Youn Yuh-jung

South Korean actress (born 1947) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Youn Yuh-jung

Youn Yuh-jung (Korean: 윤여정, Korean pronunciation: [jun jʌdʑʌŋ]; 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, Screen Actors Guild Award, British Academy Film Award, & Independent Spirit Award, and a nomination for a Critics' Choice Movie Award. She has starred in many South Korean television series and films.

Quick Facts Born, Other names ...
Youn Yuh-jung
윤여정
Thumb
Youn in December 2016
Born (1947-06-19) June 19, 1947 (age 77)
Other namesYoon Yeo-jeong
Education
OccupationActress
Years active1966–present
AgentCreative Artists Agency (USA)[1]
Spouse
(m. 1974; div. 1987)
Children2
AwardsBest Supporting Actress at the 93rd Academy Awards
Honours Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit (2021)
Korean name
Hangul
윤여정
Hanja
尹汝貞
Revised RomanizationYun Yeojeong
McCune–ReischauerYun Yŏjŏng
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She gained international recognition for her critically acclaimed role as Soon-ja in Minari (2020). She became first Korean actress to win a Screen Actors Guild Award, an Independent Spirit Award, a British Academy Film Award, and an Academy Award, as well as the first to be nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, all for Best Supporting Actress.[2][3][4][5][6]

By the late 1960s, Youn was a rising star in South Korea and won several awards for her role in Woman of Fire (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 (2016), and Canola (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 (2007), My Husband Got a Family (2012), and Dear My Friends (2016). In 2022, she appeared in the period drama Pachinko on Apple TV+.

Early life

Youn Yuh-jung was born on June 19, 1947, in Kaesong, southern Korea. She is the eldest daughter of a family with three daughters. Her father died when she was young. The family fled the city during the first and fourth retreat of the Korean War. She attended Changsin Elementary School and later Ewha Girls' High School in Seoul, South Korea.[7][unreliable source?] She graduated from high school in 1966. Afterwards, she enrolled at Hanyang University, with a major in Korean Language and Literature. When she passed open acting auditions held by TBC in 1966,[8] she dropped out of college.[9]

Career

Summarize
Perspective

After dropping out of college, Youn made her acting debut in the television drama Mister Gom in 1967.[10] Youn shot to stardom in 1971 with two memorable portrayals of femme fatales. Her first film, Kim Ki-young's Woman of Fire, became a critical and commercial hit,[11][12] for which she won Best Actress at the Sitges Film Festival.[13]

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 (1972) and Be a Wicked Woman (1990).[14] 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.

At the peak of her career, Youn retired after she married singer Jo Young-nam in 1974, then immigrated to the United States. 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.[15][16]

Making a comeback after taking a long break was an unusual feat for a Korean middle-aged actress.[14] Although most actresses her age played clichéd self-sacrificing mothers or coarse ajummas, Youn's acting range led to her being cast in more complex, stylish, and independent roles. In A Good Lawyer's Wife (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's mockumentary Actresses (2009).[17][18][19][20]

Youn continued playing supporting roles in film and television, such as in The Housemaid (2010). She reunited with director Im Sang-soo for the fourth time in The Taste of Money (2012), as a cruel chaebol 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."[21]

In 2013, she was cast as a loving mother to three loser children in Song Hae-sung's Boomerang Family.[22] Later in the year, Youn appeared in her first reality show Sisters Over Flowers, a travel show shot in Croatia.[23] After appearing on Sisters Over Flowers, Youn has stated that her public image became more positive.[24]

Youn starred in two leading roles in 2015: Kang Je-gyu's Salut d'Amour about the romance between an elderly supermarket employee and a flower shop owner,[25] and Canola about a Jeju Island female diver who reunites with her long-lost granddaughter.[26] Salut d'Amour was Youn's first collaboration with actor Park Geun-hyung since 1971.[27]

In 2020, she made her Hollywood debut in a supporting role as Soon-ja, a grandma of a Korean-American family in rural Arkansas, 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[28] and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.[29] Youn went on to become the first Korean actress to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress,[30] SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role,[31] and BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.[32] She was also the first Asian actress to win an acting award in the motion pictures categories at the Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as the first Korean actress to win an Academy Award and first Asian actress to win an Academy Award since 1958 when Miyoshi Umeki won Best Supporting Actress for Sayonara.[31]

