Asian grandmas, chilli and American racism: why Minari has Koreans in tears

Lee Isaac Chung’s depiction of the often lonely path Korean immigrants must tread towards their American dream has won its stars Yuh-jung Youn and Steve Yeun Oscar nominations

It has also hit a nerve with Korean-Americans, jolting their memories of their own experiences in a new – and not always welcoming – land

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Steven Yeun, right, in "Minari" with Alan Kim by Lee Isaac Chung. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute/TNS)

Published: 8:14pm, 23 Mar 2021Updated: 10:37am, 29 Mar 2021

Being told by your furious father to bring your own whip that will be used to punish you, hating the “Korean smell” that derives from the garlic intensive food in your house, and lying on your mother’s thighs as she cleans your ears with an ear pick are all scenes from the Oscar-nominated movie Minari.

These are also all-too-real experiences for the children of Korean immigrants in the United States, many of whom have been brought to tears by the realistic portrayals of a film that has racked up six Oscar nominations since its global release this month.

Yuh-jung Youn, who plays the grandmother in the film, has become the first South Korean actress to be nominated for an Oscar, having been put forward for the best supporting actress gong.

Yet despite her success, she revealed recently that her first son, a Korean-American, refused to watch the film because even a glimpse of the trailer was enough to make him cry – a reaction she said was common among the Korean community but that she didn’t “fully comprehend”.

Taking place in the US state of Arkansas in the 1980s, the film follows a Korean immigrant family of four who move to a farm in the countryside to chase their American dream. When the grandmother played by Youn arrives from South Korea to live with the family, she introduces them to South Korea’s version of poker and a Korean grandmother’s endearing love for her grandchildren.

Han Ye-ri, Steven Yeun, director Lee Isaac Chung, Yuh Jung Youn, Alan Kim, and Noel Cho. Photo: AP

Based on the childhood memories of the movie’s director, Lee Isaac Chung, the film depicts the strong work ethic and resilience of Korean immigrant parents and the often lonesome path to their American dreams.