Book Bong Joon-ho

Bong Joon Ho is a South Korean filmmaker whose movies blend genres, dark comedy and sharp social commentary on class, often swerving in tone without warning. He first drew a devoted following with his feature debut, the dark comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), then won wide critical praise for the crime thriller Memories of Murder (2003) and the monster film The Host (2006). Snowpiercer (2013) marked his first English-language feature, followed by Okja (2017) and Mickey 17 (2025), all made as Hollywood co-productions. His dark comedy thriller Parasite (2019) won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, a first for a South Korean picture, and went on to become the highest-grossing South Korean film ever. At the 2020 Oscars he collected the top prizes for picture, directing and original screenplay, and Parasite became the first film not in English to take Best Picture. His other honors include two BAFTA Film Awards, five Asian Film Awards, the Ho-Am Prize in the Arts, Grand Bell Awards, and Time named him to its 100 most influential people in 2020. As a speaker he shares insight on storytelling and bringing Korean cinema to the world.