[Here is LA] "Proud Korean Film" 'Parasite' Red Carpet Hot Star... 'Memories of Absence' Too (Comprehensive)

On-Site Coverage of the 92nd Academy Awards Ceremony

[Los Angeles=Lee Isul, Entertainment Reporter]

Korean filmmakers stepped onto the local heart of the Oscars red carpet, making history.

The main cast of Parasite walked the red carpet on the afternoon of the 9th at 2:20 PM (7:30 AM KST on the 10th) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, ahead of the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony.

Parasite was nominated for six awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, marking the first time in Korean film history to receive such recognition. Notably, the Academy exceptionally invited the entire main cast to the ceremony, raising expectations for their wins.

On this day, director Bong Joon-ho and actors Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Lee Jung-eun, Jang Hye-jin, Park Myung-hoon, Choi Woo-shik, and Park So-dam, along with producer Kwak Sin-ae of Barunson E&A, editor Yang Jin-mo nominated for Best Editing, production designer Lee Ha-jun nominated for Best Production Design, and writer Han Jin-won nominated for Best Original Screenplay, all graced the red carpet.

In particular, director Bong later returned to the red carpet with Kwak Sin-ae, Yang Jin-mo, Lee Ha-jun, and Han Jin-won to reflect on the significance of the moment.

The Parasite team filled the red carpet with intense attention. As the main cast posed, flashes went off simultaneously, and they had to hold poses for an extended period on the red carpet.

Afterwards, director Bong Joon-ho was requested for a solo photo session and received enthusiastic attention from the global press. At the press zone, he was actively captured responding to calls of “Director Bong!” The level of interest was overwhelmingly higher compared to other film teams.

Earlier that day, director Lee Seung-jun of the short documentary Absent Memory, which focuses on the Sewol ferry disaster, walked the red carpet with the families of the victims.

Present at the scene were director Lee, producer Kang Byung-seok, and Sewol ferry victims’ families including Oh Hyun-joo, mother of Danwon High School student Jang Jun-hyung, and Kim Mina, mother of Kim Geon-woo. Notably, director Lee and the families wore name tags of some students who perished in the tragedy, adding deeper meaning as they stood before the cameras.

Absent Memory is a 29-minute short documentary that records the events of April 16, focusing on the situation and phone call records during the Sewol ferry disaster, while criticizing the absence of the state’s role. The families joined the journey at their own expense to raise global awareness of the documentary about the Sewol ferry tragedy.

It is currently raining in Los Angeles where the Oscars ceremony is taking place. A transparent canopy was installed over the red carpet road to prepare for possible heavy rain.

The Academy has currently cordoned off a block around the Dolby Theatre. Police are deployed nearby to control traffic and restrict public access, ensuring thorough security measures.

The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony will begin at 5 PM (10 AM KST).