Youn Yuh-jung (, ; born June 19, 1947) is a South Korean actress, whose career in film and television spans over five decades. Her accolades include an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, a
Screen Actors Guild Award, a
British Academy Film Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
, an
Independent Spirit Award
The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...
, and a nomination for a
Critics' Choice Movie Award
The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writt ...
. She has starred in many South Korean television series and films.
She gained international recognition for her role in ''
Minari'' (2020). Her critically acclaimed portrayal of Soon-ja in the film made her the first Korean actress to win a
Screen Actors Guild Award, an
Independent Spirit Award
The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...
, a
British Academy Film Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
, and an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, as well as the first to be nominated for a
Critics' Choice Movie Award
The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writt ...
, all in the Best Supporting Actress category.
By the late 1960s, Youn was a rising star in South Korea and won several awards for her role in ''
Woman of Fire
''Woman of Fire'' () is a 1971 South Korean film directed by Kim Ki-young. This was the second film in Kim's ''Housemaid'' trilogy followed by ''Woman of Fire '82''. The film is a remake of the classical '' The Housemaid''.
Plot
The lives of a co ...
'' (1971). She retired from the spotlight for several years before returning to acting in the late 1980s. Besides ''Woman of Fire'' and ''Minari'', Youn is known for her work in the South Korean films ''
The Housemaid'' (2010), ''
The Taste of Money'' (2012), ''
The Bacchus Lady
''The Bacchus Lady'' ( ko, 죽여주는 여자, ''The Killer Woman'') is a 2016 South Korean drama film directed and written by E J-yong. It was shown in the Panorama section at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival as well as the Seattle ...
'' (2016), and ''
Canola
Close-up of canola blooms
Canola flower
Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, ...
'' (2016). She is also known for her matriarch roles in the South Korean family drama series ''Men of the Bath House'' (1995), ''
Be Strong Geum Soon'' (2005), ''
Daughters-in-Law
''Daughters-in-Law'' () is a South Korean drama that aired from July 28, 2007 to January 20, 2008 in Korea by KBS2 starring Kim Ji-hoon, Lee Pil-mo, Lee Soo-kyung and Seo Young-hee. It premiered on KBS2 every Saturday and Sunday at 19:55 for ...
'' (2007), ''
My Husband Got a Family
''My Husband Got a Family'' (, also known as ''Unexpected You'') is a 2012 South Korean television series starring Kim Nam-joo, Yoo Jun-sang, and Youn Yuh-jung. It aired on KBS2 from February 25 to September 9, 2012 on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 ...
'' (2012), and ''
Dear My Friends
''Dear My Friends'' () is a South Korean television series starring Go Hyun-jung, Kim Hye-ja, Na Moon-hee, Go Doo-shim, Park Won-sook, Youn Yuh-jung, Joo Hyun, Kim Young-ok and Shin Goo. It aired on cable network tvN on Fridays and Saturdays ...
'' (2016). In 2022, she appeared in the television series ''
Pachinko
is a mechanical game originating in Japan that is used as an arcade game, and much more frequently for gambling. Pachinko fills a niche in Japanese gambling comparable to that of the slot machine in the West as a form of low-stakes, low-st ...
'' on
Apple TV+
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
.
Early life
Youn Yuh jung was born on June 19, 1947 in
Kaesong
Kaesong (, ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close t ...
(today in
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
), Gyeonggi Province, and grew up in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
. Her father died when she was young. She has two sisters. Her sister Youn Yeo-soon is a former executive at
LG Group
LG Corporation (or LG Group) (), formerly Lucky-Goldstar from 1983 to 1995 (Korean: ''Leokki Geumseong''; ), is a South Korean multinational conglomerate founded by Koo In-hwoi and managed by successive generations of his family. It is ...
. She attended high school at
Ewha Girls' High School
Ewha Girls' High School ( ko, 이화여자고등학교) is a private girls high school located in Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Although managed by the same foundation, it is not to be confused with the coeducational Ewha Womans Unive ...
, and enrolled at
Hanyang University
Hanyang University (Korean: 한양대학교) is a private research university in South Korea. The main campus is located in Seoul and its satellite campus, the Education Research Industry Cluster (ERICA campus), is in Ansan. ''Hanyang'' (한양 ...
majoring in Korean Language and Literature, when she passed the open auditions held by
TBC in 1966.
Youn has two sons, both of whom are
Korean-Americans
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian Americans ...
.
