Youn Yuh-jung

Known as the "Godmother of Chungmu-ro", Youn appeared in The Housemaid (2010), The Taste of Money (2012), The Bacchus Lady (2016), and Canola (2016). On television, Youn is known for her matriarch roles in dramas such as 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), as well as the reality programmes Sisters Over Flowers (2013), Youn's Kitchen (2017–2018), and Unexpected Journey (2022). Youn gained international acclaim for her role in Minari (2020), becoming the first Korean actress to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as numerous other awards. She subsequently appeared in international productions, such as the Apple TV+ series Pachinko (2022–2024), the American film The Wedding Banquet (2025), and the Netflix series Beef (2026), the last of which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Youn Yuh-jung studied at Hanyang University. The recorded working language is Korean. Distinctions recorded are Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and Time 100.

• Name — Youn Yuh-jung • Born — 19 June 1947 • Birthplace — Kaesong, Gyeonggi Province, southern Korea (now Kaesong, North Korea) • Other Names — Yoon Yeo-jeong • Education — * Ewha Girls' High School • Hanyang University • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1966–present • Agent — Creative Artists Agency (USA) • Children — 2 • Awards — Best Supporting Actress at the 93rd Academy Awards • Honours — Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit (2021) Youn Yuh-jung (born June 19, 1947) is a South Korean actress. She started her career in Korean television in the late 1960s and rose to prominence with the film Woman of Fire (1971). She retired in the mid-1970s and immigrated to the United States before returning to Korea in 1984 and rebuilding her career. Known as the "Godmother of Chungmu-ro", Youn appeared in The Housemaid (2010), The Taste of Money (2012), The Bacchus Lady (2016), and Canola (2016). On television, Youn is known for her matriarch roles in dramas such as 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), as well as the reality programmes Sisters Over Flowers (2013), Youn's Kitchen (2017–2018), and Unexpected Journey (2022). Youn gained international acclaim for her role in Minari (2020), becoming the first Korean actress to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as numerous other awards. She subsequently appeared in international productions, such as the Apple TV+ series Pachinko (2022–2024), the American film The Wedding Banquet (2025), and the Netflix series Beef (2026), the last of which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Youn graduated from high school in 1966. She then enrolled at Hanyang University and majored in Korean language and literature. When she passed open acting auditions held by TBC in 1966, she dropped out of college.

After dropping out of college, Youn made her acting debut in the television drama Mister Gom in 1967. She shot to stardom in 1971 with two memorable portrayals of femmes fatales. Her first film, Kim Ki-young's Woman of Fire, was a critical and commercial hit, for which she won Best Actress at the Sitges Film Festival. This was followed by the MBC historical drama Jang Hui-bin, in which she plays the eponymous royal concubine. Kim was considered Korea's first style-conscious, experimental director, and Youn did not balk at playing risqué, 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). 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 Kim Soo-hyun's Stepmother (1972). At the peak of her career, Youn married singer Jo Young-nam and retired from acting to immigrate to the United States. The couple lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, for ten years until their marriage broke down due to Jo's extramarital affairs. Youn returned to Korea in 1984 and divorced Jo in 1987. Youn struggled to resume her acting career because of the stigma attached to being a middle-aged divorcée in South Korea. Unlike many actresses of her generation, who were confined to typical maternal or ajumma roles, Youn’s versatility enabled her to push the envelope. In A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003), she drew critical acclaim for her nonchalant portrayal of a woman who neglects her husband who is dying of liver cancer and enjoys extramarital affairs. Her frank and confident persona again manifested in E J-yong's mockumentary Actresses (2009). Youn 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 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's Boomerang Family. Later that year, Youn appeared in her first reality show, Sisters Over Flowers, in which she and other "sisters" travel to Croatia. She then appeared on several more reality shows, revealing a warmer, more approachable side of her personality. Youn had two leading roles in 2015: in Kang Je-gyu's Salut d'Amour, about a romance between an elderly supermarket employee and a flower shop owner, and in Canola, about a Jeju Island diver who reunites with her long-lost granddaughter. Salut d'Amour was Youn's first collaboration with actor Park Geun-hyung since 1971. In 2020, Youn made her Hollywood debut in the film Minari. She plays Soon-ja, a grandmother of a Korean-American family in rural Arkansas, and received over 40 American regional critics' awards, including wins from the National Board of Review and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Youn became 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. She is also the first Asian actress to win an acting award in the motion pictures categories at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the first Korean actress to win an Academy Award, and the first Asian actress to win an Academy Award since 1958, when Miyoshi Umeki won Best Supporting Actress for Sayonara. In April 2021, Film at Lincoln Center hosted a five-film retrospective of her career. In September, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most "Influential People in the World" in 2021. In October, she received the Order of Cultural Merit. In December 2022, Youn's contract with Hook Entertainment ended, and she decided not to renew it. In January 2023, Youn signed with Creative Artists Agency.

