Meet Alan Kim: Minari Breakout Star and Cowboy Aficionado

Minari (pronounced "mee-nah-dee") is one of the best movies you will see this year, largely because of Alan Kim. At the ripe age of 7, Sundance's biggest breakout star captivated viewers with his masterful performance and insanely cute outfits — he walked the red carpet in Park City, UT, dressed as a cowboy, giving a nod to the film, which follows a Korean-American immigrant family that uproots to a farm in rural Arkansas at the behest of the patriarch Jacob (Steven Yeun) in pursuit of the American Dream. (For the uninitiated, minari is an edible Korean plant.)

Recently, A24, the popular indie studio that distributed Minari, announced that Kim is set to appear alongside Elsie Fisher in the upcoming dark comedy Latchkey Kids. Or perhaps you've seen him model in Pottery Barn Kids ads. Born in Chicago and raised in Irvine, CA, by Korean parents, Kim is poised to become the next great child star in an industry that could seriously use more Asian-American representation. Ahead of Minari's theatrical release this weekend, we caught up with Kim via Zoom to discuss the film, Instagram, and his adorable western-inspired outfits.

POPSUGAR: Hi Alan! How old are you now?

Alan Kim: Hi! I'm 8 years old and in the third grade. At Sundance, I was 7 years old, like in the movie.

PS: What are your favorite subjects in school?

AK: Probably math or technology.

PS: What do you like to do for fun when you're not in class or acting?

AK: I usually build with my Legos or read a book. I like Harry Potter and The Creeper Diaries.