Minari almost had a completely different, more depressing ending

Although the cast of "Minari" is small, arguably its most pivotal role is Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung), the Yi family matriarch and Monica's mother (Ha Ye-ri). Despite her cold exterior, she introduces the theme of continued resilience in the face of hardship to young David (Alan Kim), and the stroke she suffers is a watershed moment.

So how does she factor in the original "Minari" ending? Like the official ending, she survives the barn fire and continues to live with her family for some time. However, in a seven-year time jump, it is revealed that she dies in a nursing home after David and his sister Anne (Noel Cho) visit her. The film's final shot would be somewhat similar to the one we saw, ending with a shot of minari growing in a nearby stream.