The first thing that Youn Yuh-jung bought herself from Tiffany & Company’s New York flagship store during her maiden trip to America, in 1975, was a serving platter for cheese. It was what she could afford.
Over the next couple years, she added two pieces from the Elsa Peretti Open Heart collection for Tiffany, including a ring and a necklace that, following a robbery, she eventually replaced. (The plate was safe; she still has it, and brings it out when she has company.)
The 78-year-old South Korean actress, who won an Oscar in 2021 for her performance in “Minari,” and whose career has spanned six decades, currently stars as Chairwoman Park in the second season of “Beef.” Youn discussed both the original and the updated necklace, and why, in this chapter of her life, she wouldn’t replace it again.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed.
Talk to me about your necklace.
That’s from designer Elsa Peretti, it was long time ago.
Is that the original chain?
Not the original chain. Actually, my original one, the one I bought in 1975, it’s only one string instead of this thick string. The robber got into my house and he took my whole Tiffany collection. He took only Tiffany. This heart shape collection: This long one and short one and ring for index finger. Maybe the robber has the same taste with me. He took only Tiffany.
When did this happen?
While my mom was still alive, so maybe it was 15 years ago or so.
When did you replace the necklace — and do you now have any superstitions around it?
I don’t have any superstitious things about this necklace, but it just got lost.
What does this necklace mean to you?
I’m very pragmatic person. I like that style, and I tried to find out who’s the designer, and then I like her style. That’s why I bought it, and I kept it long time and lost it. So I felt like I need to replace this one. That was my taste when I was young. So I try to have some kind of memory with myself.
What would happen if you lost the necklace? Would you replace it again?
Not going to replace it anymore because I’m going to be dying soon. No time to replace this one. I’m almost 80 years old lady, so I should prepare, clean up all the things before I die. So I need to just make it simpler and simpler every day. That’s my goal now.
Do you think about who you want to pass this necklace down to someday?
If I had a daughter, I will probably give it to her, but I only have two sons. They cannot wear this kind of things.
What if they would like it?
But cutting in half, it costs more than buying this one.
The post The Necklace Youn Yuh-jung Loved, Lost and Replaced appeared first on New York Times.
