Steven Yeun

Sang-yeop Yeun (; born December 21, 1983), known professionally as Steven Yeun ( ), is an American actor. His accolades include two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award.

Yeun initially rose to prominence for playing Glenn Rhee in the television series '' The Walking Dead'' (2010–2016). He earned critical acclaim for the films ''Burning'' (2018) and '' Minari'' (2020). For the latter, he became the first Asian American nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2021. For the Netflix dark comedy series ''Beef'' (2023), which he produced and starred in, Yeun received Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actor.

Yeun has also appeared in the films '' Okja'' (2017), '' Sorry to Bother You'' (2018), '' The Humans'' (2021), and '' Nope'' (2022). He has also voiced main characters in animated television series such as '' Voltron: Legendary Defender'' (2016–2018), '' Tales of Arcadia'' (2016–2021), '' Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters'' (2017–2018), ''Final Space'' (2018–2021), '' Tuca & Bertie'' (2019–2022), and '' Invincible'' (2021–present).

Early life and education

Yeun was born in Seoul on December 21, 1983, to Je and June Yeun. His father was an architect in South Korea before moving his family in 1988 to Canada, where they lived in Regina, Saskatchewan. In Regina, he attended Ruth M. Buck Elementary School. He has a younger brother named Brian. The family later moved to the U.S. and settled in Taylor, Michigan, and then Troy, Michigan, where Yeun lived until he graduated from Troy High School in 2001. Growing up, Yeun's family spoke Korean at home.

Yeun was raised in a Christian household. His parents, who owned beauty-supply stores in Detroit, began calling him "Steven" after meeting a doctor by that name. He received a bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience from Kalamazoo College in 2005. At Kalamazoo, he befriended the sister of comedian Jordan Klepper and she took him to see Klepper's improv show, which inspired him to take his first acting class and later follow Klepper to Chicago, where they joined The Second City.

Career

2005–2009: Early career

Yeun revealed to his parents that he planned to pursue an improv career in Chicago instead of enrolling in law school or medical school. His parents were unhappy with the decision, but supported him nonetheless and gave him two years to pursue acting. He moved to Chicago in 2005, living in the city's Lincoln Square with his brother. Shortly after graduation, he joined Stir Friday Night, a Chicago-based Asian American sketch comedy troupe. Other alumni of the group include Danny Pudi, known for his role in ''Community''. He joined The Second City in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in October 2009.

2010–2016: Breakout with ''The Walking Dead''

Yeun's breakout role was the starring role of Glenn Rhee on '' The Walking Dead'', an AMC television horror drama based on the comic book series of the same name. The series, which began in 2010, involves a group of characters who fight to survive in a violent apocalyptic world infested with flesh-eating zombies. ''The Walking Dead'' became the highest-rated series in cable television history, and seasons three through six of the show garnered the most 18 to 49-year-old viewers of any cable or broadcast television series. The series has received mostly positive reviews from professional television critics. Per '' Variety'', Yeun was "a major part" of the show's success; his character developed "from a plucky young member of the show's central group to a bona fide action hero and sex symbol". Yeun left the show in 2016 after the season 7 premiere.

2017–present: Transition to films and acclaim

Yeun was cast in Joe Lynch's action horror film '' Mayhem'' (2017). The film was released in theaters on November 10, 2017. In April 2016, Yeun was cast in Bong Joon-ho's action-adventure film '' Okja''. The film competed for the ''Palme d'Or'' in the main competition section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. It was released on Netflix on June 28, 2017. Yeun also provided the voice of Bo in 2017's '' The Star''. Yeun co-starred in Boots Riley's dark comedy '' Sorry to Bother You'', alongside Lakeith Stanfield, Armie Hammer and Tessa Thompson, which was released in theaters on July 6, 2018. The film had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2018. It additionally won The 2019 National Board of Review's Top Ten Independent Films award, as well as Best Screenplay and Best First Feature at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards.

In late 2018, Yeun played Ben in the South Korean mystery drama film ''Burning'', directed by Lee Chang-dong. The film was first unveiled at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. His performance in the film was acclaimed. Yeun won Best Supporting Actor at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2018, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards 2018, and 2018 National Society of Film Critics Awards. In late 2018, Yeun landed a main role in an episode of Jordan Peele's revival of ''The Twilight Zone''. He currently voices the title protagonist Mark Grayson in the animated superhero series '' Invincible'', adapting Robert Kirkman's comic book series, which was released on Amazon Prime in March 2021.

In 2020, Yeun starred in and served as an executive producer for Lee Isaac Chung's A24 immigrant drama '' Minari'', which also includes Youn Yuh-jung, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Will Patton

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