Let’s get to know the talented Yeena Sung, who graciously took time out or her busy schedule to talk with us about the industry, her career, and more. Here’s what she had to say:
Thanks for this opportunity to ask a few questions. I hope you are doing well in these challenging times. If you don’t mind, let’s start with a brief introduction. Could you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into acting?
Hi, I’m an actor based in NYC. I was born and raised in Korea and have been acting professionally for the past 10 years in both theater and film. I was always drawn to the performing arts since I was a little kid but I got more seriously into acting when I first moved to the U.S. I was 9 years old when I first moved here, and my struggle to find a sense of belonging in this country motivated me to take an after-school acting class. Acting helped me escape the confines of reality and allowed me to be fully immersed in different stories as different characters. It became a safe space for me – a place where I could hide myself in stories or present my full unfiltered self. Eventually, acting allowed me to embrace my unique identity as an artist. I am an actor to this day because it has continued to enrich me with a deeper sense of humanity by understanding different points of views. I love it and it’s truly a blessing to experience the world as an actor!
I like to begin interviews with something fun. If you could sit and watch a movie with any director or actor, past or present, which movie would it be and who would be sitting with you?
What a great question! I would love to watch a movie with actor Sandra Oh (whom I love) and watch The Lobster or Old Boy. I enjoy watching dark comedy or psychological thrillers and I think it would be a fun experience to watch these two films together, especially after having seen her act in Killing Eve. I’m curious how she would react! It would be awesome if my mom could join in on the fun as well. She screams (and often pinches my arm) when she watches these types of movies, which will make the experience even more suspenseful!
I think I’ll jump right into a recent film of yours called Happy Cleaners. It’s a Korean-American story set in New York. Tell me about your character.
I played a character named Hyunny in Happy Cleaners. She’s the daughter of the Choi family, and as the oldest sibling she carries the burden of having to be the “responsible” one – both financially and with having to make the “right decisions”. Growing up in Korea, I have seen my older sister deal with the pressures of having to be a dutiful daughter and so I thought about her often when I was preparing for the role. Hyunny’s struggle to meet her parents’ expectations leads her to encounter moments of friction with her mother as Hyunny tries to seek more control over her own life. However, despite all this, she develops into a brave, grounded, warm, and optimistic adult that ultimately stands as the pillar for her family – like daughter, like mother.
I was fortunate to have seen and reviewed the film and really liked the dynamic between the younger and older generations of Koreans in the story. How involved were you in developing that dynamic?
I think the dynamic between the younger and older generations developed very naturally as did our dynamic as a family. The intergenerational dynamic shown in the film was one that all the cast members have experienced in real life (of course, to varying degrees). The cultural clash and barriers that you’ve seen between the generations are quite prevalent in both Korean and Korean American families. Therefore I would say the dynamic came about relatively easily for us.
Was any of that personal for you?
Yes. I especially resonated with the dynamic between Hyunny and her mother. Although there was a lot of love shared between the two, Hyunny had to constantly navigate through many demands and expectations as well (e.g. Mother wanting Hyunny to be a doctor or to be with someone who’s more financially stable, etc.). I especially empathized with Hyunny’s experience of having to live up to her mother’s expectations, and the frustration of never being able to please her parents. I’ve been in a similar situation before and it’s tricky because at the end of the day you know that it all comes from a place of true love; of the parents just wanting their kids to live a life that’s “better” than their own. And as the daughter, you want to understand that and be able to accommodate it. Nonetheless you also want to be understood in a way that makes sense to you as well.
What do you hope the larger message of the film will be?
My hope is that people can watch Happy Cleaners and understand that this is very much an American story as much as it is a Korean one. I’ve heard from many non-Korean audiences that they resonated deeply with this film. This comes to show that we’re all just human beings at the end of the day – no matter our race or background. Moreover, I hope that Korean-American Immigrants can embrace the idea that although things may seem stagnant or unresolved, we are in the process of collective healing; we will continue to move forward no matter what.
As a Korean-American, wanting perhaps to represent both cultures in your performances, has it been hard to find an identity in film?
