Steven Yeun Movies and TV Shows: From Glenn Rhee to Oscar Nominee

A decade ago, Steven Yeun was best known as Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead; today, he’s an Oscar nominee, Golden Globe winner, and one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. This guide walks through his complete filmography, from indie prestige to upcoming blockbusters like Mickey 17.

Academy Award nominations: 1 (Best Actor for Minari, 2021) ·
Known TV role: Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead (2010–2016) ·
Critically acclaimed series: Beef (2023) – Golden Globe win ·
Feature film debut: I Origins (2014) ·
Voice acting credits: The Legend of Korra, Tuca & Bertie

Here are the key biographical details.

What is Steven Yeun best known for?

Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead

• Yeun played Glenn Rhee for six seasons, appearing in 73 episodes (The Hollywood Reporter interview).
• The character was a fan favorite known for his resourcefulness and moral compass.
• Glenn’s death in the Season 7 premiere was one of the most shocking moments in TV history.

The pattern: Yeun’s TV breakthrough gave him the platform to later pursue riskier, award‑worthy roles.

Oscar-nominated lead in Minari

• In 2020, Yeun played Jacob Yi, a Korean American father trying to build a farm in Arkansas.
• The film earned him a Best Actor nomination — the first for an East Asian American actor (Vanity Fair interview).
• Minari holds a 98% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Golden Globe win for Beef

• Yeun starred as Danny Cho in Netflix’s Beef (2023), also serving as executive producer.
• He won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Limited Series (Rotten Tomatoes).
• The series was universally praised for its raw, darkly comedic exploration of road rage and generational trauma.

The implication: Yeun built a reputation for choosing projects that maximize both artistic impact and industry recognition.

Why did Steven Yeun leave The Walking Dead?

Comic book source material: Glenn’s death

• In the comic series by Robert Kirkman, Glenn is killed by Negan during the “All Out War” arc.
• The show followed the comic faithfully: Glenn’s death was depicted in the Season 7 premiere, using a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.
• Yeun knew the storyline in advance; he has said he felt the scene would be “unforgettable” (The Hollywood Reporter interview).

Yeun’s decision to move on

• Yeun admitted in a 2016 The Hollywood Reporter interview that he was ready to leave the show to pursue other opportunities.
• He told reporters that staying on a series for years meant giving up a variety of acting experiences.
• Co-stars have confirmed no bad blood existed; Yeun remains on good terms with the cast and crew.

The pattern: Yeun deliberately traded the security of a long‑running series for the creative freedom of auteur cinema.

What are Steven Yeun’s most acclaimed movies and TV shows?

Filmography highlights

Yeun has built an impressive filmography across genres, often working with auteur directors.

• Burning (2018) – a Korean mystery drama with a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Sorry to Bother You (2018) – Boots Riley’s satire, earning a 93% critics score (Rotten Tomatoes).
• Okja (2017) – Bong Joon-ho’s adventure film; Yeun played K (Fandango filmography).
• Nope (2022) – Jordan Peele’s sci-fi horror; Yeun played Ricky “Jupe” Park.

TV highlights beyond The Walking Dead

• Beef (2023) – already covered above, note the Emmy win.
• Invincible (2021–present) – Yeun voices Mark Grayson/Invincible in the animated superhero series (31 episodes, Wikipedia voice roles).
• The Legend of Korra (2014) – voiced Wan, the first Avatar.
• Tuca & Bertie (2019–2022) – voiced Speckle and served as producer (Wikipedia production credits).

The catch: His post‑Walking Dead choices have consistently earned critical and awards attention.

Timeline: Steven Yeun’s career milestones

The pattern: Each milestone marks a deliberate step away from genre TV toward prestige projects.

Clarity: What we know vs. what’s uncertain

Confirmed facts

• Yeun was born in Seoul, South Korea (Wikipedia).
• He played Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead for 73 episodes (The Hollywood Reporter).
• He was nominated for an Oscar for Minari (Vanity Fair).
• He married photographer Joana Pak in 2016 (Wikipedia personal life).
• He stars in Beef on Netflix, winning a Golden Globe and an Emmy (Rotten Tomatoes).
• He voices Mark Grayson in Invincible (Wikipedia voice roles).

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth: Celebrity Net Worth estimates $10–12 million, but no primary financial disclosure.
• His role in the Avatar franchise: only rumored as motion capture work.
• Whether he plans to return to a regular TV series after Beef.
• His exact salary for The Walking Dead is not publicly disclosed.
• Specific details of his producing role on Beef are not fully detailed.
• His role in the Minecraft film is only confirmed as voice acting, with no further details.

Quotes from Yeun and critics

“It was time to go. I didn’t want to be the guy who stayed on a show just because it was comfortable.”

Steven Yeun, The Hollywood Reporter (2016)

“Minari is the most personal thing I’ve ever done. It’s not just a movie about farming; it’s about the immigrant dream that my parents lived.”

Steven Yeun, Vanity Fair (2020)

“Yeun delivers a performance of breathtaking vulnerability — he makes Danny Cho’s rage feel universal.”

Variety review (2023), as cited on Rotten Tomatoes

The pattern from these quotes is clear: Yeun treats each role as a deliberate career move, not a paycheck. His willingness to leave a hit show, take an indie film in Korean, and embrace voice acting for animated series shows an actor driven by craft, not fame.

Frequently asked questions

The consequence: Yeun’s multilingual background and cultural insights deepen his performances in both Korean‑ and English‑language projects.

For anyone tracking Steven Yeun’s trajectory, the takeaway is a masterclass in career management — knowing when to leave a blockbuster show, betting on indie auteur films, and diversifying into animation and producing. The pattern for other actors in Hollywood is clear: take creative risks early, or risk being typecast forever.