Actor Youn Yuh-jung on April 26 made history as the first Korean to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, earning praise from global media. (Screen capture from Guardian website)

Actor Youn Yuh-jung has earned the global spotlight from foreign media after becoming the first Korean to win Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards.

The New York Times on April 26 said in the article headlined "Long Before Her 'Minari' Oscar, Yuh-Jung Youn Won South Korea's Heart," "She has done what no other Korean actor or actress has done: while 'Parasite' won best picture and best director, none of its actors were nominated for Oscars."

The article added that minari (water celery) is a plant commonly found in Korea that can grow almost anywhere with just a little water. 

"If there is anyone like minari in the South Korean movie industry, it's Ms. Youn," The Times said. "In her 55 years as an actress, she often took on any work that she could get, including Korean soap operas, indie movies and reality shows."

On the same day, Reuters posted the article titled "Youn Yuh-jung's Oscars win 'rewrites' South Korean film history."

"Youn's Oscar win for her role in 'Minari' was a historic first for any Korean performer, a year after the South Korean-produced 'Parasite' was lauded for breaking the language barrier when it became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture," it said.

"Since her acting debut in 1966, Youn has been a sensation on Korean screens for playing witty, thought-provoking characters."

In the story titled "Youn Yuh-jung wins best supporting actress Oscar for Minari," the British daily Guardian said, "She thanked the Academy fulsomely and praising the Minari 'family,' particularly the film's director Lee Isaac Chung."

In her acceptance speech, the actor thanked her two sons, whom she said "make me go out and work."

In its live commentary during her speech, The Guardian said, "What a champion."

Shortly after the ceremony ended, President Moon Jae-in said in a congratulatory message that he paid his respects to Youn's life of acting, adding that her "endless passion" provides sympathy to even those living within different cultures.

He said the first Best Supporting Actress honor won by a Korean at the Academy Awards has made history in 102 years of Korean cinema through "acting," and thus holds "highly special meaning."

President Moon said "Minari" reflects how a family's immigration history shows the universal cultivation of life by humanity and the close interconnection of everyone despite living in different places, adding that by "vividly reviving the images of Korean grandmothers and mothers," Youn's performance "shined so brightly."

President Moon Jae-in on April 26 sent this congratulatory message shortly after actor Youn Yuh-jung won Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards. (Screen capture from President Moon's Facebook page)