Biography
Who is Steven Yeun?
Early life and education
Steven Yeun was born Sang-yeop Yeun in Seoul, South Korea, on December 21, 1983. His parents, Je and June Yeun, moved the family to Canada in 1988, eventually settling in Regina, Saskatchewan. During his childhood, he attended Ruth M. Buck Elementary School before the family moved to the United States. They lived in Taylor, Michigan, and later in Troy, Michigan, where he completed his high school education at Troy High School in 2001.
Raised in a Christian household, he attended Kalamazoo College in Michigan. He earned a bachelor degree in psychology with a focus on neuroscience in 2005. While at college, he became interested in improv after watching a show by comedian Jordan Klepper. This experience led him to move to Chicago to pursue acting, a decision he made despite his parents' initial preference for him to attend medical or law school.
Starting an acting career
After moving to Chicago in 2005, he lived with his brother while launching his acting career. He joined Stir Friday Night, a local sketch comedy troupe consisting of Asian American performers. Following this, he became a member of The Second City, a famous improv comedy enterprise. In October 2009, he relocated to Los Angeles to further his professional opportunities in film and television.
His breakthrough arrived in 2010 when he was cast as Glenn Rhee in the AMC horror drama The Walking Dead. The show followed a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies and became a significant success in cable television history. He remained a central cast member until 2016, with his character evolving from a plucky group member into an action-oriented figure.
Film and television acclaim
Following his departure from The Walking Dead, he pursued diverse film roles. He appeared in the 2017 Netflix film Okja and the 2018 dark comedy Sorry to Bother You. In 2018, he played the character Ben in the South Korean mystery drama Burning, which brought him several critic association awards for his performance. He also appeared in the 2021 film The Humans and the 2022 Jordan Peele sci-fi horror movie Nope.
In 2020, he starred in and produced the immigrant drama Minari. This role earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, making him the first East Asian-American to receive this specific recognition. In 2023, he starred opposite Ali Wong in the Netflix series Beef. For his work on this project, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
Voice acting and personal life
Beyond live-action performance, he has provided voices for numerous animated series. His credits include Keith in Voltron: famous Defender, Little Cato in Final Space, and the title character Mark Grayson in the superhero series Invincible. He also voiced roles in projects such as Trollhunters, 3Below, Tuca and Bertie, and The Legend of Korra.
Steven Yeun married photographer Joana Pak on December 3, 2016. The couple resides in Los Angeles and they have two children together. Outside of his professional life, he is a known fan of the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Red Wings. In 2020, he publicly endorsed Andrew Yang for president during the United States election.
Birthday and age
Steven Yeun was born on December 21, 1983, which makes Steven 42 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Steven shares the date with 25 other famous people.
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