Youn Yuh-jung on Beef Season 2 and Her Unplanned Hollywood Career

Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung, known for her role in Minari, discusses her unexpected Hollywood success and her part in the second season of Netflix's Beef. In an interview with Vogue, she reveals that she initially agreed to play Chairwoman Park on the condition that she wouldn't have to speak English, only to later panic upon discovering more English dialogue than expected. She also convinced legendary Korean actor Song Kang-ho to join the cast after he initially turned down the role. Youn reflects on her career, which began accidentally in the 1960s while studying at Hanyang University, and her rise to fame in South Korea with films like Kim Ki-young's 1971 thriller Woman of Fire. After marrying singer Jo Young-nam in 1974, she paused her career and moved to Florida, later returning to Korea and divorcing in 1987. As a single mother, she struggled to find work due to the stigma of divorce but rebuilt her career. She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2021, becoming the first Korean actor to do so. Now in her 70s, she enjoys the freedom to choose projects, including Andrew Ahn's 2025 remake of The Wedding Banquet, which resonated personally as her elder son came out as gay in 2000.