In December 1973, at the height of her career, Youn and her fiancé, singer Jo Young-nam, immigrated to the United States, when evangelist Billy Graham invited Jo to perform at his crusades across the country. The couple married in 1974 and have two sons. They lived in St. Petersburg, Florida for 10 years, during which Youn worked at a supermarket to help raise family. She returned to Korea in 1984 and divorced Jo in 1987 due to his repeated extramarital affairs. Youn has two younger sisters, one of whom is Youn Yeo-soon, a former executive at LG Group.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 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 — 정 — 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" • 2022–2024 — Pachinko — Kim Sunja / Bando Nobuko • 2026 — Beef — Chairwoman Park — Main cast (season 2)

• Year — Title — Role — Ref. • 2013 — Sisters Over Flowers — Cast member • 2017–2018 — Youn's Kitchen • 2018 — Master in the House — Fourth Master • 2021 — Youn's Stay — Cast member • 2022 — Unexpected Journey

• Year — Title — Role — Theater — Date — Ref. Reference(s) • English — Korean • 1966 — The Emigrant Ship — 이민선 — Miss Kim — National Theater of Korea (Myeongdong) — June 2–8 • 1971 — Cherry Blossom — 꽃피는 체리 — June • 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 • 1990 — Woman in Crisis — 위기의 여자 — Monique — Sanwoolim Small Theater — May 15–June 20 • 1990–1991 — Sanwoolim Small Theater — December 12–January 31 • 1991 — The Man I Don't Want to Marry — 결혼하기 싫은 남자 — Samtoh Blue Bird Theater — September 19– October 27 • 1997 — The Glass Menagerie — 유리동물원 — Amanda — Dongsoong Art Center in Daehangno, Seoul — February 7 to March 2

• Publisher — Year — Listicle — Placement — Ref. Reference(s) • Forbes — 2022 — Korea Power Celebrity 40 • Gallup Korea — 2021 — Gallup Korea's Actor of the Year • 2022 • Korean Film Council — 2021 — Korean Actors 200 • Sisa Journal — 2021 — Person Who Moved Korea — Culture • Most Influential Person in Broadcasting & Entertainment • Time — 2021 — 100 Most Influential People in the World • Variety — 2022 — Women That Have Made an Impact in Global Entertainment

Youn Yuh-jung is recorded with the occupation television actor. Recorded as a citizen of South Korea. Established in Library of Congress under no2011144302. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the headings Yuh-jung Youn and Yun Yeo-jeong. Her recorded language was Korean. She married Jo Young-nam.

