“Korea’s Meryl Streep? I’m just Korea’s Yun Yeo-jeong”

Yoon Yeo-jung was the first Korean actor to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for her autobiographical film’Minari,’ directed by Isak Jung (Lee Isaac Jeong), the second generation of Korean Americans. [연합뉴스]

“I am 74 years old now, and I know how honorable this is, and I have to thank you for your support, but I am sorry that I can only say hello like this. I never imagined this would happen at this age. Now that I’ve been nominated, I hope you will support the award now, but I think it’s like winning the award just by being nominated.”

Yoon Yeo-jeong, the first Korean actor to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, delivered this impression through a press release on the 16th. In the nomination list for the 93rd Academy Awards, announced on the 15th (local time), the film’Minari’, directed by Isaak Jung (Lee Isaac Jung, 43), was awarded the Best Best Actress Award, Best Actor Award (Steven Yeon), and Supporting Actress Award (Yeojeong Yoon). ·Nominated for a total of six categories including the Director Award, Screenwriter Award (Isak Lee Sang), and Music Award (Emil Moses Lee).

Yoon Yeo-jung, who arrived in Korea on the night of the 15th after visiting Canada for the filming of the American TV drama “Pachinko,” by Lee Min-jin, a Korean-American writer, went into self-quarantine for two weeks due to Corona 19. Compete against world-class actors such as Maria Bakalova (‘Borat Sequel’), Glenn Close (‘Hilville’s Song’), Olivia Coleman (‘The Father’), and Amanda Seyfried (‘Mank’) for the Academy Supporting Actor trophy. Regarding the fact, he said, “I was grateful for my support, but honestly, I was burdened,” and “I was able to feel the emotional pain of the Olympic players. He said he hated competition. “In fact, it was a great honor to be nominated, and all five nominations did their best in their own films. He said repeatedly that this nomination alone is like winning an award because it is not a performance of one work by other actors to rank it.” Yoon Yeo-jung said, “I am grateful to those who supported me.” “I think people will be grateful when they have time. When I can’t afford it, I complain about it, but I guess I can afford it a lot. I am grateful for everything that has passed.”

The protagonists of’Minari’ who were nominated for 6 categories at the 93rd Academy Awards. From the left in the back row, Director Jeong Isaac, Yoon Yeo-jung, Han Ye-ri, Stephen Yeon, Noel Kate Jo, and Alan Kim. [사진 A24]

I also looked back on the occasion that led me to participate in director Jeong Isaac’s autobiographical film. He said, “I thought that I participated in a small movie made by second generation Koreans, but it was a difficult but rewarding moment,” he said. “Thank you to PD In-ah Lee, my friend who delivered the screenplay, introduced the director, and stayed with me with a sense of responsibility. I said. Producer Lee In-ah, a Korean-American filmmaker in Germany, handed the scenario’Minari’ to Yoon Yeo-jung. According to his explanation, the two are in self-quarantine together and heard the news of the candidate selection the day before. When Yoon Yeo-jung’s name was finally called, this PD was crying. On the other hand, Yun Yeo-jeong shared his impressions to foreign media through the production company A24, saying, “I didn’t even cry because I was blank.

Yoon Yeo-jung said, “I have never dreamed that a Korean actress will be nominated for an Oscar, and I can’t believe it because it’s me.” It’s like a different world story.” He jokingly said, “Everyone will want to come here (to congratulate), but there will be no way to come here.” I have to drink it alone. I’m over seventy, so I can do whatever I want at home.” He is said to have celebrated alone with a glass of champagne.

According to foreign media, Yoon Yeo-jung also confessed that it was “a kind of stress” to the praises that the US critics poured out as’Korea’s Meryl Streep’. “I know that being called Meryl Streep in Korea is a compliment, but for some reason I wasn’t comfortable with it. Meryl Streep is a world famous woman, and I’m just Korea’s Yeo-jung Yoon. Everyone is different, and I want to be myself.” “I would like to visit Los Angeles for the Oscars, which can be a lifelong experience if you have the power and energy.” Whether or not’Minari’, nominated in a total of six categories, will be awarded at the awards ceremony on the 25th of next month.

In’Minari’, which depicts the struggles of Korean Americans to settle in the United States in the 1980s, he played Sun-ja, a mother-in-law who came from Korea to support his daughter, Monica (Han Ye-ri). Forbes magazine commented, “Mari tells the story of a family of Korean immigrants struggling to take root in an unfamiliar place. It’s a story of a Korean-American family, but it’s also a story of how immigrants make America.”

Foreign media also noted that last year’s’Parasite’ (director Bong Joon-ho) was nominated for a major category of Korean film’Minari’. The LA Times said, “While’Parasite’ won a historic victory at the Academy Awards last year, Oscar has the worst record for acknowledging the talents of Asians and Asian Americans.” Stephen Yeon made the history of the Oscars.” Hollywood Awards Prediction Site Gold Derby evaluated the nominations of Yoon Yeo-jung and Stephen Yeon as “a historic nomination for Asian actors.”

Reporter Kang Hye-ran [email protected]