Youn Yuh-jung reveals son’s coming out in rare personal disclosure

Youn Yuh-jung reveals son’s coming out in rare personal disclosure

Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung has publicly revealed for the first time that her eldest son is gay, sharing the personal story in interviews tied to her upcoming film The Wedding Banquet.

In an interview published April 19 by People magazine, Youn stated, “This story is deeply connected to my personal life. My eldest son is gay.” She went on to explain how the film’s themes resonated with her own experience.

Speaking to South China Morning Post, she elaborated, “My eldest son came out in 2000. When same-sex marriage became legal in New York, we held his wedding there. Since it was still taboo in Korea, our whole family went to the U.S. for the ceremony.”

Her comments mark the first time Youn has publicly discussed her son’s sexuality or shared such details about her family, drawing attention for their rare candor and emotional weight.

The film in question, The Wedding Banquet, is a remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 Golden Bear-winning feature of the same name. The original depicted a gay Taiwanese man in New York who stages a fake marriage to appease his visiting parents. The remake shifts the setting to a Korean family, with Youn playing the grandmother of the groom.

Originally cast as the mother, Youn requested a role adjustment after the lead actor, Han Ki-chan (born 1998), was confirmed. “When I got the script, I thought I could play the mother,” she said. “But when I saw the lead actor was much younger than I expected, I asked to change the role to the grandmother.”

Youn noted that one of her lines in the film — “You are my grandson, no matter who you are” — came directly from her real-life emotions.

Her heartfelt remarks are resonating beyond the screen, offering a poignant blend of art, family, and social change.

 

Photo source / Fuku Entertainment