Soon-ja comes to America to look after the two kids. At first, David does not like
Soon-ja, but as they spend time together she starts to grow on him.

In her speech, Youn spoke modestly about her win.

“I don’t believe in competition. How can I win over Glenn Close? I’ve watched her so
many performances. All five nominees are winners of different movies,” she said.

The four other actors vying for the prize were Maria Bakalova for “Borat Subsequent
Moviefilm,” Glenn Close for “Hillbilly Elegy,” Olivia Colman for “The Father” and
Amanda Seyfried for “Mank.”

She ended her speech by showing gratitude to late director Kim Ki-young who
helmed her first movie “Woman of Fire.” That came out in 1971, with Youn portraying
housemaid Myungja.

“I like to dedicate this award to my first director Kim Ki-young, who was a very genius
director. I think he would be very happy if he was still alive,” Youn said.

Meanwhile, President Moon Jae-in posted a message on his social media

congratulating Yoon on her win. “Becoming the first Korean to win the Academy
Award for best supporting actress has a very special meaning because she wrote a
new history to Korea‘s 102-year-long cinema history,” Moon wrote. “Also, it is
meaningful because second-generation Korean Americans Lee Isaac Chung and
Steven Yeun worked together to achieve this.”

Moon continued, “The movie depicted a universal life of mankind through a family’s
immigration story and showed that we are all closely connected even though we are
living in different places. Youn’s acting shined in her lively performance as a Korean
mother and grandmother figure.”

In addition to Youn’s nomination, “Minari” had earned five other nominations at the
Academy Awards -- best picture, best directing, best original screenplay and best
score. Steven Yeun was also nominated for best actor for the film. Meanwhile, the
best picture award at the Oscars on Monday went to Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland.”
Zhao also won the best director award. Anthony Hopkins won best actor in the
leading role for “The Father” and best actress went to Frances McDormand for
“Nomadland.”

Summary
Yoon Yuh-Jung won the Best Supporting Actress Award at this year's Academy Awards
for her performance in the immigrant film "Minari." This is the first time a Korean has
won an Oscar in the acting category. I was really surprised and proud that the actress I
often saw on Entertainment program won the Oscar. On the other hand, however, I was
wondering if the film could have received so much attention if it was produced by a
Korean production company rather than a production company founded by Brad Pitt and
directed by a Korean director rather than an American director.

윤여정은 이민자 영화 "미나리"에서의 연기로 올해 아카데미 시상식에서 여우조연상을

수상했습니다. 한국인이 연기 부문에서 오스카상을 거머쥔 것은 이번이 처음입니다. 나는
평소 예능프로그램에서 자주 보던 여자 배우가 오스카상을 받은 것에 정말 놀라웠고 정말
자랑스러웠습니다. 그러나 한편으로는 나는 만약 브래드 피트가 설립한 제작사가 아니라
한국 제작사에서 제작하고, 미국인 감독이 아니라 한국인 감독이 감독하였다면, 과연 이
영화가 그렇게 많은 관심을 받을 수 있었을까 라는 의문점이 들었다.