It feels like I’m competing in the Olympics, says ‘Minari’ star

YOUN Yuh-jung says her Oscar nomination is “stressful” because she feels as though she’s “competing for (her) country”.

The Minari star will become the first South Korean actress in history to win the best supporting actress at the Academy Awards if she takes home the trophy for her role in the drama at the ceremony on Sunday.

Yuh-jung has said she’s nervous about the big day because it feels “like the Olympics”.

She told People magazine: “It’s stressful. I feel like I’m competing for my country. It’s like the Olympics. I don’t believe in competition, especially comparing acting to one to another. So being nominated to me, means I already got the award.”

The movie tells the story of a Korean-American family who move to an Arkansas farm in search of the American dream. Amid the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. The 73-year-old actress has already taken home a Screen Actors Guild award and a Bafta (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award for the film, and said recently she felt honoured to have been selected for the accolades.

Accepting the Bafta for best supporting actress earlier this month, Yuh-jung admitted she was surprised to have received the award because the British are known to be a bit “snobbish”.

She said: “Wow Britain! I am

Korean actress, Yuh-Jung Youn, and I don’t know what to say. I’m very honoured to be nominated for this award … First, I’d like to express my deep condolences for your Duke of Edinburgh and thank you so much for this award. Every award means a lot but this one, especially recognised by British people known as very snobbish people, who chose me as the winner – I’m very grateful. Thank you very much.”

Yuh-jung previously said Minari had “brought her a lot of gifts”.

She said: “Me, a 73-year-old Asian woman, could have never even dreamed about being nominated for an Oscar. Minari brought me a lot of gifts … It’s embarrassing. Most people fell in love with the movies or fell in love with theatre. But in my case, it was just an accident … To tell you the truth, I didn’t know what acting was. I tried to memorise the line and do whatever they asked me to do. At the time, I didn’t know if I was enjoying it or if I disliked it.” |