Fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar Korea unveiled the cover of its January 2025 issue featuring Youn Yuh-jung, highlighting her unique aura that challenges conventional stereotypes of actresses.
Over the course of his illustrious career, he has built a distinguished filmography and achieved international success.
Appearing in front of the Harper’s Bazaar camera for the first time in seven years, Youn Yuh-jung elegantly wore Tiffany & Co.’s high jewelry collection. She effortlessly showed off bold looks, including a maxi coat, a structured jacket and a white dress, styles that even professional models might find inspiring. Her “cool” fashion sense at 77 is nothing short of remarkable.
Now in her 58th year as an actress, Youn Yuh-jung exuded her characteristic poise in the accompanying interview.
Regarding his decision to join the second season of the Netflix original series “Beef,” he explained: “It’s instinctive, like my arms curl inward. When it comes to the works created by Korean-Americans, I feel naturally drawn to them.”
He added: “I had several meetings with director Lee Sung-jin, who told me he had stories he wanted to tell through me. It was intriguing because it offered a different perspective than that of Korean directors. In Korea, I mostly get cast as a grandmother. But they see me through a different lens, perhaps because they have lived in a completely different world. Personally I’m quite conservative in my daily life, but strangely I’m open to taking risks in my work. Maybe living such a measured life has triggered this adventurous side of me when it comes to projects.”
Youn Yuh-jung also reflected on his motivation to continue acting even after 58 years in the industry.
“I thought about it: should I retire now? But even if I stay at home, I can’t read a book for more than an hour; my eyes hurt. Ultimately, daily life matters more. I think about how many people around me are sick and what they want most is everyday life. Not big ambitions, but simple moments, like leaving the hospital for a walk. For me, acting is part of my daily life. So, I want to give my all to the roles I’m given because that’s how I live my life.”
While rejecting the label of “artist”, she accepts being defined as “artisan”.
“I don’t like being called an artist. If, after I’m gone, someone says, “She was an artist,” then maybe I’ll accept it. But for now it seems excessive. I want to be considered a craftsman. If I have walked this path for almost 60 years, I think I deserve this recognition.”
Youn Yuh-jung’s cover and images can be found in the January issue of Harper’s Bazaar, with accompanying fashion footage available on the magazine’s official website, Instagram and YouTube.