In April 2021, Film at Lincoln Center hosted a five film retrospective of her career.[33] 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.[34] Youn received the Order of Cultural Merit.[35]

In December 2022, Youn's contract with Hook Entertainment ended, and she decided not to renew after 5 years.[36] Later, in January 2023, Youn signed with Creative Artists Agency.[37]

Personal life

In December 1973, she followed her fiancé, singer Jo Young-nam, to the United States. She worked at a supermarket for $2.75 an hour to raise her two sons in St. Petersburg, Florida. She returned to Korea in 1984 and divorced her husband three years afterwards.[38]

Youn has two sons, both of whom are Korean Americans and have Korean Citizenship and US Citizenship.[39] Her sister Youn Yeo-soon is a former executive at LG Group.[40]

Filmography

Film

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
English Korean
1971 Woman of Fire 화녀 Myeong-ja
1972 The Insect Woman 충녀 Myeong-ja
1973 Love and Hatred 다정다한
Tto Sun Yi, a College Girl 여대생 또순이
1978 The Day and Night of a Korean-American 코메리칸의 낮과 밤
1985 Mother 어미 Hong Kyeong-ae
1990 Be a Wicked Woman 천사여 악녀가 되라 Choi Yuh-jung
1995 An Experience to Die For 죽어도 좋은 경험 Choi Yeo-jung
2003 A Good Lawyer's Wife 바람난 가족 Hong Byeong-han
2004 Springtime 꽃피는 봄이 오면 Hyun-woo's mother
2005 The President's Last Bang 그때 그사람들 Yoon-hee's mother/Epilogue narration
2006 Maundy Thursday 우리들의 행복한 시간 Sister Monica
2007 The Old Garden 오래된 정원 Hyun-woo's mother
Hwang Jin-yi 황진이 Old woman
2008 A Tale of Legendary Libido 가루지기 Old woman
2009 Actresses 여배우들 Herself Also screenwriter
2010 Hahaha 하하하 Moon-kyeong's mother
The Housemaid 하녀 Byeong-sik
2011 Hindsight 푸른 소금 Madame Kang
List 리스트 Short film
2012 The Taste of Money 돈의 맛 Baek Geum-ok
In Another Country 다른 나라에서 Park Sook
2013 Behind the Camera 뒷담화: 감독이 미쳤어요 Herself
Boomerang Family 고령화가족 Mom
2014 Hill of Freedom 자유의 언덕 Gu-ok
2015 Salut d'Amour 장수상회 Im Geum-nim
Intimate Enemies 나의 절친 악당들 Yeo-jung Cameo
Right Now, Wrong Then 지금은맞고그때는틀리다 Kang Deok-soo
2016 Canola 계춘할망 Gye-choon
The Bacchus Lady 죽여주는 여자 So-young [41]
2018 Keys to the Heart 그것만이 내 세상 In-sook [42]
2019 Lucky Chan-sil 찬실이는 복도 많지 Grandmother
2020 Beasts Clawing at Straws 지푸라기라도 잡고 싶은 짐승들 Soon-ja [43]
MinariSoon-jaWon: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress [44]
2021 Heaven: To the Land of Happiness헤븐: 행복의 나라로Mrs. Yoon [45]
2024 Dog Days 도그데이즈 Min-seo [46][47]
2025 The Wedding Banquet Ja-Young American-Korean co-production
[48]
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Television

