Oscars

South Korea’s Youn Yuh-jung wins best supporting actress Oscar for ‘Minari’

Reuters
South Korea’s Youn Yuh-jung wins best supporting actress Oscar for ‘Minari’

Youn Yuh-jung arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards, at Union Station, in Los Angeles.

Photo by Chris Pizzello/Pool via REUTERS

Youn Yuh-jung is the first South Korean actor to win an Oscar

South Korean film icon Youn Yuh-jung won the best supporting actress Oscar on Sunday, April 25 (Monday, April 26 in Manila) for her role as a spirited and unconventional grandmother in Minari.

Youn, 73, is the first South Korean actor to win an Oscar and the first actor from that country ever to clinch an Academy Award nomination.

Youn’s win was announced onstage by Brad Pitt, last year’s supporting actor winner.

“Mr. Brad Pitt,” Youn said to Pitt as she stepped up to the microphone. “Finally, nice to meet you.”

Youn was the front-runner for an Oscar after picking up dozens of trophies this year for her role in Minari, a tender story about a South Korean immigrant family that starts a farm in Arkansas.

In the film, which is based partly on the life story of director Lee Isaac Chung, Youn’s character travels from South Korea to help care for her two grandchildren.

Youn has been a sensation on Korean screens for decades, most often playing witty, thought-provoking characters.

Youn’s fellow supporting actress nominees were Maria Bakalova for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Glenn Close for Hillbilly Elegy, Olivia Colman for The Father, and Amanda Seyfried for Mank.

“I don’t believe in competition,” Youn said, acknowledging her fellow nominees in the category. “I have just a little bit luck, I think, maybe. I’m luckier than you.” – Rappler.com

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