He has won 7 Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards throughout his career,[1] including in 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000 , 2006 and 2023, the highest number of academy award winners in Myanmar History other than Nyunt Win.
Yan Aung was born Hla Htun (လှထွန်း) in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar) to parents Tin Maung and Thein Thein.
Following the coup d'etat on February 1, 2021, he participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and chanted slogans for the immediate release of the detained leaders, Aung San Suu Kyi and the leaders from the National League for Democracy.
However, on April 10th 2021, Yan Aung was on a warrant list by the State Administration Council and the junta pressed three charges against him for participating Civil Disobedience Movement which he would face the death penalty if he was arrested along with other celebrities.
Within minutes, this information is spreading on Facebook without confirmation which causes him to quit political activities and cooperate with the current military junta that causes criticism and boycott from the people of Myanmar.