Oscars 2021: Yuh-Jung Youn wins best supporting actress, gives memorable speech

Youn is the first Korean winner of an acting Oscar.

April 25, 2021, 10:30 PM

Yuh-Jung Youn won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her performance in "Minari" at the 2021 Oscars on Sunday.

The 73-year-old became the first Korean to win an acting award in Oscars history.

"Mr. Brad Pitt, finally. Nice to meet you," Youn said while taking the stage to accept the Oscar. "It's an honor to meet you."

"I cannot believe I'm here," Youn continued, saying she became family with the rest of the "Minari" cast and thanking director Isaac Chung Lee as their "captain."

Youn beat out fellow nominees Maria Bakalova of "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," Glenn Close of "Hillbilly Elegy," Olivia Colman of "The Father" and Amanda Seyfried of "Mank" to win.

She also expressed disbelief that she won over her fellow nominees, especially Close.

Close has been nominated for eight Oscars and never won, making her the most nominated living actor to never win an Oscar.

Watch "Minari" star Yuh-Jung Youn's full acceptance speech for best supporting actress here:

"Minari" told the story of a Korean family starting a farm in 1980s Arkansas. The film is a semi-autobiographical take on director Chung's own upbringing. Aside from Youn -- who plays Soon-ja -- the movie also starred Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim and Noel Kate Cho.

The first and only other actress of Asian descent to win best supporting actress is Miyoshi Umeki. The Japanese-born actress won for "Sayonara" in 1958. As of this year, only five women of Asian descent have been nominated for best supporting actress.

For all things Oscars 2021, visit Oscar.com.

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