[Here is LA After] 'Parasite' Cannes to Oscar, Behind the War-like Coverage Stories

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] After completing the Oscar trip, I boarded a flight back to Korea. Having witnessed two historic moments for Korean cinema?first at the Cannes Film Festival and then at the Oscars?I didn’t feel a grand sense of mission, but as a reporter, I wanted to record these emotions before they faded. I jotted down my reflections before the feelings from the coverage faded. I must say in advance that this is a highly subjective reporting note.

Director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite began its journey at Cannes and concluded with a historic triumph at the Oscars. No one expected it. Not even when heading to Cannes, the southern French city, last May. I was no different. Although the film entered the competition at the 72nd Cannes International Film Festival, I started coverage thinking, “Surely it won’t win an award?” Bong has a deep connection with Cannes. Previously, his films The Host (2006, 59th), Tokyo! (2008, 61st), Mother (2009, 62nd), and Okja (2017, 70th) had all received Cannes’ love calls multiple times.

It was a commercial film released in collaboration with CJ Entertainment after a long time, featuring the persona Song Kang-ho, so I thought the work would be excellent without question. However, Korean films at Cannes had previously received near misses and disappointing results. When domestic reporters wrote local coverage, they were often criticized in comments for “getting their hopes up.” In 2018, we had to bitterly swallow our disappointment as Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda took home the Palme d’Or, watched by the delighted Japanese press.

The atmosphere in 2019 was different. Director Bong and Song Kang-ho were brimming with confidence. The local mood was also unusual. While covering on-site, I sensed that filmmakers from various countries had high expectations for Parasite. Before the official competition screening, Song Kang-ho told reporters, “It’s the most Bong Joon-ho-like film since Memories of Murder.” The screening day arrived, and we couldn’t help but be amazed. Bong’s signature black comedy and elegant genre variations thrilled filmmakers worldwide. I was surprised too. Time flew by, and we confirmed at Cannes that an extraordinary film had been born. The standing ovation lasted eight minutes without stopping. Reporters whispered, “Has this ever happened before?”

Reporters from around the world gathered in the press room to watch the closing ceremony next door. We held our breath waiting for the results. Winners were announced in order, but Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite was not called. It was strange. Then Quentin Tarantino of Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood appeared in the audience. “Of course, the Palme d’Or will go to Quentin,” no one disagreed. Then came the announcement: “Palme d’Or goes to Bong Joon-ho, Parasite.” Usually composed, reporters shouted and cheered loudly. It was reminiscent of the 2002 World Cup. Afterwards, Bong and Song entered the press room holding the trophy. Bong placed the trophy firmly in the middle of the table. Reporters were excited, and flashes went off from all directions. In this unprecedented situation, neither we nor the actors nor the director knew what to do. An impromptu press conference was held amid excitement. The joy of covering a historic moment overwhelmed me. I hurriedly revised my pre-written article to reflect the Palme d’Or win, but the excitement did not subside. The Palme d’Or.

Photo by CJ Entertainment

Director Bong Joon-ho and Song Kang-ho stayed abroad from last summer, attending various international film festivals. There was speculation they were campaigning for the Oscars. Especially Song Kang-ho stopped his prolific work and stayed by Bong’s side without taking on new projects. Right after Cannes, someone in the press room asked, “Shouldn’t we aim for the Oscars too?” but no one took that seriously at the time. Then news came that Bong Joon-ho and Parasite were racing toward the Oscars. The momentum grew in October when Parasite opened in North America, rapidly increasing the number of theaters and eventually ranking sixth among all-time highest-grossing foreign-language films in the region. It was a box office success. From then on, foreign media predicted Parasite as a dark horse for the Oscars, and Bong intensified his campaign efforts locally.

In January, we saw Parasite’s potential at the 77th Golden Globe Awards. It was the first time a Korean film was nominated and won Best Foreign Language Film?a historic achievement. Both the win and nomination were firsts. The Golden Globes are considered a precursor to the Oscars and hold significant influence. Therefore, local media watch the Golden Globe results every year to predict the Oscars’ direction.