• Year — Award — Category — Nominated work — Result • 1969 — TBC Drama Awards — Best New Talent — Mister Gong • 1971 — Sitges Film Festival — Best Actress — Woman of Fire • Blue Dragon Film Awards • Grand Bell Awards — Best New Actress • 1992 — Korean Broadcasting Awards — Best Female Talent — Bun-rye's Story • 2003 — Busan Film Critics Awards — Best Supporting Actress — A Good Lawyer's Wife • Korean Film Awards • 2004 — Grand Bell Awards • Korean Film Awards — Springtime • 2005 — KBS Drama Awards — Best Actress in a One-Act Special/Drama — Becoming a Popular Song • 2010 — Busan Film Critics Awards — Best Actress — The Housemaid, Hahaha, Actresses • Sitges Film Festival — Maria Honorifica Award • People Who Make the World Brighter Awards — Recipient, Culture and Arts category • Chunsa Film Art Awards — Best Supporting Actress — The Housemaid • Buil Film Awards • Grand Bell Awards • Korean Film Awards • Blue Dragon Film Awards • Cinemanila International Film Festival — Best Actress • 2011 — Max Movie Awards • Best Supporting Actress • Asian Film Awards — Best Supporting Actress • 2012 — Buil Film Awards — Best Supporting Actress — The Taste of Money • Korea Drama Awards — Top Excellence Award, Actress — My Husband Got a Family • KBS Drama Awards • Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama • 2013 — Grand Bell Awards — Best Actress — Boomerang Family • 2014 — KBS Drama Awards — Top Excellence Award, Actress — Wonderful Days • 2016 — Korean Film Shining Star Awards — Star award — Canola • Grand Bell Awards — Best Actress • Asia Pacific Screen Awards — Jury Grand Prize — The Bacchus Lady • Best Actress • Blue Dragon Film Awards — Best Actress • Fantasia Festival — Best Actress • Women in Film Korea Awards — Woman in Film of the Year • 2017 — Baeksang Arts Awards — Grand Prize • Best Actress • Wildflower Film Awards — Best Actress • Chunsa Film Art Awards • Buil Film Awards • Korea World Youth Film Festival — Favorite Actress - Senior Actress • 2020 — Korean Film Producers Association — Best Supporting Actress — Lucky Chan-sil • Boston Society of Film Critics — Best Supporting Actress — Minari • Chicago Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Florida Film Critics Circle — Best Supporting Actress • Greater Western New York Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Indiana Film Journalists Association • Los Angeles Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Sunset Film Critics Circle Awards — Best Supporting Actress • 2021 — Academy Awards — Best Supporting Actress • AARP Movies For Grownups Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards • Atlanta Film Critics Circle • Austin Film Critics Association • Black Film Critics Circle Awards • British Academy Film Awards — Best Actress in a Supporting Role • Chicago Indie Critics Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Columbus Film Critics Association • Critics' Choice Movie Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Denver Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • Detroit Film Critics Society • DiscussingFilm Critic Awards • Dorian Awards • Georgia Film Critics Association • Gotham Independent Film Awards — Best Actress • Hollywood Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Houston Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • Independent Spirit Awards — Best Supporting Female • International Cinephile Society — Best Supporting Actress • Kansas City Film Critics Circle • Latino Entertainment Journalists Association • Music City Film Critics Association • National Board of Review — Best Supporting Actress • National Society of Film Critics — Best Supporting Actress • New Mexico Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • New York Film Critics Online • North Carolina Film Critics Association • North Dakota Film Society • North Texas Film Critics Association • Oklahoma Film Critics Circle • Online Association of Female Film Critics Awards • Online Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • Palm Springs International Film Festival — Spotlight Award • Phoenix Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • San Diego Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle — Best Supporting Actress • Satellite Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Screen Actors Guild Awards — Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture • Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture • Seattle Film Critics Society — Best Supporting Actress • Southeastern Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • St. Louis Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Toronto Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Utah Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Vancouver Film Critics Circle — Best Supporting Actress • Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actress • Chunsa Film Art Awards 2021 — Best Supporting Actress — Lucky Chan-sil • Brand of the Year Awards — Actor of the Year — rowspan=2 • Visionary Awards — 2021 Visionary • Kino Lights Awards — Actress of The Year (Domestic) — Minari • 2022 — Peabody Awards — Entertainment — Pachinko • 2026 — Astra TV Awards — Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie — Beef • Primetime Emmy Awards — Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

• Country — Year — Honor — Ref. Reference(s) • South Korea — 2021 — Golden Crown Order of Cultural Merit