Bong Joon Ho: the genre-bending genius who conquered the Academy
Before he made history with Parasite, Bong Joon Ho was already redefining genre filmmaking—starting with 2006’s The Host, a monster movie with just as much biting social commentary as his later Oscar-winning masterpiece. While The Host thrilled audiences worldwide, it took more than a decade for the Academy to catch up to him, eventually awarding Parasite four Oscars—Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film.
“[Parasite is] an unreal masterpiece. My brain was malfunctioning for half of the movie,” says Nina, a perfect encapsulation of both the film and the general state of anyone watching a Bong Joon Ho movie. Hottamales23 adds, “Everything that could be said about this film has already been said, I promise. Genius in real time.”
Bong himself has spoken about how genre filmmaking gives him the freedom to explore social issues in ways that more conventional dramas can’t. And if Parasite proved anything, it’s that a film can be thrilling, darkly comedic, deeply unsettling and still take home the biggest prize of the night. Bong’s career is clear demonstration that playing with monsters—real or metaphorical—can lead to the golden statue.
