Aired 1 year ago 25:18

For Paycheck or For Passion? Steven Yeun on 'Burning', 'Sorry to Bother You' and Building a Career

It's hard to coin Steven Yeun's year as "breakthrough" since the South Korean actor has been a figure in the public's eye since his first appearance as Glenn from AMC's The Walking Dead in 2010. But with starring roles in both Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You and Chang Dong Lee's Burning in 2018, he has all but cemented himself as a leading man on the independent film scene. It's been a long road to get to this point. In the years between the role that made him famous and now, Yeun found himself on set feeling more like a placeholder than an actual human being. In the end, he found that growth stems from self-motivation. For him, this meant taking on meatier projects and ignoring those that were nothing more than a nice paycheck.

Aired 7 months ago 74:19

Episode 13 - Burning

Episode 13 - Burning

Aired 7 months ago 54:48

78: Tuca and Bertie

On this FFR, we’re talkin’ ‘bout the wonderful new animated series Tuca and Bertie! Created by Bojack Horseman producer and production designer Lisa Hanawalt, Tuca and Bertie stars Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong as best friends whose friendship must evolve when Bertie moves in with her boyfriend Speckle. Oh, and also they’re all birds. Our conversation covers the way in which the show explores numerous experiences and issues with honesty, compassion, and humor, as well as its avoidance of certain harmful stereotypes, and the (sadly) rare and refreshing way in which it treats female sexuality.

Aired 1 year ago 28:52

Actor Steven Yeun On 'The Walking Dead,' Identity and 'Burning'

It's Tuesday. Elise Hu steps in the hosting chair for Sam and gets deep with Yeun on why he's sick of talking about Asian identity, his time as Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead, and his new South Korean thriller. Send thoughts about the episode to Elise at ehu@npr.org or tweet her @elisewho.

Aired 1 year ago 66:31

Steven Yeun & Sawbones

First up this week: Steven Yeun! Fans of The Walking Dead know and love Steven for his time on the show as the beloved Glenn Rhee. Lately, though, he's taken on some even more thrilling roles. Last year, he starred in the Netflix hit Okja. Earlier this year he played Squeeze, the union organizing rabble rouser in the hit Sorry To Bother You. And now Steven's starring in a beautiful, engrossing new film called Burning - it's South Korea's entry into the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar this year. Then, join Jesse as he embarks on a gross, strange and hilarious overview of weird medical history: Trepanation! Humors! Bad surgery! The guides on our tour? Justin and Dr. Sydnee McElroy, husband and wife hosts of the MaxFun podcast Sawbones. They just wrote a new book based on the podcast and have loads of great, gory info. Just in time for Halloween! Finally: Jesse tells you about the person who inspired him to take up radio.