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
English Korean
1967 Mister Gom 미스터 곰
1970 The Appearance of the Wife 아내의 모습
Let's Live by the River 강변 살자
박마리아 MBC
River of Love and Sorrow 사랑과 슬픔의 강
1971 Jang Hui-bin 장희빈 Hui-bin Jang
1972 Rainbow 무지개 President Han's daughter
Daewongun 대원군 Empress Myeongseong
Stepmother 새엄마 Eun-hye
1976 Girl's High School Days 여고 동창생
1984 MBC Bestseller Theater MBC 베스트셀러극장 - 고깔 Episode: "고깔"
1985 Mom's Room 엄마의 방
1986 First Love 첫사랑
1987 Love and Ambition 사랑과 야망 Song Hye-joo
1988 Sand Castle 모래성 Kim Jin-ae
People from Wonmi-dong 원미동 사람들
1989 Fetters of Love 사랑의 굴레
Seasonal bird 철새
Sleepless Tree 잠들지 않는 나무 Dance school teacher
1990 Geomsaengyi's moon 검생이의 달
Betrayal of the Rose 배반의 장미 Ok-sun
1991 What Is Love 사랑이 뭐길래 Han Shim-ae
Another Happiness 또 하나의 행복
1992 Bun-rye's Story 분례기 Bun-rye's mother
Gwanchon Essay 관촌 수필
Women's Room 여자의 방
1993 How's Your Husband? 댁의 남편은 어떠십니까? Song Eun-nyeo
To Live 산다는 것은 Pung-gae's mother
1994 Farewell 작별 Lee Shin-ae
1995 Men of the Bath House 목욕탕집 남자들 Noh Hye-young
Your Voice 그대 목소리 Eon-nyeon-yi
MBC Best Theater 호스피스 아줌마 Jung-sook Episode: "Hospice Ajumma"
1996 Temptation 유혹
Ganyiyeok 간이역 Gangneung restaurant owner
Open Your Heart 가슴을 열어라 Choi Soon-joo
1997 The Reason I Live 내가 사는 이유 Bar madam Son
Woman Next Door 이웃집 여자
MBC Best Theater - Bok-soon's Boomerang MBC 베스트극장 - 복순씨의 부메랑 Actuary Bok-soon
1998 Firstborn 맏이 Choi Sook-ja
Love Is All I Know 사랑 밖엔 난 몰라
Hong Gil-dong 홍길동 In-ok's mother
Lie 거짓말 Yoon Young-hee
Crush 짝사랑
1999 KAIST 카이스트 Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Did We Really Love? 우리가 정말 사랑했을까 Choi Hye-ja
Who Are You 당신은 누구시길래 Jung Shin-ae
Hur Jun 허준 Sung In-chul's wife
2000 Tough Guy's Love 꼭지 Kim Bok-nyeo
I Want to Keep Seeing You 자꾸만 보고 싶네 Lee Ok-bun
2001 Stock Flower 비단향꽃무 Ahn Jung-hee
Blue Mist 푸른 안개 Mi-soon
Hotelier 호텔리어 Yoon Bong-sook
Soon-ja 순자 Go Chang-daek
MBC Best Theater 동행II Geum-nyeo Episode: "Walking With II"
This Is Love 사랑은 이런거야 Lee Jung-ja
I Like Dong-seo 동서는 좋겠네 Choi Jong-sook
2002 Ruler of Your Own World 네 멋대로 해라 Jung Yoo-soon
2002 Affection Ms. Uhm
Who's My Love? 내사랑 누굴까 In-ae
Dal-joong's Cinderella 달중씨의 신데렐라 Pal-soon
2003 Pearl Necklace 진주목걸이 Yoon Hae-myung
One Million Roses 백만송이 장미 Choi Geum-ja
Rose Fence 장미울타리 Mrs. Heo
On the Prairie 저 푸른 초원위에 Kim Jeom-hee
2004 Ireland 아일랜드 Shi-yeon's mother
War of the Roses 장미의 전쟁 Heo Young-shim
Drama City- Our Ham 우리 햄 Grandma
2005 Becoming a Popular Song 유행가가 되리 Oh Sook-young
Be Strong, Geum-soon! 굳세어라 금순아 Geum-soon's grandmother
A Farewell to Sorrow 슬픔이여안녕 Lee Young-shim
Love and Sympathy 사랑공감 Hee-soo's mother
2006 Love Truly 진짜 진짜 좋아해 Goo Hyang-sook
Hearts of Nineteen 열아홉 순정 Yoon Myung-hye
What's Up Fox? 여우야 뭐하니 Jo Soon-nam
2007 The Person I Love 사랑하는 사람아 Yoon Min-ja
The Golden Age of Daughters-in-Law 며느리 전성시대 Seo Mi-soon
2008 Chunja's Special Day 춘자네 경사났네 Yang Boon-hee
Worlds Within 그들이 사는 세상 Oh Min-sook
2009 The Road Home 집으로 가는 길 Nam Soon-jung
Heading to the Ground 맨땅에 헤딩 Ae-ja
2010 Golden Fish 황금물고기 Jo Yoon-hee
Home Sweet Home 즐거운 나의 집 Sung Eun-sook
2011 Listen to My Heart 내 마음이 들리니 Hwang Soon-geum
2012 My Husband Got a Family 넝쿨째 굴러온 당신 Uhm Chung-ae
The King 2 Hearts 더킹 투하츠 Bang Young-sun
2013 The Queen's Classroom 여왕의 교실 Yong Hyun-ja
2014 Wonderful Days 참 좋은 시절 Jang So-shim
2015 The Producers 프로듀사 Herself 2 episodes
2015–2017 Sense8 Min-jung
2016 Dear My Friends 디어 마이 프렌즈 Oh Choong-nam
2017 Highland
2019 Never Twice 두 번은 없다 Bok Mak-rye
2022 The Boys Presents: Diabolical Sun-Hee (voice) Episode: "John and Sun-Hee" [49]
2022–present Pachinko Kim Sunja / Bando Nobuko [50]
2025 Beef Main cast (season 2) [51]
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Variety shows

