"The Power of 'Gisaengchung' Lies in Its Contemporaneity... Honestly Portraying Our Era"

Academy 4-Times Winner Director Bong Joon-ho Returns Home for Press Conference
"Bitter and Painful Aspects Revealing Wealth Gap, Facing Them Head-On from Start to Finish"
"Industry Must Embrace More Challenging Films... Good Clashes Will Happen Soon"

Director Bong Joon-ho of the film "Parasite," which won four awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, is speaking at the official press conference held on the 19th at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jonggil Lee] "'Parasite' is based on realities that can happen around us. Perhaps that is what led to its explosive impact."

Director Bong Joon-ho said this on the 19th at a press conference held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, upon returning from the success of 'Parasite.' He cited contemporaneity as the secret to its global popularity. He explained, "There are ridiculous and comedic aspects, but there is also a bitter and painful side that starkly reveals the wealth gap in modern society. I did not want to avoid that part even by 1 cm. From start to finish, I faced it head-on." He added, "Perhaps audiences might dislike or feel uncomfortable, but I did not want to make the film with sweet embellishments. I tried to portray the era we live in as honestly as possible."

This steadfast challenge produced astonishing results. Starting with the Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival, 'Parasite' has won 174 trophies at overseas film festivals and award ceremonies. At the American Academy Awards, it became the third foreign-language film to win four awards. It even took home the top prize, Best Picture, overcoming both the barrier of subtitles and conservative traditions. The film also succeeded in attracting audiences, drawing 10,085,275 viewers domestically. It topped the Japanese box office and grossed over $220 million (approximately 261.8 billion KRW) worldwide in ticket sales.

At the 92nd Academy Awards, director Bong Joon-ho and the cast of the film "Parasite," which won four awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film, are smiling brightly at the official press conference held on the 19th at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Director Bong traveled around the world for the past six months promoting 'Parasite.' Especially from November last year, he stayed in the United States to participate in the so-called 'Oscar campaign.' He actively engaged in interviews with local media and met audiences to promote the film. He recalled, "Neon, the North American distributor, is a small company established not long ago. Our situation felt like a 'guerrilla war.'" He said, "With a smaller budget than major studios or companies like Netflix, we ran on passion. Both I and actor Song Kang-ho bled a lot. We did over 600 interviews and held more than 100 audience talks."

Though the grueling schedule left him exhausted, there were personal gains as well. Director Bong said, "Not only me but also busy creators like Noah Baumbach, Todd Phillips, and Quentin Tarantino, I sometimes found it strange and unfamiliar why they would step away from their frontline work to spend time campaigning, and why studios spend so much budget." However, he added, "I came to think of it as a process of thoroughly verifying works and checking how films were made."

'Parasite' points to imbalances in our society. The reality of domestic film production is no different. Under the capital logic centered on large corporations, only a few directors are guaranteed creative rights. As distinctive works decrease, the screens are filled with films that are 'more of the same.' Films with a clear personal style can only be found in independent cinema.

At the 92nd Academy Awards, director Bong Joon-ho, actors, and production staff of the film "Parasite," which won four awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film, are posing at the official press conference held on the 19th at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Director Bong knows the harsh reality better than anyone. He himself experienced a crisis where he could not pick up the megaphone again after the box office failure of 'Piet?.' He diagnosed, "Korean cinema has made remarkable progress over the past 20 years, but at the same time, it has become more difficult for young directors to take adventurous attempts." He continued, "In the early 2000s, when 'Piet?' and 'Memories of Murder' came out, there was a positive clash between independent films and the mainstream industry. However, recently, talented young directors are not absorbed into the mainstream industry but rather independent films and the mainstream industry run parallel."

Director Bong emphasized, "To regain vitality, we must not fear taking risks." He said, "The industry needs to embrace more challenging films," adding, "Now is the right time to attempt such changes." He also forecasted, "Looking back at recent independent films, many talents are blossoming here and there. I believe a good clash with the industry will happen soon."

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