Who Plays Older Sunja in Pachinko? Youn Yuh-jung’s Role and Oscar Win
Youn Yuh-jung plays older Sunja in Pachinko. You may also recognize her from Minari, the film that earned her the 2021 Oscar for supporting actress. If the different ages of Sunja—or the different English spellings of the actress’s name—have been confusing, here is a spoiler-light guide to the role and what to watch next.
Photo: Choi Hwa-jung’s YouTube channel
Which Sunja does Youn Yuh-jung play?
Apple’s cast announcement identifies Yuh-Jung Youn as older Sunja and Minha Kim as teenage Sunja. They portray the same character at different stages of life. When you are looking up a scene, the character’s age is the useful distinction; searching only for “Sunja actress” can bring up both performers.
Pachinko follows a Korean immigrant family across four generations. Korean, Japanese and English are part of its storytelling. That multilingual setting matters to Sunja’s performance, not just to the subtitle options on your screen.
Explore Pachinko on Apple’s official page →
Why are there two English spellings of her name?
Apple and the Academy use Yuh-Jung Youn. You will also encounter Youn Yuh-jung, with the family name first. In Korean, her name is 윤여정. Both English forms here refer to the same actress, so trying either spelling can help you find official cast pages and interviews.
Her biggest challenge: understanding the Japanese dialogue
In an October 2024 conversation on Choi Hwa-jung’s own YouTube channel, Youn discusses Pachinko with Choi and director Kim Cho-hee. Around 18:36, the conversation turns to how much work the Japanese dialogue required. Youn describes needing to understand the meaning in Korean, rather than simply repeating unfamiliar sounds.
At about 19:08, she says that around 80% of her lines in the second season were in Japanese. That is her description of her own dialogue—not a language breakdown of the entire series. It offers a concrete detail to listen for when you return to her scenes.
What she wanted to express about Sunja
Around 19:14–19:38, Youn explains that formal education and occupation do not determine a person’s dignity. She connects the character to an idea of personal decency that she wanted to express. This is a more useful entry point to her interpretation than treating Sunja only as a symbol of hardship.
Watch that exchange with the surrounding conversation. The interview is relaxed and includes jokes between friends; a short translated clip can lose that tone. The button below opens the original discussion, so you can check the context yourself.
Watch Youn discuss Pachinko — original Korean interview →
Which Oscar did she win?
At the 93rd Academy Awards on April 25, 2021, Yuh-Jung Youn won Actress in a Supporting Role for Minari. The award was for that film, rather than for Pachinko. The Academy’s official record is linked below.
See the Academy’s 2021 winner record →
What should you watch after Pachinko?
Start with Minari if you want to see the performance associated with her Oscar. Written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the film follows a Korean-American family moving to a farm. A24 lists a running time of 1 hour 55 minutes, making it a manageable next watch if you are choosing between another series and a film.
For Pachinko, use Apple’s official title page to find its viewing link. For Minari, A24’s page includes the trailer and a rent-or-buy link. Availability and purchase options depend on your region; check the destination before subscribing or paying.
Watch the Minari trailer and check viewing options →
Quick answers
Is Youn Yuh-jung the younger Sunja too?
No. Apple credits Minha Kim as teenage Sunja and Yuh-Jung Youn as older Sunja.
Did she win an Oscar for Pachinko?
No. Her 2021 supporting-actress Oscar was for Minari.
Where can I hear her explain the role?
The original Choi Hwa-jung interview linked above discusses her Japanese dialogue and approach to Sunja around 18:36–19:38.
Sources: Apple TV Press, the Academy, A24, and 안녕하세요 최화정이에요. Checked October 22, 2026. Interview paraphrases translated from Korean.