[2020 Academy] 'Parasite' Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won Win Asia's First Screenplay Award (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jong-gil] Director Bong Joon-ho and writer Han Jin-won became the first East Asians to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. On the 9th (local time), the two filmmakers received the honor at the 92nd Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, beating directors such as Ryan Johnson of "Knives Out," Noah Baumbach of "Marriage Story," Sam Mendes of "1917," and Quentin Tarantino of "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood."

This marks the first Oscar win for Koreans. It is also the first time an East Asian has taken home the Academy Award for Best Screenplay. It is the first foreign-language film to win in 17 years since Pedro Almod?var's "Talk to Her" (2002).

Director Bong, who took the stage, said, "Writing a screenplay is a solitary task." He continued, "I am not writing a screenplay representing a country, but this is Korea's first Oscar. Thank you," as he raised the trophy. He expressed gratitude, saying, "I thank my wife who inspired me. I also thank the actors who brought my lines to the screen."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Writer Han said, "Just as there is Hollywood here (in the U.S.), there is a place called 'Chungmuro' in Korea," and added, "I want to dedicate this honor to all the filmmakers and staff in Chungmuro, which is my heart."

The two filmmakers highlighted the universal issue of wealth disparity through "Parasite." They conveyed fresh entertainment by exploring the deepening alienation between classes and blind worship of growth through variations of various genres and detailed composition. Director Bong previously explained the plot, saying, "Depending on how much respect one shows for humanity, it can be divided into parasitism or a positive form of symbiosis, as the film's title suggests."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.