Yes, it’s quite difficult to find roles or stories that are close to my experiences because I often find myself identifying as being “in-between Korean and Korean-American”. My role as Hyunny in Happy Cleaners was actually the closest I got to finding my identity in film. However, as an actor, I don’t necessarily find my identity in film by just playing roles that are exactly the same as mine. I’ve always enjoyed finding a way to connect to a character or story that is different from my own. I think that’s where the artistry of acting lies; taking that leap of faith and using your imagination to live through what you haven’t experienced. My hope is that no matter what kind of story I’m a part of, the people watching it will be able to believe and accept BIPOC actors to be in stories that have historically been reserved for white performers.
You must be feeling good about the surge of popularity in Asian-American, perhaps especially Korean films, in western markets. Any thoughts?
This is kind of a gray area for me. Yes, I think it’s great and it really is a relief that Asian-American stories are finally being told more. However, as a performer, I deal with both the burdens and benefits of being an Asian/Asian-American in this industry. Nowadays, with the rise of interest for Asian/Asian-American films, more people are interested in seeing narratives that are closer to my experiences. I even see it in audition rooms; casting directors and producers seem to be interested in seeing actors of color more than they have in the past. And yes, I do want to celebrate Asian/Asian-American stories and feel passionately about them. These stories deserve to be heard and there just isn’t enough out there! But it’s very important to recognize that just because more Asian/American performers or stories are represented, doesn’t mean the industry actually cares about us or our stories. The industry will do what is profitable at the end of the day and if they are merely checking off the diversity quota, that can eventually lead to some other issues. I’m already seeing this trend of “othering” Asian/Asian-American films; not centering the story as it is but diverting the focus to its Asian-ness. I think we’re at a great start, now that we’re seeing our stories in the forefront, but my hope is that we’ll get to a place where all artists of color, not just Asians, will be able to share any kinds of stories without limitations. At least for me, as much as I want to be in films that are specific to Asian Americans, I also want to be in stories that are beyond that.
Next up for you is a guest-starring role in the 7th season of Younger. Tell me about the project and if you could, who you’ll be in the show.
Younger is an American TV Series revolving around a 40-year-old woman who pretends to be a 26-year old to re-enter the working world. I’ll be starring as Dylan Park, an emerging writer from Queens. I can’t say more than that but stay tuned!
Certainly, like many in the acting profession, you’ve faced a few challenges in your journey. I’d like to give you a platform to maybe share something that you think could be inspiring or inspirational for others starting out.
Being an actor, woman, and Asian in this industry is not easy. I find it important to speak up about matters I care about and I’ve had instances where I’ve been shut down for offering my thoughts and opinions to authority figures (such as casting directors, producers, etc.). I was faced with defensiveness and was called an “angry”, “difficult”, and “ungrateful” actor just by the fact that I spoke up to what I believed in. It was surprising to me that I could be pushed down like that from just simply voicing my opinion. However, this experience made me want to challenge the cultural norms of this industry and fight harder to bring agency for BIPOC and female actors.
As an actor starting out, you want to fulfill the norm of saying “yes” to everything. But I want to challenge my fellow actors, to not be afraid to speak up for yourself and to a cause that you care about. Be true to who you are! Things are slowly starting to change and I believe that we’ll get to a place where anyone can find a place in this industry as long as we continue to actively make space for it. I also want to add: be gentle with yourself (and others). I’m learning for myself that there’s only so much I can control and that I have to take it day by day; giving myself positive reinforcement and celebrating small victories along the way.
Our site, as the name implies, is dedicated to celebrating significant moments in movies. Is there a movie moment or perhaps a movie in general, that you want to recommend to me and our readers?
I love the movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by Michele Gondry, La Vie En Rose directed by Olivier Dahan, and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring directed by Kim Ki-Duk. I love each of these movies for different reasons. Eternal Sunshine has amazing cinematography and soundtrack and I love Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet’s chemistry and performance. I love La Vie En Rose mainly because of Marion Cotillard’s transformational acting. Spring, Summer. Fall, Winter, and…Spring is a Korean film and I was deeply moved by the ways in which Kim Ki-Duk portrays life and its cyclical nature. All three are very powerful films and I highly recommend them.
All great choices. Thank you once again for taking the time to share your thoughts on your career. Good luck and I hope our paths cross again.
Thank you! I hope this interview will inspire people to become more curious about the journeys of Asian and Asian-American actors as well as the stories we tell. Feel free to check out my website: yeenasung.com, Instagram and YouTube channel.