In spite of everything wrong with this awards season, there is one shining light, and it is the beautiful cherub that is 8-year-old Minari star Alan Kim. Gracing Jimmy Kimmel Live last night with his adorable cheeks, Kim talked about Minari’s Golden Globes win and came out sporting his purple Tae Kwon Do belt. When Kimmel asked about his martial-arts side hustle, Kim said he used to be a blue belt, but he “took a test last Wednesday and [he] upgraded.†Guess he needed those skills before the Globes? Kim said he “guessed†he could beat Kimmel in a battle, which proved correct right at the end of the segment — Kim punched Jimmy in the stomach, but immediately asked, “Did that hurt?†Get him, Alan!
In the interview, Kim also talked about the money he gets from the tooth fairy (payments range from from $2 to $20) and where he puts that money (a toy chest that he got from a Minari producer. And no, he would not tell Kimmel the password). Minari star and executive producer Steven Yeun also appeared on late night last night and commended the film’s child actors. “They’re just so pure, and they keep you honest,†he said. “When we were filming, they were so honest that, you know, you can’t mess up or else they’ll call you out. They were kind of policing us all throughout the shoot.†Good to know Alan now has the physical prowess to back this up, so Steven better watch out. Watch the full Jimmy Kimmel segment below: