Iconic Actress Reveals She Was “Meant To Die” At 75—And What Happened Instead
If there’s one thing Minari lead actress Youn Yuh Jung likes to do in her free time, it’s getting her fortune told. But there was not a single fortuneteller who could have guessed what happened to her in 2021.
In the latest video uploaded to actress Choi Hwa Jung‘s YouTube channel, Youn had her tote raided in a quick and random “What’s In My Bag?” session. Amid the usual things that belong—like cash and toiletries—Youn pulled out some pieces of paper folded in half. Referring to it as “someone’s fortune,” Youn revealed that she liked going to see fortunetellers.
Choi then pointed out that while Youn likes fortunetelling and tarot reading, not a single fortuneteller saw her stunning Oscars win in April 2021. In fact, director Kim Cho Hee explained that multiple fortunetellers said something quite the opposite would happen.
Youn Yuh Jung Of “Minari” Becomes The First Korean Actress Ever To Win An Acting Award At The Oscars
According to Kim, three different fortunetellers advised that something terrible would happen to Youn’s health. One fortuneteller, who Youn referred to as “Cheongju Grandpa,” said that Youn would actually “die” at 75 years old.
Kim recalled feeling terrified upon hearing the fortune. She would reach out to Youn who was in Canada shooting the K-Drama Pachinko at the time, checking in to make sure nothing bad would happen to her.
Choi Hwa Jung: Ms. Youn likes tarot readings and fortunetellings and whatnot. But there was not a single fortuneteller who guessed she would win that big of an award at her age.
Youn Yuh Jung: Not a single one.
Kim Cho Hee: I had a fortuneteller tell me that she was meant to die at 75, the same year she won the Oscars.
Youn: Right! That’s why she called me day and night. I was in Canada shooting Pachinko. I wondered what had gotten into her, but I told her, “Yes, I’m well and alive.” Later, she told me what she had heard. Three fortunetellers said that something terrible would happen to me, health-wise. In fact, one grandpa—the Cheongju Grandpa—told her that I would die! So, she was terrified.
Now 77 years old and still very much alive, Youn looked back and said the fortunetellers probably saw “something big” happen—but without knowing too much about the Academy Awards, they “interpreted it as a life threatening event.”
[After the win], I told Kim, ‘Remember when the grandpa told you I would die?’ She said, ‘What would a grandpa from Cheongju have known about the Academy Awards? He probably saw something massive aligned for you in 2021. But, given your age, he interpreted it as a life threatening event. Hence, death.’
— Youn Yuh Jung
In April 2021, Youn became the first Korean actress to ever win an acting award at the Academy Awards. She picked up the “Best Actress In A Supporting Role” award for her outstanding portrayal of the most unique Korean halmoni (grandma), Soon Ja, in Minari.
Read all about her most hilarious acceptance speech here:
4 Most Hilarious Things “Minari” Actress Youn Yuh Jung Said In Her Oscars Acceptance Speech
