Minari 믞ë늏 (2020) dir. Lee Isaac Chung
âYouâre crying over anchovies?â⊠it felt so true and so human and something that expresses a lot of where Monica, the mother, is emotionally, how sheâs been feeling, everything thatâs been pent up inside of her as sheâs missing home. ⊠I didnât know if anybody would really connect to it. But Iâve been surprised that lots of people have been crying about the anchovies, joining in with her. And thatâs been a real joy because itâs not just the Koreans or the kids of immigrants, but it seems like everybody kind of understands that feeling. Food is powerful. You know, that really hits so close to home for all of us.
Lee Isaac Chung in an interview with NPRâs Fresh Air (March 3, 2021)
Being Korean-American seeing this film, you just didnât realize that you were sitting on so much grief. And watching the film lets it go, a little bit, and I think for us itâs something really great to celebrate⊠I think this film is specifically talking to me. When Monica eats the gochugaru, I burst into tears because itâs something that is so specific, and itâs almost like, oh I never knew that I needed that gift.
Sandra Oh moderating a Q&A with the cast of Minari for Korean American Day (January 13, 2021)