Youn Yuh-jung won the Best Supporting Actress award for the film ‘Minari’ at the 74th British Academy Awards. At the awards ceremony held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on April 12, she beat five candidates, Dominic Fishback and Maria Baccarova, to win the award as the first in Asia. It also means that the British Academy has dominated the Best Supporting Actress Award following the American Actor’s Union Award, taking a step closer to winning the long-awaited Oscar.
On this day, Youn Yuh-jung looked surprised and nervous when her name was called. She was embarrassed, saying, “Hello, England, I’m Youn Yuh-jung, a Korean actor, I don’t know what to say, I’m very honored to be nominated, or I’m no longer a candidate.” At the same time, he showed consideration for the British people who are watching, saying, “I send my condolences to the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.”
Youn Yuh-jung’s subsequent remarks made the award ceremony a sea of laughter. Youn Yuh-jung said, “Thank you so much for this award. Every award is meaningful, but this one, especially being recognized by British people, known as snobbish people and they approve me as a good actor, I am very happy. Thank you so much,” Youn Yuh-jung’s acceptance speech made the audience burst into laughter.
Shortly after the award, Youn Yuh-jung said in an interview with the U.S. media Variety that “Yes it comes from personal experience. I’ve visited Britain a lot of times and I had a fellowship in a Cambridge college ten years ago as an actor. Somehow it felt every snobbish, but not in a bad way,” Youn said. “You have a long history and then you have your pride. As an Asian woman, I felt these people are very snobbish, that’s my honest feeling.”
Youn Yuh-jung was also asked if she expected to win the Best Supporting Actress award at the Academy Awards. “I don’t know anything about Oscars or BAFTAs,” Youn said. “In Korea, I’ve been in this business for such a long time, I’m very famous domestic-wise, not internationally. I don’t know what’s going on now, I don’t know what’s happening to me. So don’t ask me!”
