Youn Yuh-jung

Quick Facts: Who was Youn Yuh-jung?

Subject:

Youn Yuh-jung

Known for:

Acclaimed South Korean actress known for versatility and international breakthrough roles.

Born:

1947-06-19

Century / Era:

1947s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Youn Yuh-jung (Korean: 윤여정; pronounced [jun jʌdʑʌŋ]; born June 19, 1947) is a South Korean actress. She started her career in Korean television in the late 1960s and rose to prominence with the film Woman of Fire (1971). She retired in the mid-1970s and immigrated to the United States before returning to Korea in 1984 and rebuilding her career. Known as the "Godmother of Chungmu-ro", Youn appeared in The Housemaid (2010), The Taste of Money (2012), The Bacchus Lady (2016), and Canola (2016). On television, Youn is known for her matriarch roles in dramas such as Men of the Bath House (1995), Be Strong, Geum-soon!

Career & Major Achievements

(2005), Daughters-in-Law (2007), My Husband Got a Family (2012), and Dear My Friends (2016), as well as the reality programmes Sisters Over Flowers (2013), Youn's Kitchen (2017–2018), and Unexpected Journey (2022). Youn gained international acclaim for her role in Minari (2020), becoming the first Korean actress to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as numerous other awards. She subsequently appeared in international productions, such as the Apple TV+ series Pachinko (2022–2024), the American film The Wedding Banquet (2025), and the Netflix series Beef (2026), the last of which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Youn graduated from high school in 1966. She then enrolled at Hanyang University and majored in Korean language and literature.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

When she passed open acting auditions held by TBC in 1966, she dropped out of college. After dropping out of college, Youn made her acting debut in the television drama Mister Gom in 1967. She shot to stardom in 1971 with two memorable portrayals of femmes fatales. Her first film, Kim Ki-young's Woman of Fire, was a critical and commercial hit, for which she won Best Actress at the Sitges Film Festival. This was followed by the MBC historical drama Jang Hui-bin, in which she plays the eponymous royal concubine.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1947 (1947-06-19): Birth of Youn Yuh-jung — Acclaimed South Korean actress known for versatility and international breakthrough roles.
2. 1966: 1966 Milestone — Youn graduated from high school in 1966.
3. 1967: 1967 Milestone — After dropping out of college, Youn made her acting debut in the television drama Mister Gom in 1967.
4. 1971: 1971 Milestone — She started her career in Korean television in the late 1960s and rose to prominence with the film Woman of Fire (1971).
5. 1984: 1984 Milestone — She retired in the mid-1970s and immigrated to the United States before returning to Korea in 1984 and rebuilding her career.
6. 1995: 1995 Milestone — On television, Youn is known for her matriarch roles in dramas such as Men of the Bath House (1995), Be Strong, Geum-soon!
7. 2005: 2005 Milestone — (2005), Daughters-in-Law (2007), My Husband Got a Family (2012), and Dear My Friends (2016), as well as the reality programmes Sisters Over Flowers (2013), Youn's Kitchen (2017–2018), and Unexpected Journey (2022).
8. 2010: 2010 Milestone — Known as the "Godmother of Chungmu-ro", Youn appeared in The Housemaid (2010), The Taste of Money (2012), The Bacchus Lady (2016), and Canola (2016).
9. 2020: 2020 Milestone — Youn gained international acclaim for her role in Minari (2020), becoming the first Korean actress to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as numerous other awards.
10. 2022: 2022 Milestone — She subsequently appeared in international productions, such as the Apple TV+ series Pachinko (2022–2024), the American film The Wedding Banquet (2025), and the Netflix series Beef (2026), the last of which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Notable Quotes by Youn Yuh-jung

“I don't mind being called an old actress, but I do worry about how to carry on my acting career without looking like an old fool.” (2012)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Youn Yuh-jung

True or False: “Youn Yuh-jung was the first Korean actress to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): She achieved this historic milestone in 2020 for her role in the film Minari.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Capone — Contemporary (Died in 1947) (1947): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alan Guth — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
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• Aage Bohr — Shared historical date (06-19 · Born) (1922): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Alberico Gentili — Shared historical date (06-19 · Died) (1608): Italian jurist, 'Father of international law', and Regius Professor at Oxford.
• Albert Brooks — Historical peer (Born in 1947) (1947): Versatile American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter.
• Aleister Crowley — Historical peer (Died in 1947) (1947): Founder of Thelema, a major occultist, poet, and ceremonial magician.
• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Historical peer (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• AB de Villiers — Historical peer (Born in 1984) (1984): Iconic South African cricketer, celebrated for his all-around batting genius.
• 1947 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1947
• June 19 (06-19) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 19

Frequently Asked Questions about Youn Yuh-jung