Actress Youn Yuh-jung wins BAFTA awards for best supporting actress

“Every award is meaningful but this one, especially recognized by British people, known as very snobbish people, and they approved me as a good actor, I am very happy,” said “Minari” star Youn Yuh-jung in English during her acceptance speech after winning the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) on Sunday (local time). The sound of laughter and applause came from the audience.

Youn was announced as the winner of best supporting actress award at the 74th BAFTA Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Winning an award at the most prestigious award in Britain following her win at the U.S. Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was another boost for her chances of winning the Oscar.

Immediately after her speech, Youn told Variety that her view came from her personal experience. “Yes it comes from personal experience. I’ve visited Britain a lot of times and I had a fellowship in a Cambridge college ten years ago as an actor. Somehow it felt very snobbish but not in a bad way,” said Youn. “You (the Brits) have a long history. As an Asian woman, I felt these people are very snobbish, that’s my honest feeling.”

The Vulture described Yoon’s speech as the best acceptance speech of 2021 by saying, “Calling Brits out as very snobbish people during a BAFTA acceptance speech, to their faces, and making the whole room laugh and be totally charmed by it? Youn is a legend.” The Variety and Deadline said the speech was “arguably the biggest laugh of the night.”


Jae-Hee Kim jetti@donga.com