Minari

Jacob, a Korean American father, and his wife Monica move their family to a sunlit plot in rural Arkansas in search of a version of the American dream. They bivouac in a modest dwelling beside a new farm where Jacob hopes to grow crops that will sustain them, while Monica balances the daily demands of keeping the family connected. Their young son David and their grandmother Soonja help anchor life with stubborn humor and small rituals. The Ozark winds, thin finances, and language gaps test their resolve, but the family learns to read the land together and support one another. In quiet, intimate scenes, home becomes more than a house it becomes a choice they make every day.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Minari draws on his own experiences and stems from an original screenplay rather than adaptation. It premiered at Sundance 2020 and was released in the United States by A24, with later international expansion.

At the Academy Awards, Minari earned six nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Youn Yuh-jung, who won. Youn became the first Korean performer to win competitive acting gold at the Oscars. The Golden Globes also honored Youn Yuh-jung in Best Supporting Actress.

Minari resonated beyond festival circuits as a quiet portrait of immigrant family life. Its central symbol the minari plant tied to home sparked conversations about belonging, intergenerational perspectives, and the cost of pursuing the American dream, boosting participation and discussions in contemporary film discourse across communities and classrooms.

Critics praised its restrained direction, nuanced performances, and humane tone. The film centers on memory, adaptation, and the tension between a dream of prosperity and the reality of daily care, showing how love and resilience can turn hardship into a shared sense of home without sentimentality.