‘Minari’ star Steven Yeun on a role rarely seen in American movies

Steven Yeun plays Jacob, a Korean immigrant to the U.S., in the film “Minari.� Yeun says the role was a terrifying burden as a performer — and an opportunity to understand his family’s own journey from South Korea to the American Midwest. “A portrayal of this type of person really hadn’t been seen in American cinema,� Yeun said. “I think what you gain,� he added, “was truly the understanding that I am my father and I see him very clearly now.