Minari
A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream
Metadata
| Director | Lee Isaac Chung |
| Year | 2020 |
| Writer | Lee Isaac Chung |
| Stars | Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim |
The Movie in 3 Sentences
Minari follows a Korean immigrant family trying to build a new life on a small farm in Arkansas. The father is chasing the dream of creating something of his own, while the mother is more aware of the instability, isolation, and strain that dream is putting on the family. When the grandmother arrives from Korea, the household becomes messier and more chaotic, but also more grounded in a sense of home.
It’s a familiar immigrant story, but Minari makes it feel deeply personal rather than generic. Nothing is overly dramatized; the family’s frustrations, small joys, arguments, and compromises all feel lived-in and recognizable. The movie is funny, sad, tense, warm, and sometimes all of those things at once.
What stayed with me most was how natural everyone felt. The performances never seem like they’re trying to force an emotional reaction, which somehow makes the emotional moments hit even harder. It’s a quiet movie about ambition, family, and belonging that simply feels very, very human.