[2020 Academy] Director Bong Joon-ho's Triumph... 'Gisaengchung' Wins Triple Crown

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jong-gil] The film Parasite won three trophies at the Academy Awards, marking the first time a Korean film has advanced this far. On the 9th (local time), director Bong Joon-ho received the Best Director award at the 92nd Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, USA, beating Martin Scorsese for The Irishman, Todd Phillips for Joker, Sam Mendes for 1917, and Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. He is the second Asian director to receive this award, following Ang Lee, who won for Brokeback Mountain (2006) and Life of Pi (2013).

Upon receiving the trophy, Director Bong expressed his gratitude, saying, "When I studied film as a child, the phrase 'the most personal is the most creative' deeply resonated with me. It was said by Martin Scorsese, who was also nominated alongside me." His words drew a standing ovation from the audience. He also mentioned each of the other nominated directors, expressing thanks and apologies. He then joked, "If the Academy allows, I would like to cut this award with a Texas chainsaw and share it among five people," which once again filled the audience with laughter.

Parasite also won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, beating The Painted Bird (Poland), Pain and Glory (Spain), Les Mis?rables (France), and Honeyland (North Macedonia). It was selected as the best feature film made outside the United States.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Including special and honorary awards given between 1947 and 1955, this is the eighth win for an Asian film. Previous winners include Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1951, Japan), Daisuke It?’s Gate of Hell (1954, Japan), Hiroshi Inagaki’s Miyamoto Musashi (1955, Japan), Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001, Taiwan), Yojiro Takita’s Departures (2009, Japan), and Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation (2012) and The Salesman (2017) (both Iran).

Director Bong and writer Han Jin-won also won the Best Original Screenplay award, beating Ryan Johnson for Knives Out, Noah Baumbach for Marriage Story, Sam Mendes for 1917, and Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. This marks the first time an East Asian has won this award. It is also the first time in 17 years since Pedro Almod?var’s Talk to Her (2002) that a foreign-language film has won in this category.