Career
She dropped out of college, and made her acting debut in the television drama ''Mister Gom'' in 1967. Youn shot to stardom in 1971 with two memorable portrayals of
femme fatale
A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
s. Her first film,
Kim Ki-young
Kim Ki-young (October 10, 1919According to official documents, Kim was born in 1919. However, Kim insisted he was actually born in 1922. – February 5, 1998) was a South Korean film director, known for his intensely psychosexual and melodr ...
's ''
Woman of Fire
''Woman of Fire'' () is a 1971 South Korean film directed by Kim Ki-young. This was the second film in Kim's ''Housemaid'' trilogy followed by ''Woman of Fire '82''. The film is a remake of the classical '' The Housemaid''.
Plot
The lives of a co ...
'', became a critical and commercial hit, for which she won Best Actress at the
Sitges Film Festival
The Sitges Film Festival ( ca, Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya, links=no) is an annual film festival held in Sitges, Spain, specialized in fantasy and horror films, of which it is considered one of the world's foremost in ...
.
This was followed by the
MBC historical drama ''Jang Hui-bin'' where she played the titular
infamous royal concubine. Kim was considered Korea's first style-conscious, experimental director, and Youn did not balk in playing risque, provocative characters that explore the grotesque in the female psyche in collaborations with him such as ''
The Insect Woman
is a 1963 Japanese drama film directed by Shōhei Imamura. It was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival, where Sachiko Hidari won the Silver Bear for Best Actress award. It was also awarded numerous national film prizes.
Plot ...
'' (1972) and ''
Be a Wicked Woman'' (1990).
Audiences found Youn's fast way of speaking and atypical appearance refreshing and she frequently took roles in TV dramas depicting a modern woman of the new generation, notably in ''Stepmother'' (1972) written by
Kim Soo-hyun
Kim Soo-hyun (; born February 16, 1988) is a South Korean actor. One of the highest-paid actors in South Korea, his accolades include four Baeksang Arts Awards, two Grand Bell Awards and one Blue Dragon Film Award. From 2012 to 2016 and in ...
.
At the peak of her career, Youn retired after she married singer
Jo Young-nam in 1974, then immigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. In 1984, she returned to Korea and permanently resumed her acting career. She and Jo divorced in 1987 and struggled to resume her acting career due to the stigma of divorce in South Korea.
Making a comeback after taking a long break was an unusual feat for a Korean middle-aged actress.
Although most actresses her age played clichéd self-sacrificing mothers or coarse
ajumma
Ajumma ( ko, 아줌마), sometimes spelled ajoomma, is a Korean word for a married, or middle-aged woman. It comes from the Korean word ''ajumeoni'' ( ko, 아주머니).
Although it is sometimes translated "aunt
An aunt is a woman who is a s ...
s, Youn's acting range led to her being cast in more complex, stylish, and independent roles. In ''
A Good Lawyer's Wife
''A Good Lawyer's Wife'' () is a 2003 South Korean film written and directed by Im Sang-soo. The film is about the various affairs of members of a dysfunctional South Korean family.
Plot
Ju Yeong-jak (Hwang Jung-min) is a successful lawyer who wor ...
'' (2003), she drew critical acclaim for her nonchalant acting as a mother-in-law who neglected her husband dying of liver cancer and enjoyed extramarital affairs. Her frank and confident persona again manifested itself in
E J-yong
E J-yong (; born September 5, 1966) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His feature films include ''An Affair'' (1998), ''Untold Scandal'' (2003), ''Dasepo Naughty Girls'' (2006), and ''Actresses'' (2009).
Early life
E J-yong (his ...
's
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
''
Actresses
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...
'' (2009).
Youn continued playing supporting roles in film and television, such as in ''
The Housemaid'' (2010). She reunited with director
Im Sang-soo
Im Sang-soo (born April 27, 1962) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He has twice been invited to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, with '' The Housemaid'' in 2010 and ''The Taste of Money'' in 2012.
Early li ...
for the fourth time in ''
The Taste of Money'' (2012), as a cruel
chaebol
A chaebol (, ; ) is a large industrial South Korean conglomerate run and controlled by an individual or family. A chaebol often consists of multiple diversified affiliates, controlled by a person or group whose power over the group often exc ...
heiress at the center of the drama that unfolds and touches upon the themes of corruption, greed and sex. Youn said "I don't mind being called an old actress, but I do worry about how to carry on my acting career without looking like an old fool."
In 2013, she was cast as a loving mother to three loser children in
Song Hae-sung
Song Hae-sung (born October 11, 1964) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter.
