Minari cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the A24 drama movie

The A24 drama film, Minari, boasts a cast of talented actors, including Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Youn Yuh-Jung, Alan Kim, and Noel Kate Cho.

After it was showcased at the prestigious Sundance Festival in 2020, the film was released on December 11, 2020. The film had garnered a total of six nominations at the Oscars and won a Golden Globe as well.

Helmed by Lee Isaac Chung, this film is partially drawn from his own life. Set in the 1980s, it follows the journey of a Korean immigrant family in the US who navigate the new country as well as set up their farm of Minari, which is also known as Chinese celery. It is a moving tale of love, care, strength, survival, and familial relationships.

Its synopsis, as per IMDb, goes as follows:

"A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home."

Let us know more about the cast and the characters that they portray in Minari.

Who all are in the cast of Minari?

1) Noel Kate Cho as Anne Yi

A still from 'Minari' | Image via @Youtube/A24

Noel Kate Cho plays the role of the family's eldest daughter, Anne Yi. She witnesses her family's struggle to survive, whilst she remains resilient throughout. There is a beautiful frame in the film, where her mother, Monica, is seated, devastated, and Anne sits beside her as a companion, embodying silent solidarity and presence.

Minari is the only film the young actor has worked on so far.

2) Alan Kim as David Yi

Alan Kim embodies the role of David in the film. For his impeccable work in Minari, the actor has been honored with the Critics' Young Movie Award. He has also earned a BAFTA nomination for his performance in this film.

As per Tatlerasia, the character of David is created to depict the helmer Lee Isaac Chung. In the film, the lovable David is struggling with a critical heart condition, for which his parents are extremely worried. They ask him not to run, as that could worsen his condition. However, upon the arrival of his grandmother Soonja, David realizes his own hidden strength and engages in more physical workouts. Soon, his heart condition becomes better too, without any surgical intervention.

Apart from Alan Kim's work in this film, the actor has starred in Little America (2022), Theater Camp (2023), IF (2024), etc.

3) Youn Yuh-Jung as Soonja

South Korean actor Youn Yuh-Jung portrays the role of Anne and David's grandmother, and Monica's mother, Soonja, in the film. She is not the quintessential grandmother, and that is something David struggles with at the beginning. As mentioned by the little boy in the film, Soonja does not bake for her grandchildren like other grandmothers do.

Soonja is the person who makes the family realize a lot of things. Starting from growing Minari plants to helping David realize his own strength, she has done it all. She is also a playful person, as she passes on the knowledge of the game of hwatu to young David.

For Youn Yuh-Jung's role in this film, she was honored with multiple prestigious awards. That includes an Academy, BAFTA, SAG, as well as the Independent Spirit Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress. This has been a groundbreaking win in the history of cinema, as she became the first Korean actress to receive the awards.

Apart from her role in this film, the 78-year-old actor is known for her work in Woman of Fire (1971), Be Strong, Geum-soon! (2005), The Taste of Money (2012), My Husband Got a Family (2012), Canola (2016), Dear My Friends (2016), and Pachinko (2022), to name a few.

4) Han Ye-ri as Monica Yi

Han Ye-ri plays the role of Monica Yi in the film. She is the mother of David and Anne, and is the wife of Jacob. In the film, we witness the character's struggle with the changes that take place in the family. Her relationship with Jacob also gets strained.

Minari marks the debut film of the actor in Hollywood. Apart from her role in this film, Han Ye-ri is well known for her work in As One (2012), Haemoo (2014), A Dramatic Night (2015), Worst Woman (2016), Six Flying Dragons (2015-2016), A Quiet Dream (2016), Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018), and many more.

5) Steven Yeun as Jacob Yi

Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning actor Steven Yeun portrays the role of Jacob Yi in Minari. The father figure of the family, he showcases a diverse range of emotions as Jacob feels- be it hope, despair, vulnerability, strength, and determination.

Steven Yeun was born in South Korea and then moved to the US. In an interview with Variety, this is what the actor had to say about his character in the film:

“Jacob is processing so much, feeling he’s not seen and not heard,"

Adding:

“He’s trying to tell his wife, ‘You are everything and all that I have.’ It’s a man contending with his existence, and at the same time, wanting to push his family away before they can leave him. When that actually happens, it destroys him, both as a man of that generation and as a human being.”

For his role in the film, Steven Yeun became the first Asian American actor to be honored with a nomination at the Oscars, in the category of Best Actor. Apart from his role in the film, the actor has worked in The Walking Dead (2010-2016), Okja (2017), Sorry to Bother You (2018), The Humans (2022), Nope (2022), Love Me (2024), and Mickey 17 (2025), to name a few.