In perhaps one of the more improbable Oscar campaigns in history, Youn Yuh-jung won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her critically acclaimed performance in “Minari.” Yuh-jung became just the second Asian woman to win an Oscar in the 93-year history of the awards. A landmark and sobering moment for the film industry.
READ MORE: ‘Minari’s’ Youn Yuh-Jung Didn’t Realize This Oscar-Thing Was Happening [Interview]
One of the most respected actresses in Korean film, Yuh-jung portrayed Soon-ja, the Yi family grandmother in Lee Isaac Chung’s autobiographical drama. It was only the second English-language role of her career after appearing in The Wachowski’s “Sense 8.” She’ll next appear in the Apple TV+ series “Pachinko.”
Yuh-jung follows Miyoshi Umeki who won an Oscar in the same category for “Sayonara” in 1958. Hang S. Ngor won the Best Supporting Actor for “The Killing Fields” in 1985. Ben Kingsley took Best Actor for “Ghandi” in 1983. Yul Brynner, who was of Mongol descent, also won Best Actor in 1958 for “The King and I.”
The 73-year-old Yuh-jung won numerous accolades for “Minari” including the Independent Spirit Award, the BAFTA Award the SAG Award, and the National Board of Review.
When asked by The Playlist about the prospect of winning an Oscar, Yuh-jung replied, “It’s kind of scary because I never even dreamt about it. You know, Oscar is a very big wall, higher than Trump’s wall. We never [thought of] being nominated or whatever, so it’s not weird to me. I cannot feel anything, but the Korean [people] just with the pandemic and everything, they are very depressed. You have the expression about don’t count your chickens before they hatch. They’re doing it like that. Scary if I failed or whatever, not being nominated or whatever. They will be very disappointed, so I’m not good position now. [Laughs].”
Something tells us the Korean people are very pleased with Yuh-jung’s historic success after her Oscar win.