The Bafta goes to Youn Yuh-jung for 'Minari'

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The Bafta goes to Youn Yuh-jung for 'Minari'

Published: 12 Apr. 2021, 18:13 Updated: 12 Apr. 2021, 19:32

Actor Youn Yuh-jung bagged a Bafta for her performance as the grandmother in ″Minari.″ [PAN CINEMA]

Actor Youn Yuh-jung won best supporting actress at the 74th British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Baftas) Sunday, just a week after she became the first Korean to bag best supporting actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for her performance in “Minari.”

After her name was announced by presenter David Oyelowo, Youn began her thank you speech by paying condolences on the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the first President of the Baftas.

“Thank you so much for this award,” Youn said. “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.”

Later at an online press event after the ceremony, Youn explained what she meant by referring to British as “snobbish,” which she said derived from her own 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,” Youn said. “Somehow it felt very snobbish, but not in a bad way.

“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.”

Including Youn’s, “Minari” received a total of six nominations for Baftas, including best director, best film not in the English language and best supporting actor for Alan Kim. Only Youn won. Youn’s competitors were Maria Bakalova from "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," Niamh Algar from "Calm with Horses," Kosar Ali from "Rocks" and Ashley Madekwe from "County Lines.”

Prior Korean recipients of Baftas are filmmaker Park Chan-wook in the best film not in the English language for “The Handmaiden” (2016) and Bong Joon-ho, who won best film not in the English language and best original screenplay for "Parasite" (2019).

After the Bafta award and some 30 other awards from global film associations and festivals, Youn's chances of taking home an Oscar trophy are higher than ever. Hollywood media outlet Variety forecast that Youn’s recent triumphs “could very well pave the way for another victory at the Oscars later this month.”

The 93rd Academy Awards will be held at Union Station and the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 25. Actor Han Ye-ri's agency Saram Entertainment announced Friday that she has cleared her schedule to join the "Minari" cast in Los Angeles for the Oscars.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]