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Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung accepts the best motion picture in the foreign language category award at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards on Feb. 28. (AFP/Yonhap News)

“Minari,” a film by Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung (Korean name Chung I-sak), was named best foreign language film at the 78th Golden Globe Awards on the evening of Feb. 28.

As the Korean-language title of the film was called out by Gal Gadot, the Israeli actress best known as the star of “Wonder Woman” (2017), a little girl could be seen on a video image hugging her father and whispering, “I prayed! I prayed!”

Considered one of the two biggest US film honors alongside the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes are often mentioned as precursors of the Oscars. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest ceremony took place with a reduced audience at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills and Rockefeller Center in New York City. Nominees and winners took part via video feeds.

Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung delivers an acceptance speech remotely after winning the award for best foreign language film at the Golden Globes on Feb. 28. (provided by Pancinema)

Chung and his daughter attended from home via video. After expressing his thanks to the film’s crew and actors — including leads Steven Yeun, Youn Yuh-jung and Han Ye-ri — he went on to thank his wife, who he said was “hiding over there.” Referring to his young daughter, he said, “She’s the reason I made this film.”

“It's a family trying to learn how to speak a language of its own. It goes deeper than any American language and any foreign language. It's a language of the heart,” he continued.

In his message, Chung stressed that with its story of familial love, “Minari” has broken down language barriers to resonate universally.

Chung’s autobiographical film tells the story of a Korean-American family that moves to Arkansas in the 1980s. Produced by Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B, it has drawn major praise, winning 74 total trophies at previous film awards around the world.

In a recent video conversation with South Korean media, Chung said he was astonished and amazed at the praise for a film with such a personal story, adding that matters of country and nationality are not issues when it comes to telling a story.

A still from “Minari” (provided by Pancinema)

But the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which presents the Golden Globes, only nominated “Minari” for the category of best foreign language film, while disqualifying it as a best picture contender due to the fact that most of its dialogue is in Korean.

As a reason for its decision, it pointed to regulations stating that a film was considered “foreign-language” if more than half of its dialogue was not in English. But the move has drawn heavy criticism from film professionals around the world and media in the US, who have lambasted the HFPA for their conservatism and exclusivity.

In a possible nod to these criticisms, the Golden Globes ceremony on Feb. 28 featured more diverse representation. The winner of the best motion picture (drama) was “Nomadland,” a film by Chinese-American director Chloé Zhao, who was also named best director. Both honors were firsts for an Asian-American female director.

The late Black actor Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from colon cancer last year, won the award for best performance by an actor in a motion picture (drama) for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Singer/actor Andra Day won the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture (Drama) for her performance as the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”

“Soul,” the first animated work by Pixar to feature a Black protagonist, won awards for best original score and best motion picture (animated).

A still from “Minari” (provided by Pancinema)

Many are now turning their attention to the possibility of “Minari” being recognized at the Oscars. After being named best foreign language film at last year’s Golden Globes, director Bong Joon-ho’s film “Parasite” went on to claim Academy Awards for best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best international film.

“Minari” could be headed down a similar road. US media have named Youn Yuh-jung in particular as a strong contender for a best supporting actress win.

The Academy is scheduled to announce the nominees on March 15, with the ceremony to take place on April 25. “Minari” is set to have its South Korean premiere on March 3.

By Suh Jung-min, staff reporter

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