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.
Early life 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.
Career 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.
Personal life 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.
Filmography
Film + Year Title Role Notes English Korean1971Woman of Fire화녀Myeong-ja1972The Insect Woman충녀Myeong-ja1973Love and Hatred다정다한Tto Sun Yi, a College Girl 여대생 또순이1978The Day and Night of a Korean-American코메리칸의 낮과 밤1985Mother어미Hong Kyeong-ae1990Be a Wicked Woman 천사여 악녀가 되라Choi Yuh-jung1995An Experience to Die For죽어도 좋은 경험Choi Yeo-jung2003A Good Lawyer's Wife바람난 가족Hong Byeong-han2004Springtime꽃피는 봄이 오면Hyun-woo's mother2005The President's Last Bang그때 그사람들Yoon-hee's mother/Epilogue narration2006Maundy Thursday우리들의 행복한 시간Sister Monica 2007The Old Garden오래된 정원Hyun-woo's motherHwang Jin-yi황진이Old woman2008A Tale of Legendary Libido가루지기Old woman2009Actresses여배우들HerselfAlso screenwriter2010Hahaha하하하Moon-kyeong's motherThe Housemaid하녀Byeong-sik2011Hindsight푸른 소금Madame KangList리스트Short film2012The Taste of Money돈의 맛Baek Geum-okIn Another Country다른 나라에서Park Sook2013Behind the Camera뒷담화: 감독이 미쳤어요HerselfBoomerang Family고령화가족Mom2014Hill of Freedom자유의 언덕Gu-ok2015Salut d'Amour장수상회Im Geum-nimIntimate Enemies나의 절친 악당들Yeo-jungCameoRight Now, Wrong Then지금은맞고그때는틀리다Kang Deok-soo2016Canola계춘할망Gye-choonThe Bacchus Lady죽여주는 여자So-young2018Keys to the Heart그것만이 내 세상In-sook2019Lucky Chan-sil찬실이는 복도 많지 Grandmother 2020Beasts Clawing at Straws지푸라기라도 잡고 싶은 짐승들Soon-ja Minari Soon-ja Won: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 2021 Heaven: To the Land of Happiness 헤븐: 행복의 나라로 Mrs. Yoon 2024Dog Days도그데이즈Min-seo 2025 The Wedding Banquet Ja-Young American-Korean co-production
Television + Year Title Role Notes English Korean1967Mister Gom미스터 곰1970The Appearance of the Wife아내의 모습Let's Live by the River강변 살자박마리아MBCRiver of Love and Sorrow사랑과 슬픔의 강1971Jang Hui-bin장희빈Hui-bin Jang1972Rainbow무지개President Han's daughterDaewongun대원군Empress MyeongseongStepmother새엄마Eun-hye1976Girl's High School Days여고 동창생1984MBC Bestseller TheaterMBC 베스트셀러극장 - 고깔Episode: "고깔"1985Mom's Room엄마의 방1986First Love첫사랑1987Love and Ambition사랑과 야망Song Hye-joo1988Sand Castle모래성Kim Jin-aePeople from Wonmi-dong원미동 사람들1989Fetters of Love사랑의 굴레Seasonal bird철새Sleepless Tree잠들지 않는 나무 Dance school teacher1990Geomsaengyi's moon검생이의 달Betrayal of the Rose배반의 장미Ok-sun1991What Is Love사랑이 뭐길래Han Shim-aeAnother Happiness또 하나의 행복1992Bun-rye's Story분례기Bun-rye's motherGwanchon Essay관촌 수필Women's Room여자의 방1993How's Your Husband?댁의 남편은 어떠십니까?Song Eun-nyeoTo Live산다는 것은Pung-gae's mother1994Farewell작별Lee Shin-ae1995Men of the Bath House목욕탕집 남자들Noh Hye-youngYour Voice그대 목소리Eon-nyeon-yiMBC Best Theater호스피스 아줌마Jung-sookEpisode: "Hospice Ajumma"1996Temptation유혹Ganyiyeok간이역Gangneung restaurant ownerOpen Your Heart가슴을 열어라Choi Soon-joo1997The Reason I Live내가 사는 이유Bar madam SonWoman Next Door이웃집 여자MBC Best Theater - Bok-soon's BoomerangMBC 베스트극장 - 복순씨의 부메랑Actuary Bok-soon1998Firstborn맏이Choi Sook-jaLove Is All I Know사랑 밖엔 난 몰라Hong Gil-dong홍길동In-ok's motherLie거짓말Yoon Young-heeCrush짝사랑1999KAIST카이스트Professor of Mechanical EngineeringDid We Really Love?