Actor Youn Yuh-jung, appearing in the film supporting homosexuality "The Wedding Banquet," mentioned the conservative atmosphere of Korean society.
On the afternoon of the 19th at a press conference at Busan Cinema Center, director Andrew Ahn and actors Youn Yuh-jung and Han Ki-chan, whose film "The Wedding Banquet" was invited to the World Cinema section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival, held an interview with domestic reporters.
"The Wedding Banquet" is a work depicting an unpredictable comedy that unfolds when a K-grandmother with perfect social intuition appears in a fake marriage plan between two same-sex couples. Youn Yuh-jung chose this as her third overseas project after the film "Minari" and the Apple TV+ original series "Pachinko," drawing anticipation.
Youn Yuh-jung said that at first, when I received the offer it was for a mother role. It was the mother of Min, played by Han Ki-chan, and before casting I thought it would be fine because the child I had played as a mother had been cast, but this friend turned out to be in his 20s. I told Andrew it seemed too much and proposed to play the grandmother. So the role changed from mother to grandmother.
When I act, I don't plan whether something is ordinary or not. By reading the script a lot I come to know the character's personality, and I tend to perform the role thinking this is how this woman would want to express herself. I don't know whether that is ordinary or not.
In particular, Youn Yuh-jung drew attention for holding a wedding in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal, after her eldest son came out in 2000. In an interview about "The Wedding Banquet" with foreign media, she also drew attention for a tolerant remark, saying "I now love my son-in-law more than my son."
Voices hoping that Korean society will also become more accepting of LGBTQ culture through Youn Yuh-jung's work have grown louder. Youn Yuh-jung said, "I also hope we move in that direction (inclusivity toward sexual minorities). Gay people and straight people are equal."
However, she joked, "In the future, Koreans think they should become like the U.S. when they advance, but we are still lacking. Korea is a very conservative country. Having lived 79 years, I feel that way," and added, "It is not right to separate categories into gay, straight, homosexual, black, or yellow. We are all the same human beings."
"The Wedding Banquet" will be officially released domestically on the 24th.
(Continued from interview ②.)
[Photo] OSEN reporter Min Kyung-hoon.
[OSEN]