Youn Yuh-jung bags 20th trophy in US for her role in ‘Minari’

Youn Yuh-jung bags 20th trophy in US for her role in ‘Minari’

Veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung took home her 20th best supporting actress trophy in the US for her performance in “Minari,” an American film written and directed by Korean American filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung.

She was recognized by the National Board of Review on Wednesday for the realistic portrayal of a Korean grandmother who comes to a farm in rural Arkansas to babysit her two grandchildren, while her daughter (Han Ye-ri) and son-in-law (Steven Yeun) are out working to pursue their American dream.

Director Chung won the best original screenplay award at the ceremony.

Youn has been proving herself a strong contender to be nominated for this year’s Oscars by winning 19 best supporting actress awards from US film critics circles and festivals, including the San Diego Film Critics Society, Music City Film Critics Association and the DiscussingFilm Critic Awards.

Youn was also announced as a nominee for the best supporting actress prize at the 36th annual Spirit Awards in the US, a prestigious indie film award ceremony, where “Minari” received six nominations, including best feature film, best director, best screenplay, best male lead for Steven Yeun and supporting actress for Han Ye-ri.

If Youn is nominated for the 93rd Academy Awards in April, she will be the first Korean actor to get an Oscar nod for acting.

The 2021 Academy Awards are scheduled to be held on April 25, and its nominees will be announced on March 15.

Meanwhile, “Minari” and the film‘s other actors are also doing well in the US award festival circuit, winning jury and audience prizes at the Sundance festival, among others.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)