Career
Song made his feature film debut in 1999 with the time-traveling romance ''Calla'', starring Song Seung-heon and Kim Hee-sun, but didn't become more ...
's ''
Boomerang Family
''Boomerang Family'' (; lit. "Aging Family") is a 2013 South Korean comedy-drama film directed by Song Hae-sung, and starring Park Hae-il, Yoon Je-moon, Gong Hyo-jin, Youn Yuh-jung, and Jin Ji-hee. Based on the 2010 novel ''Aging Family'' by Cheo ...
''. Later in the year, Youn appeared in her first reality show ''
Sisters Over Flowers
''Sisters Over Flowers'' (), also known as ''Noonas Over Flowers'', is a South Korean travel- reality show that aired on tvN from 29 November 2013 to 17 January 2014. It featured veteran actresses Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Ja-ok, Kim Hee-ae and Lee Mi-y ...
'', a travel show shot in
Croatia
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, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
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, capit ...
.
After appearing on ''Sisters Over Flowers'', Youn has stated that her public image became more positive.
Youn starred in two leading roles in 2015:
Kang Je-gyu
Kang Je-gyu (born December 23, 1962) is a South Korean film director.
Career
After graduating from ChungAng University, Kang received his first prize at the Korea Youth Film Festival and Korea Scenario Awards in 1991.
Kang's most notable co ...
's ''
Salut d'Amour
''Salut d'Amour'' (''Liebesgruß''), Op. 12, is a musical work composed by Edward Elgar in 1888, originally written for violin and piano.
History
Elgar finished the piece in July 1888, when he was romantically involved with Caroline Alice Elg ...
'' about the romance between an elderly supermarket employee and a flower shop owner, and ''
Canola
Close-up of canola blooms
Canola flower
Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, ...
'' about a
Jeju Island female diver who reunites with her long-lost granddaughter. ''Salut d'Amour'' was Youn's first collaboration with actor
Park Geun-hyung
Park Geun-hyung (born June 7, 1940) is a South Korean actor. His career in film, television and theater has spanned over five decades.
Filmography
Film
*''7 People in the Cellar'' (1969)
*''Lovers of Seoul'' (1973)
*''Spies in the National A ...
since 1971.
In 2020, she made her Hollywood debut in a supporting role as Soon-ja, a grandma of a
Korean-American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian Americans ...
family in rural
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, in the American film ''
Minari'', for which she received critical recognition from over forty American regional critics awards, including wins from the
National Board of Review
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...
and the
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975.
Background
Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles-based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organiza ...
. Youn went on to become the first Korean actress to win an
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress,
SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role,
and
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film.
This award ...
. She was also the first Asian actress to win an acting award in the motion pictures categories at the
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
as well as the first Korean actress to win an Academy Award and first Asian actress to win an Academy Award since
1958
Events
January
* January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being.
* January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
* January 4
** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...
when
Miyoshi Umeki
was a Japanese-American singer and actress.Bernstein, Adam ''The Washington Post''. 5 September 2007. Umeki was a Tony Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actress and the first East Asian-American woman to win an Academy Award for acting.
Life
Bo ...
won Best Supporting Actress for ''
Sayonara
''Sayonara'' is a 1957 American Technicolor drama film starring Marlon Brando in Technirama. It tells the story of an American Air Force fighter pilot during the Korean War who falls in love with a famous Japanese dancer. The picture won four Ac ...
''.
In April 2021,
Film at Lincoln Center
Film at Lincoln Center, previously known as the Film Society of Lincoln Center until 2019,Aridi, Sara (April 28, 2019).. ''The New York Times''. nytimes.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019. is a film society based in New York City, United States. Fo ...
hosted a five film retrospective of her career. In September 2021, she was selected as one of the
100 most "Influential People in the World" in 2021 by the American weekly magazine
''TIME''. She was named in the 'Titan' category. Youn received the
Order of Cultural Merit.
In December 2022, Youn's contract with Hook Entertainment ended, and she decided not to renew after 5 years.
Filmography
Film
Television series
Variety show
Awards and nominations
Listicles
State honors
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Youn, Yuh-jung
1947 births
Living people
20th-century South Korean actresses
21st-century South Korean actresses
Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners
Best Supporting Actress Asian Film Award winners
Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award winners
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female winners
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners
People from Gyeonggi Province
People from Kaesong
South Korean film actresses
South Korean television actresses
South Korean television personalities
Recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit (Korea)
Papyeong Yun clan