South Korean Film ‘Parasite’ Makes History by Earning Six Nominations for the 2020 Oscars
Showing no sign of slowing down what’s been nothing short of an amazing year of accomplishments, director Bong Joon-ho can now add Oscar nominee to his ever-growing list.
On January 13, Bong’s highly-acclaimed 2019 film Parasite earned six Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing (Yang Jin-mo), Best Production Design (Lee Ha-joon), Best International Feature Film, Best Original Screenplay (Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won), Best Director (Bong Joon-ho), and Best Motion Picture (Bong Joon-ho and Kwak Sin-ae) — making history as the first movie out of South Korea to snag a spot for Best Picture and Best International Film. After multiple Golden Globes nominations and a subsequent Best Foreign Language Motion Picture win, many assumed correctly that the Oscars would come knocking at the door.
Parasite has been buzzing in conversations between cinema fans since its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the coveted Palme d’Or. From becoming the first Korean film to win the highest award possible at Cannes, the film and team behind it has racked up a bevy of accolades, both locally and internationally. As the film boasts a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems both fans and critics can agree that this dark comedy-thriller is a must-watch.
Starring Song Kang-ho (A Taxi Driver), Lee Sun-kyun (My Mister), Cho Yeo-jeong (Woman of 9.9 Billion), Choi Woo-shik (Okja) and Park So-dam (Cinderella with Four Knights), Parasite is a twisted trip that explores the question of whether or not money — or the lack thereof — makes a monster. The performances on-screen are expertly played by the cast, carrying viewers through an emotional journey from "harmless" hustle to inevitable horror as the Park and Kim families endure the ultimate repercussions of their life choices.
Bong Joon-ho has directed eleven feature films, including Netflix’s Okja, Snowpiercer, The Host, and Memories of a Murder. Parasite is the award-winning director’s highest-grossing film to date.
Stay tuned to find out how many more wins Parasite will bring home! The 92nd Annual Academy Awards airs February 9 on ABC.
Cover Image: Parasite
Written by Britt Franklin
