Disney and Pixar animation “Elemental,” directed by second-generation Korean American Peter Sohn, earned $356 million in the global box office on July 24, just a month after its release.
At the upcoming 75th Emmy Awards in January, the Netflix drama “Beef,” featuring a number of Korean American cast members, received 13 nominations across 11 categories. Among the nominees are Korean American actor Steven Yeun (Best Actor in a Limited Series) and director Lee Sung Jin (Director and Writer).
Recent films and series highlighting the voices and experiences of Korean immigrants are gaining significant attention in both theaters and online video services (OTT). This surge in recognition follows actress Youn Yuh-jung’s historic achievement as the first Asian to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in the autobiographical film “Minari” (2021), directed by second-generation Korean American Lee Isaac Chung.
Additionally, the Apple TV drama “Pachinko” (2022), exploring the lives of four generations of Korean Japanese in Japan, received a Peabody Award, an esteemed accolade in the broadcasting industry akin to the Pulitzer Prize.
In “Elemental,” director Sohn skillfully weaves his parents’ immigration story from the 1970s into an imaginative world where the four elements – water, fire, earth, and wind – coexist. The protagonist, Ember, who hides her glassmaking aspirations to take over the family grocery store as per her father’s wishes, reflects the role of the eldest daughter in Korean families.
Notably, the film depicts a poignant scene where Ember’s father, a fire race, offers a spicy coal snack to Wade, a water race, reminiscent of the Sohn family’s personal experiences with spicy Korean cuisine as foreigners. Such cultural empathy contributes to the movie’s success in South Korea, where it ranked as the No. 4 movie at the box office this year.
In “Beef,” the third most-watched global TV series on Netflix in April, the realities of Korean immigrants are portrayed through the character Danny Cho, played by Steven Yeun. As a second-generation Korean American, Danny strives to bring his parents back to the United States after they returned to Korea following the closure of their motel business. The series explores themes of family and cultural expectations, with Danny advising his younger brother to consider settling down with a “decent Korean girl.”
Similarly, “Riceboy Sleeps,” released around the same time, directed by Korean Canadian filmmaker Anthony Shim, delves into Shim’s own childhood experiences of being teased as a “rice boy.” The film has been likened to the Canadian version of “Minari” for its heartfelt storytelling.
“The Quiet Migration,” an internationally selected film at the Jeonju International Film Festival in May, presents a unique perspective from Danish-Korean adoptee Malene Choi, who likens her life’s journey to a meteorite falling from the sky.
The rising popularity of K-content, which has become a global phenomenon, plays a significant role in bringing the lives and concerns of ethnic Koreans living abroad to audiences through a diverse range of works. Experts also highlight the increasing influence of second and third-generation immigrant creators, who have established a strong presence alongside the rapid ascent of Asians in mainstream American culture, as a crucial contributing factor.
“The works of second and third-generation Korean immigrants started emerging in film festivals in the early 2000s, but the quality was not very high,” said Park Do-shin, a programmer at the Busan International Film Festival. “Since then, the number of mature works has steadily increased, and they have recently garnered significant attention.”
Stories about Korean adoptees and immigrants are not limited to independent and artistic films, but are also spreading to mainstream commercial films. Andrew Ahn, director of “Spa Night” (2017), which follows a young Korean American man working part-time in an American Sauna, and Justin Chon, director of “Gook” (2017), which depicts the 1992 LA riots, won Sundance Film Festival and Film Independent Spirit Awards. This achievement is especially meaningful as they became pioneers of directors of commercial works before Chung’s Minari.
Justin Chon gained prominence as a mainstream director when his film “Blue Bayou,” depicting the story of a Korean adoptee, was invited to the 2021 Cannes International Film Festival. Around the same time, he co-directed the film “Pachinko” (2022) with fellow Korean American director Kogonada. Andrew Ahn received an invitation to the Berlin International Film Festival for his work in “Driveways” (2019), featuring a Korean American protagonist.
Steven Yeun, recognized for his role in the American zombie drama series “The Walking Dead,” garnered further acclaim for his portrayals of Korean immigrants in films such as “Minari” and “Beef.” His previous roles in Bong Joon-ho’s “Okja” (2017) and Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” (2018) also earned him spots in the official competition section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Lee Sung Jin, the director, producer, and screenplay writer of “Beef,” has been tapped to work on Marvel’s “Thunderbolt,” solidifying his position in mainstream commercial Hollywood films.
BY WONJEONG NA [na.wonjeong@joongang.co.kr]
