Will the 'Minari' Mother-in-Law and Son-in-Law Win the Acting Award That 'Parasite' Missed?

Supporting Actress Nominee Youn Yuh-jung Expected to Be First Korean to Win Oscar Acting Award
Best Actor Nominee Steven Yeun First Asian American to Be Nominated

In the movie "Minari," Jacob (Steven Yeun) scolds his son David (Alan Kim) for making their grandmother Soonja (Youn Yuh-jung) drink his urine. David grumbles when his father tells him to apologize properly. "She’s not even really a grandmother..." When Jacob sternly reprimands him, Soonja intervenes, saying, "It’s okay." "Just don’t do it again, okay? I’ll do my grandmother duties properly from now on. Okay?" "Bring the stick." "No, what kind of stick would you need for such a cute kid? It’s because he’s a kid. What’s wrong with drinking a little urine? It was funny." When David brings some foxtail grass with the stick, Soonja smiles brightly and lightens the mood. "Oh, smart boy. Well done. You win."

The mother-in-law and son-in-law, who clashed over Korean-style discipline, were both nominated for acting awards at the Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced the final nominees for the 93rd Academy Awards on the 15th (Korean time). Youn Yuh-jung was the last to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress. She will compete for the trophy against Maria Bakalova from "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," Amanda Seyfried from "Mank," Olivia Colman from "The Father," and Glenn Close from "Hillbilly Elegy." Youn had previously won 32 awards, surpassing these competitors at the National Board of Review, Hollywood Critics Association, and others.

This is the first time a Korean actor has been nominated in an acting category at the Academy Awards. Last year, "Parasite," which won four categories, was nominated in Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, Best Production Design, and Best Film Editing, excluding acting. Youn Yuh-jung is the fourth Asian actor to be nominated in this category.

Youn Yuh-jung won Best Actress at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain for her film debut "Woman of Fire" (1971). She walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival three times for "The Housemaid" (2010), "The Taste of Money" (2012), and "In Another Country" (2011). In "Minari," she captivated Hollywood with her warm face and clear Korean language. She instantly lightens the cold atmosphere created by the quarrel between daughter and son-in-law, deepening the conflict arising from cultural differences. The minari in the film symbolizes resilient vitality. Soonja plants and nurtures minari by the stream, revealing the film’s thematic essence.

Steven Yeun became the first Asian American to be nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. He competes against Riz Ahmed from "Sound of Metal," the late Chadwick Boseman from "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom," Anthony Hopkins from "The Father," and Gary Oldman from "Mank."

Steven Yeun gained recognition for his role as Glenn in the American TV series "The Walking Dead." He honed his Korean acting skills in director Bong Joon-ho’s "Okja" and director Lee Chang-dong’s "Burning." In "Minari," he gave a passionate performance as a lonely father dreaming of the American Dream. Will Patton, who worked with him, pointed to the scene where Jacob and Monica (Han Ye-ri) argue in the parking lot, saying, "You could feel the desire and longing in their eyes," and "It was as if their souls and emotions were burning." "Minari" was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay (all Lee Isaac Chung), and Best Original Score (Emile Mosseri).

This year’s acting categories saw a record number of nine actors of color nominated. Along with Youn Yuh-jung and Steven Yeun, the nominees include Boseman, Ahmed, Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield (both from "Judas and the Black Messiah"), Leslie Odom Jr. ("One Night in Miami"), Viola Davis ("Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"), and Andra Day ("The United States vs. Billie Holiday"). This appears to be a broad response to the ongoing criticism of white supremacy.

Meanwhile, "Opera," directed by Korean American Eric Oh, was nominated for Best Animated Short Film. It is a work created by a Korean production company for an installation media art exhibition projecting onto walls and structures. It depicts conflicts among classes, cultures, religions, and ideologies throughout human history through the endless repetition of day and night.

This year’s Academy Awards ceremony will be held on the 26th of next month, two months later than usual due to the spread of COVID-19.