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Ref.
2013 Sisters Over Flowers Cast member [52][53]
2017–2018 Youn's Kitchen [54]
2018 Master in the House Fourth Master
2021 Youn's Stay Cast member [55]
2022 Unexpected Journey [56]
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Stage

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Theater Date Ref.
English Korean
1966 The Emigrant Ship 이민선 Miss Kim National Theater of Korea (Myeongdong) June 2–8 [57]
1971 Cherry Blossom 꽃피는 체리 June [58]
Henry VIII and his ladies 헨리 8세와 그의 여인들 October
1972 Injustice Ward 부정병동 March
1985 'night, Mother 잘자요, 엄마 Sanwoolim Small Theater May 19 to July 26 translator[59]
1990 Woman in Crisis 위기의 여자 Monique Sanwoolim Small Theater May 15–June 20 [60][61]
1990–1991 Sanwoolim Small Theater December 12–January 31 [62][63]
1991 The Man I Don't Want to Marry 결혼하기 싫은 남자 Samtoh Blue Bird Theater September 19– October 27 [64][65]
1997 The Glass Menagerie 유리동물원 Amanda Dongsoong Art Center in Daehangno, Seoul February 7 to March 2 [66][67]
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Accolades

Awards and nominations

More information Year, Award ...
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1969TBC Drama AwardsBest New Talent[68]Mister GongWon
1971Sitges Film FestivalBest ActressWoman of FireWon
Blue Dragon Film AwardsWon
Grand Bell AwardsBest New ActressWon
1992Korean Broadcasting AwardsBest Female Talent[68]Bun-rye's StoryWon
2003Busan Film Critics AwardsBest Supporting ActressA Good Lawyer's WifeWon
Korean Film AwardsWon
2004Grand Bell AwardsNominated
Korean Film AwardsSpringtimeNominated
2005KBS Drama AwardsBest Actress in a One-Act Special/DramaBecoming a Popular SongWon
2010 Busan Film Critics AwardsBest ActressThe Housemaid, Hahaha, ActressesWon
Sitges Film FestivalMaria Honorifica AwardWon
People Who Make the World Brighter AwardsRecipient, Culture and Arts categoryWon
Chunsa Film Art AwardsBest Supporting ActressThe HousemaidWon
Buil Film AwardsWon
Grand Bell AwardsWon
Korean Film AwardsWon
Blue Dragon Film AwardsWon
Cinemanila International Film FestivalBest ActressWon
2011 Max Movie AwardsNominated
Best Supporting ActressWon
Asian Film AwardsBest Supporting ActressWon
2012Buil Film AwardsBest Supporting ActressThe Taste of MoneyNominated
Korea Drama AwardsTop Excellence Award, ActressMy Husband Got a FamilyNominated
KBS Drama AwardsNominated
Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial DramaWon
2013Grand Bell AwardsBest ActressBoomerang FamilyNominated
2014KBS Drama AwardsTop Excellence Award, ActressWonderful DaysNominated
2016 Korean Film Shining Star Awards Star award Canola Won
Grand Bell Awards Best Actress Nominated
Asia Pacific Screen Awards Jury Grand Prize The Bacchus Lady Won
Best Actress Nominated
Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Actress Nominated
Fantasia Festival Best Actress Won
Women in Film Korea Awards Woman in Film of the Year Won
2017 Baeksang Arts Awards[69] Grand Prize Nominated
Best Actress Nominated
Wildflower Film Awards Best Actress Nominated
Chunsa Film Art Awards Nominated
Buil Film Awards[70] Won
Korea World Youth Film Festival Favorite Actress - Senior Actress Won
2020Korean Film Producers Association[71][unreliable source?]Best Supporting ActressLucky Chan-silWon
Boston Society of Film Critics[72]Best Supporting ActressMinariWon
Chicago Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressRunner-up
Florida Film Critics Circle[73]Best Supporting ActressNominated
Greater Western New York Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressWon
Indiana Film Journalists AssociationRunner-up
Los Angeles Film Critics Association[74]Best Supporting ActressWon
Sunset Film Critics Circle AwardsBest Supporting ActressWon
2021Academy Awards[75]Best Supporting ActressWon
AARP Movies For Grownups Awards[76]Best Supporting ActressNominated
Alliance of Women Film Journalists AwardsWon
Atlanta Film Critics CircleRunner-up
Austin Film Critics AssociationWon
Black Film Critics Circle Awards[77]Won
