Actor Steven Yeun, who grew up in Troy, Michigan, won a Golden Globe on Sunday for his role in “Beef,” a Netflix series he starred in alongside Ali Wong, who also was awarded at the 81st Golden Globes.
“Shout out to my daughter Ruthie," he said in his
acceptance speech, after quipping that his story sounds a bit like the plot of
Frozen. "Family movie night!"
Yeun, 40, was born in Seoul before moving with his family to Canada in 1988 and later to the U.S. to settle first in Taylor and then in Troy, Michigan. Yeun grew up in Troy with his parents, Je and June Yeun, who owned beauty-supply stores in Detroit, and younger brother, Brian, and graduated from Troy High School in 2001.
Yeun earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Kalamazoo College in 2005, with a focus on neuroscience, and later pursued acting in Chicago. His breakout role was on the TV show
The Walking Dead, and he has appeared in films
Mayhem, Okja, Sorry to Bother You, Burning, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2021 for his role in
Minari.
Yuen was included in the
Time's 2021 list of the 100 most influential people in the world and lives in Los Angeles with his wife, photographer Joana Pak, who he also thanked in his acceptance speech.
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