[Interview] 'Minari' Han Ye-ri "An Unrepeatable Luck, Supporting Youn Yuh-jung's Oscar Journey" (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actress Han Ye-ri expressed her delight over the reactions surrounding the film Minari.

On the morning of the 23rd, Han Ye-ri shared various stories about the film Minari (directed by Lee Isaac Chung) during a video interview.

Minari is a film about a Korean immigrant family who moved to a farm in Arkansas in pursuit of the American Dream in the 1980s. The cast includes Steven Yeun, Youn Yuh-jung, Will Patton, Alan S. Kim, and Noel Kate Cho. Han Ye-ri plays Monica, a first-generation immigrant in the film.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who won the Cam?ra d'Or and was nominated for the Un Certain Regard section at the 60th Cannes Film Festival for Munyurangabo, the film was produced by Plan B, Brad Pitt’s production company known for Academy Award-winning films such as Moonlight and 12 Years a Slave. A24, which has led many Oscar races with films like Room, Lady Bird, The Lobster, and The Florida Project, handled North American distribution.

Minari is considered a strong contender as it sweeps trophies across North America ahead of the Academy Awards nominations announcement on the 15th of next month. It has also been nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards, drawing significant attention.

On the day, Han Ye-ri said, “I didn’t expect such a big reaction. I participated thinking it was a small project,” adding, “Youn Yuh-jung said she hadn’t even seen the ‘H’ in Hollywood, and I felt the same. I had no expectations,” showing a somewhat stunned reaction.

When asked about her reason for joining the cast, Han Ye-ri mentioned director Lee Isaac Chung, saying, “After receiving the translated script, I couldn’t fully understand Monica. But after meeting the director, I felt he was a good person, and we shared a sense of empathy because our childhood experiences weren’t so different. I became confident that we could create Monica together.”

She added, “The director is a very special person. His positivity and great love became energy, and I felt that vibe throughout the filming, which was wonderful.”

Han Ye-ri also revealed behind-the-scenes stories about joining Minari. She said, “Before it was confirmed whether I could join as Monica, many other actors were recommended, and there were talks about holding auditions. But later I heard the director said, ‘It has to be Han Ye-ri or no one else.’ I’m grateful he believed in me until the end.”

When asked how she approached the emotions of a mother with two children, Han Ye-ri said, “Since I’m not married, it was hard to fully empathize with the emotions. I thought of many women I know?my mother, grandmother, and six aunts?and recalled various female figures from that era. My parents also married young and raised children. Their growth and their children’s growth happened simultaneously, going through growing pains together. I thought raising children must have been very difficult.”

She added, “I resemble Monica about 70%, but I resemble my mother more than myself.”

Han Ye-ri said she did not focus on the keyword ‘immigrant.’ “I thought about how Monica would think and act. I accepted the unfolding situations from Monica’s perspective.”

Regarding her co-star Steven Yeun, who played her husband, Han Ye-ri praised him, saying, “He is passionate. Whenever something felt uncomfortable or awkward, he would ask, ‘How does this feel?’ or ‘Shall we try acting it again?’ He doesn’t hold onto his pride and knows exactly what attitude to take for the sake of the work.”

She continued, “Since Steven is an immigrant, he probably felt it was his own story. Seeing his sincere and heartfelt dedication to the work made me want to do well too.”

Regarding Youn Yuh-jung, who is making a final sprint toward the Oscars with 26 acting awards, Han Ye-ri said, “She is a charming person, and I learned a lot of courage from her.”

“Youn Yuh-jung’s humor brought good energy to the set. I learned from her fearless approach to working with strangers in a foreign place. On the other hand, I was worried. When the plane took off, I suddenly got scared. I worried while looking at the script, wondering, ‘How am I going to act?’ as I headed to the U.S., but Youn Yuh-jung was different.”

Han Ye-ri then congratulated her, saying, “Youn Yuh-jung often showed great acting on set, and now her true value is being recognized abroad. I’m happy.”

When asked about the atmosphere among the Minari team, who have been delivering daily award news, Han Ye-ri smiled brightly and continued. She said, “We have a group chat. The chat room’s name is the address of our lodging during filming, and whenever good news comes, everyone sends congratulatory messages. We also celebrate each other’s birthdays.”

Han Ye-ri expressed regret over Minari being classified as a Foreign Language Film rather than for Best Picture or acting awards at the Golden Globes. She said, “It’s naturally disappointing to be classified as a Foreign Language Film. I wonder if the director and Steven feel very upset.”

Having played mother and daughter with Youn Yuh-jung, who portrayed Soon-ja, Han Ye-ri said, “Soon-ja raised Monica alone and worked as the head of the household for a long time. Monica must have watched her closely. I approached the role thinking they were like friends.”

She previously mentioned that the scene where Monica dips her finger into the red pepper powder Soon-ja brought from Korea was impressive. Han Ye-ri said, “I thought many emotions must have crossed her mind?gratitude, joy, happiness, but also sadness. She wanted to show that she was doing well, but a mother seeing her daughter living in a trailer house must have felt heartbroken. It’s a bittersweet (funny and sad) scene.”

“I think Minari will be remembered as a good film. I wonder if I will ever have such an experience again. I hope this kind of luck comes again, but I also think it might not. It would feel good to hear audiences say, ‘Han Ye-ri has strength.’”

Photo = Pan Cinema