British Academy Film Awards[78]Best Actress in a Supporting RoleWon
Chicago Indie Critics AwardsBest Supporting ActressNominated
Columbus Film Critics AssociationWon
Critics' Choice Movie Awards[79]Best Supporting ActressNominated
Denver Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressNominated
Detroit Film Critics SocietyWon
DiscussingFilm Critic AwardsWon
Dorian AwardsWon
Georgia Film Critics AssociationWon
Gotham Independent Film Awards[80]Best ActressNominated
Hollywood Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressWon
Houston Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressNominated
Independent Spirit Awards[81]Best Supporting FemaleWon
International Cinephile SocietyBest Supporting ActressRunner-up
Kansas City Film Critics CircleWon
Latino Entertainment Journalists AssociationWon
Music City Film Critics AssociationWon
National Board of Review[28]Best Supporting ActressWon
National Society of Film Critics[82]Best Supporting ActressRunner-up
New Mexico Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressWon
New York Film Critics OnlineWon
North Carolina Film Critics AssociationWon
North Dakota Film SocietyNominated
North Texas Film Critics AssociationWon
Oklahoma Film Critics CircleWon
Online Association of Female Film Critics AwardsWon
Online Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressNominated
Palm Springs International Film FestivalSpotlight AwardWon
Phoenix Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressWon
San Diego Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressWon
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics CircleBest Supporting ActressWon
Satellite Awards[83]Best Supporting ActressNominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards[84]Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion PictureWon
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion PictureNominated
Seattle Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting ActressWon
Southeastern Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressWon
St. Louis Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressWon
Toronto Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressNominated
Utah Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressRunner-up
Vancouver Film Critics CircleBest Supporting ActressWon
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressWon
Chunsa Film Art Awards 2021[85] Best Supporting Actress Lucky Chan-sil Nominated
Brand of the Year Awards[86] Actor of the Year Won
Visionary Awards[A][88] 2021 Visionary Won
Kino Lights Awards[89] Actress of The Year (Domestic) Minari 2nd place
2022 Peabody Awards[90] Entertainment Pachinko Won
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State honors

More information Country, Year ...
Country Year Honor Ref.
South Korea[note 1] 2021 Golden Crown Order of Cultural Merit [94]
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Listicles

More information Publisher, Year ...
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Forbes 2022 Korea Power Celebrity 40 8th [95]
Gallup Korea 2021 Gallup Korea's Actor of the Year 2nd [96]
2022 4th [97]
Sisa Journal 2021 Person Who Moved Korea — Culture 3rd [98]
Most Influential Person in Broadcasting & Entertainment 4th [99]
Time 2021 100 Most Influential People in the World Titan [100]
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Notes

  1. Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[91][92] They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.[93]
  1. Visionary Awards, which started in 2020, selects and awards people who lead roles in the Korean entertainment industry. It highlights the meaning and achievements of a person whose chosen trend keywords penetrated the entertainment industry, including broadcasting, movies, music, and performances, and presents the next vision of the cultural sector with outstanding achievements and influence.[87]

References

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