Does winning an Oscar really change your life? For Youn Yuh-Jung, not so much.
Ahead of the 2022 Oscars, we sat down with the Minari actress, who won the Best Supporting Actress trophy at the 2021 awards show and asked her to shed light on her post–Academy Awards life. According to Youn, her life mostly went back to normal after winning her Oscar with one key difference: People think she's wealthier than ever.
Specifically, one female fan ended up on Youn's doorstep asking for money. "She was kneeling down on the street begging to see me," Youn exclusively shared with E! News. "She wanted to have money from me. They think I got the award from the States, and then they think I have some sort of big money from the Oscars."
In fact, Youn noted that she even had to clarify to her helper at home that the Oscars didn't come with a cash prize. To which her helper replied in surprise, "Oh, you didn't get any money from them? I thought that big award give you all the money."
And while the increased attention was unexpected, Youn is ultimately happy to be a part of the rise of South Korean representation in Hollywood.
"There are so many talented actors in Korea and Asia," she said. "I wish I can shine the light on them too."
As for what's next for Youn? In addition to being a presenter at the 2022 Academy Awards on March 27, the 74-year-old actress stars in Apple TV+'s adaptation of the best-selling novel Pachinko. The drama chronicles four generations of a Korean immigrant family, with Youn playing the adult version of the protagonist, Sunja.
Youn told E! News she was most drawn to her character's "strength and determination to survive."
Pachinko is available to stream March 25 on Apple TV+.