Get ready to call your parents after watching Minari.
As a Korean-American, it is always exciting for me to see Korean representation in the media. Who can forget last year when Parasite swept awards season, ultimately winning Best Picture at the Oscars? This year, it’s Minari that has won people’s hearts—and awards should follow.
When the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020, it immediately got rave reviews. It has since been named best picture by the New York Critics Online and received three nominations at the 2021 SAG Awards, including Outstanding Performance by a Cast as well as recognition for Steven Yeun and Yuh-Jung Youn. In fact, Yeun could very well make history as the first Asian American to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
I remember I had tears just from watching the trailer and was thrilled when I was able to see an early screening of the film in January. Little did I know how my life would change in a matter of hours. Minari tells the story of a Korean immigrant family that moves from California to a farm in Arkansas in the 1980s to pursue their American dream. Yeun portrays the family patriarch, Jacob, who eagerly hopes for success, but his wife Monica (Yeri Han) has difficulty supporting his ideas as they struggle financially. Their kids David (Alan Kim) and Anne (Noel Kate Cho) have to adapt to their new surroundings as well, especially with the arrival of their grandmother (Yuh-Jung Youn), who moves in with the family.