In Chung’s film, the watery basin throbs with significance — a physical symbol of putting roots down, of Korean American harmony, of resiliency.
The minari in “Minari” was sowed by Chung’s father — an almost impossibly poignant bit of set dressing in a film that blooms in the gap between generations.
AdThe Golden Globes spawned a controversy by limiting “Minari” (a deeply American film, with dirt in its fingers, and largely Korean dialogue) to its foreign-language film category.
And perhaps most importantly, its honest and authentic rendering of an Asian American family, in an entertainment world so often reliant on stereotype, has resonated meaningfully for many.
For me, what’s incredible, taking a step back, we’re almost like their American dream come true,” says Oh.