우리가 정말 사랑했을까Choi Hye-jaWho Are You당신은 누구시길래Jung Shin-aeHur Jun허준Sung In-chul's wife2000Tough Guy's Love꼭지 Kim Bok-nyeoI Want to Keep Seeing You자꾸만 보고 싶네Lee Ok-bun2001Stock Flower비단향꽃무Ahn Jung-heeBlue Mist푸른 안개Mi-soonHotelier호텔리어 Yoon Bong-sookSoon-ja순자Go Chang-daekMBC Best Theater동행IIGeum-nyeoEpisode: "Walking With II"This Is Love사랑은 이런거야Lee Jung-jaI Like Dong-seo동서는 좋겠네Choi Jong-sook2002Ruler of Your Own World네 멋대로 해라Jung Yoo-soon2002Affection정Ms. UhmWho's My Love?내사랑 누굴까In-aeDal-joong's Cinderella달중씨의 신데렐라Pal-soon2003Pearl Necklace진주목걸이Yoon Hae-myungOne Million Roses백만송이 장미Choi Geum-jaRose Fence장미울타리Mrs. HeoOn the Prairie저 푸른 초원위에Kim Jeom-hee2004Ireland아일랜드Shi-yeon's motherWar of the Roses장미의 전쟁Heo Young-shimDrama City- Our Ham우리 햄Grandma2005Becoming a Popular Song유행가가 되리Oh Sook-youngBe Strong, Geum-soon!굳세어라 금순아Geum-soon's grandmotherA Farewell to Sorrow 슬픔이여안녕Lee Young-shimLove and Sympathy사랑공감Hee-soo's mother2006Love Truly진짜 진짜 좋아해Goo Hyang-sookHearts of Nineteen열아홉 순정Yoon Myung-hyeWhat's Up Fox?여우야 뭐하니Jo Soon-nam2007The Person I Love사랑하는 사람아Yoon Min-jaThe Golden Age of Daughters-in-Law며느리 전성시대Seo Mi-soon2008Chunja's Special Day춘자네 경사났네Yang Boon-heeWorlds Within그들이 사는 세상Oh Min-sook2009The Road Home집으로 가는 길Nam Soon-jungHeading to the Ground 맨땅에 헤딩Ae-ja2010Golden Fish황금물고기Jo Yoon-heeHome Sweet Home즐거운 나의 집Sung Eun-sook2011Listen to My Heart내 마음이 들리니Hwang Soon-geum2012My Husband Got a Family넝쿨째 굴러온 당신Uhm Chung-aeThe King 2 Hearts더킹 투하츠Bang Young-sun2013The Queen's Classroom여왕의 교실Yong Hyun-ja2014Wonderful Days참 좋은 시절Jang So-shim2015The Producers프로듀사Herself2 episodes2015–2017 Sense8Min-jung2016Dear My Friends디어 마이 프렌즈Oh Choong-nam2017Highland 2019Never Twice두 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 2026Beef Chairwoman ParkMain cast (season 2)
Variety shows YearTitleRoleRef.2013Sisters Over FlowersCast member2017–2018Youn's Kitchen2018Master in the HouseFourth Master2021Youn's StayCast member 2022 Unexpected Journey
Theater +YearTitleRoleTheaterDateEnglishKorean1966The Emigrant Ship이민선Miss KimNational Theater of Korea (Myeongdong)June 2–81971Cherry Blossom꽃피는 체리June Henry VIII and his ladies헨리 8세와 그의 여인들October1972Injustice Ward부정병동March1985'night, Mother잘자요, 엄마Sanwoolim Small TheaterMay 19 to July 26translator1990Woman in Crisis위기의 여자MoniqueSanwoolim Small TheaterMay 15–June 201990–1991Sanwoolim Small TheaterDecember 12–January 311991The Man I Don't Want to Marry결혼하기 싫은 남자Samtoh Blue Bird TheaterSeptember 19– October 271997The Glass Menagerie유리동물원AmandaDongsoong Art Center in Daehangno, SeoulFebruary 7 to March 2
Accolades Awards and nominations