Bong Joon Ho

Bong Joon Ho was born in Daegu, South Korea on September 14, 1969. He is a renowned Korean screenwriter and director, famous for his notable films such as The Host, Snowpiercer, Okja, and the award-winning Parasite.

The movie 'Memories of Murder' begins in 1986, following two local police officers investigating a rural area where bodies keep turning up, based on the true story of South Korea’s first serial murders.

The June Democratic Struggle was a period of mass protests in South Korea in response to the then-president's military regime and the torture and death of student activists. It led to the establishment of the current government of South Korea.

In 1988, Bong Joon Ho enrolled at Yonsei University and sold donuts at the school cafeteria for six months to save up enough money to buy a Hitachi camera, showcasing his dedication to pursuing his passion for cinema.

Bong Joon Ho made his first short film 'White Man' in 1993. The film is about a middle-class yuppie who finds a worker's severed finger and pockets it.

As the South Korean government pulled back on censorship and control over the country’s film industry, artists who had come of age with the push for democracy began rising to prominence, eschewing restrictions on subject matter and tackling subjects that had previously been considered risky or otherwise off-limits. Bong Joon Ho's short film 'Incoherence' (1994) played a significant role in placing him squarely in the Korean New Wave.

In 1995, Bong Joon Ho enrolled in a two-year program at the Korean Academy of Film Arts, marking the beginning of his career in filmmaking. During this time, he created several 16mm short films, including Memories Within a Frame and Incoherence.

In September 1995, Bong Joon Ho's graduation films, Memories Within a Frame and Incoherence, were screened at the Vancouver and Hong Kong International Film Festivals, providing a glimpse of his future success as a filmmaker.

Bong and two of his classmates were snapped up as assistant directors by Park Kiyong for his feature Motel Cactus, on which Bong also gets co-writer credit.

Bong co-wrote Min Byungchun’s Phantom, the Submarine and then directed his first two features.

Bong Joon-ho's first feature film, Barking Dogs Never Bite, revolves around a university lecturer who abducts a neighbor's dog. The film received positive critical reviews and slowly gained international recognition, reaching its financial break-even point due to sales to overseas territories.

Memories of Murder, Bong Joon-ho's second film, is based on a real-life serial killer case from the 1980s. The film was a critical and popular success, selling over five million tickets and rescuing the production company from near-bankruptcy.

Bong's film Memories of Murder, released in 2003, portrays the unresolved serial killings in the 1980s, reflecting the real-life unsolved crimes at that time. The film's narrative revolves around the essential unresolved nature of the threat.

Influenza is a 30-minute short film commissioned by the Jeonju International Film Festival. It is acted out entirely in front of real CCTV cameras stationed throughout Seoul, and it charts a desperate man's turn to violent crime over the space of five years.

In 2006, a whale-sized monster emerges from the Han River in Seoul, causing terror in the area. The monster is created due to the dumping of toxic chemical waste and takes a young girl victim, leading her family to take action to rescue her.

Shaking Tokyo is a segment of the film Tokyo! directed by Bong Joon-Ho. It portrays the life of a hikikomori in Japan who experiences an encounter with a pizza delivery employee.

The movie 'Mother' (Madeo) presents an unsettling and partially ominous portrayal of an investigation following a grim murder. It is characterized by darkly-pressed humor and dramatic acting.

Following its wider release, Bong Joon Ho's film, Mother, made it to the Best of Lists for 2010, garnering further acclaim for its compelling storyline and direction.

Bong contributed to 3.11 A Sense of Home, an anthology film made by 21 filmmakers in response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami which hit the Tohoku region of Japan on March 11, 2011. Bong's short film Iki is part of this anthology, where a teenage girl finds a seemingly dead toddler on a beach.

Snowpiercer is a 2013 film directed by Bong Joon-Ho. It is considered an optimal starting point to explore Bong Joon-Ho's filmography.

In 2017, Bong Joon-ho co-wrote, directed, and produced the action-adventure film Okja, which earned a nomination for the Palme d'Or at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.

The foreign language film Parasite made history by winning the Best Picture award at the Academy Awards, marking a significant achievement for director Bong Joon-Ho and the film industry.

At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Parasite won the prestigious Palme d'Or, making it the first Korean film to receive this award. The unanimous vote for the film's win was a significant achievement for Bong Joon Ho and the South Korean film industry.

The film Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho, premiered in South Korea on May 30, 2019, and received unanimous critical acclaim. It went on to become Bong's highest-grossing release, earning $266 million at the worldwide box office.

On June 16, 2019, Parasite won the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize at the Sydney Film Festival, further solidifying its international acclaim. The film's success at this festival highlighted its impact on a global scale.

Parasite was officially selected as South Korea’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards. It made history by being the first foreign language film to win Best Picture as well, with Bong Joon Ho winning in the Best Director category.

Parasite was released in the United States by Neon on October 11, 2019, and continued to receive widespread critical acclaim. It became a significant success for Bong Joon Ho in the American market.

Bong Joon Ho delivered a memorable acceptance speech at the 2020 Golden Globes, emphasizing the significance of overcoming language barriers to explore a diverse range of exceptional films.

Bong Joon-Ho was born in the city of Daegu in 1969, the youngest of four children. His upbringing in an artistic family and early exposure to films influenced his future work as a filmmaker.

U.S. president Donald Trump criticized Parasite's win for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, sparking widespread condemnation due to his comments being perceived as xenophobic and racist. This incident sparked discussions about the recognition of international films in the U.S.

Bong Joon-Ho directed the film Parasite, which won the Best Picture award during the past award season. The film received a lot of support and social media coverage, making Bong Joon-Ho a widely recognized name in Hollywood.

In September 2021, Bong Joon Ho served as the jury president of the 78th Venice International Film Festival, showcasing his influential role in the global film industry beyond his directorial achievements.

Production for Mickey 17, an adaptation of Edward Ashton's novel, commenced on August 1, 2022. This film marks Bong Joon Ho's collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures and features a star-studded cast, further generating anticipation in the film industry.

Bong Joon-Ho discovered his passion for cinema early on, watching movies on TV. This event played a significant role in shaping his career as a filmmaker.

On February 13, 2024, Bong Joon-ho, the director of 'Parasite', announced his involvement in the production of the most expensive Korean film to date.

Bong Joon Ho's film 'Mickey 17,' starring Robert Pattinson, had its release date moved to January 2025.