Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung's autobiographical film "Minari" features Youn Yuh-jung, who played Soon-ja, becoming the first Korean actor to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 93rd Academy Awards. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim So-young] Actress Youn Yuh-jung, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the American Academy Awards (Oscars) for the film Minari, revealed that she is worried about visiting the United States due to hate crimes targeting Asians.
On the 12th (local time), Youn Yuh-jung told the American media Forbes in an interview, "My son is worried that I might be attacked (in a hate crime)," adding, "This is a terrible thing."
She introduced, "My two sons are Korean-American," and said, "My son is concerned that 'Mother could get hurt on the street. Since Mother is elderly, no one knows what might happen. They (the perpetrators of hate crimes) are targeting the elderly.'"
Youn Yuh-jung also mentioned that her son suggested hiring a bodyguard.
Having previously won the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for Best Supporting Actress and the British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress consecutively, Youn Yuh-jung is being evaluated as "quickly gaining momentum as a frontrunner (Forbes)" for the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony on the 25th.
Regarding this, Youn Yuh-jung said, "I just acted in Korean, as I do in Korea, but I never expected to receive such recognition from Americans," expressing, "I was surprised."
She continued, "Honestly, I don't like competition among actors. Actors play different roles in each film, and there is no way to compare them," adding, "All five nominees for the Oscar Best Supporting Actress are actually winners."
Youn Yuh-jung introduced that her experiences with marriage, moving to the United States, and divorce were the driving forces that shaped who she is today.
She spent her prime in the 1970s, then moved to the United States after getting married. After living in the U.S. for about ten years, she divorced and restarted her acting career in Korea, rising again like a phoenix.
She said, "In the past in Korea, especially for actresses, marriage meant the end of their careers," adding, "I never thought about quitting acting, but I became a housewife, and that just happened."
She also revealed, "At that time, divorce was like a scarlet letter, and there was a perception of being a 'stubborn woman,'" explaining, "Because (divorced women) broke the idea that 'you must obey your husband and keep your marriage vows,' I had no chance to appear on television or get a job."
She recalled, "It was a terrible time. I tried to take any role to feed my two sons and didn’t care about the pride I once had as a star," adding, "I think I became a very mature person from then on."
She said, "It is unrealistic and in some ways sad that no one before me in Korean film history had been nominated for an Oscar (acting award)," but added, "I am very grateful. Life is not bad and is full of surprises."
Meanwhile, at the Academy Awards ceremony to be held on the 25th, the film Minari has been nominated in six categories including Best Supporting Actress, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Original Score.
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