Yeun

Yeun is a surname of Korean origin. It is a romanization of the Hangul 연 and is one of several spellings used by families when rendering Korean names in English. Because romanization can vary, the same Hangul name may appear as different spellings in international contexts.

The best known bearer of the surname is Steven Yeun (born 1983), a Korean-American actor. Born in Seoul and raised in the United States, he gained prominence for his role as Glenn in the television series The Walking Dead (2010–2016) and later starred in the film Minari (2020). For Minari, Yeun received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, highlighting his international recognition and impact in film and television.

In general, Yeun remains relatively uncommon outside Korean-speaking communities, reflecting broader patterns of Korean diaspora naming conventions. It is most frequently encountered among families with Korean heritage who have chosen the Yeun spelling for English-language contexts.

Related topics include other romanizations of Korean surnames and the broader category of Korean family names. Within popular culture, the name Yeun is closely associated with Steven Yeun, whose work has contributed to the visibility of Korean-language and Korean-American performers in global media.