Everyone’s expectations rose that Parasite might become the first Korean film to win at the Oscars, and it was nominated for the first time. Sensing the unusual box office success in North America, I checked foreign news daily. Sure enough, major U.S. media began reporting on Bong Joon-ho frequently. Initially, entertainment and film magazines covered it, but eventually CNN, ABC, NBC, and other major broadcasters gave it significant attention. The local atmosphere was extraordinary.

Unusually, the Oscars invited all the main cast of Parasite. Hearing this, it became even clearer: everyone would be on stage, which could only mean Best Picture. It was unbelievable, but I bought a ticket to the Oscars with hope. Although I have covered many overseas assignments as a reporter, covering the Oscars was the toughest ever. No Korean media had covered the Oscars before. Although Guest was nominated previously, this was the first for a color film. As expectations for Parasite grew, major Korean media began Oscar coverage. But we didn’t know what, how, or where to cover.

I started from scratch. I went to the Hollywood Dolby Theatre in LA with just a notebook and recorder. I searched for Korean residents and asked locals repeatedly. The process was not easy. Many Korean-Americans didn’t speak Korean, and similar reactions repeated. I needed fresher, deeper stories. I probably used up all the English I would ever need during interviews. It was rewarding.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Interviewing locals and Korean-Americans on-site, I could feel the vivid local reactions to Parasite. Compared to Cannes, where I mostly encountered foreign reporters’ reactions, the coverage environment was different. Cannes made it hard to access local reactions, whereas the Oscars attracted many locals interested in the ceremony. I felt the satisfaction of doing “real reporting” after a long time.

Foreign reporters interviewed Korean journalists quite a bit. I was also asked for interviews by CBS and Japanese broadcasters. Usually the one conducting interviews, I found myself sweating as the interviewee. I gathered all my English vocabulary with all my might. I felt a unique pride and responsibility. At the same time, I had to be careful not to get carried away with national pride. I reminded myself not to forget my duty as a reporter. Controlling emotions was not easy.

The day of the Oscars arrived. It is said that it rains three times a year in Los Angeles, California. When you think of LA, Santa Monica Beach and blazing sunshine come to mind, but on the day of the ceremony, it rained from morning. The red carpet was laid out in front of the Dolby Theatre, and a canopy was set up in case of heavy rain. On the way to the theatre, raindrops grew heavier, eventually turning into a downpour reminiscent of Korea’s monsoon season.

The 92nd Oscars began. I recalled the days when I watched the broadcast in Korea and wrote articles. Here I was, watching the Oscars in Hollywood. Suddenly, last year’s article about Green Book winning Best Picture flashed through my mind.

Throughout the trip, I anxiously continued coverage. I had pre-written an article focusing on Parasite winning Best International Feature Film. Parasite was first called for Best Original Screenplay. The International Feature Film award was a sure thing, so it was already a double win. I hurriedly revised the article. Then unexpectedly, Bong Joon-ho’s name was called for Best Director. Even Bong seemed unable to believe it at first. Film is the art of the director. The Best Director award is as prestigious as Best Picture. Moreover, he beat masters Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Todd Phillips, and Sam Mendes for 1917. It was unbelievable. The Best Director win was even more shocking than Best Picture. The other nominated directors tried to keep their composure but their displeasure was evident. It made me smile.

I came to Hollywood hoping for Best Picture, but it was a triple crown with Best Director too. I revised the article again, writing extensively about the significance of the triple crown. Then Parasite was called for Best Picture. I covered my face with both hands and cheered. As Bong said, the Oscars are local. To put it bluntly, Asian films are rarely recognized; it’s their own party. About 80% of the approximately 8,400 Academy members are white. The Best Director win was shocking, but Best Picture too?four awards in total. Parasite earned the title of a four-time Oscar winner.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

I hurriedly finalized the article and moved to a hotel in Beverly Hills to meet director Bong Joon-ho, actors Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Jang Hye-jin, Park Myung-hoon, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, and writer Han Jin-won. However, the Parasite team did not arrive at the press conference for a long time. It was said that the actors’ cars were stuck leaving the Dolby Theatre. The Parasite leads arrived after 11 p.m. Director Bong entered the press conference holding the heavy trophy aloft with one hand, just like at Cannes. Writer Han Jin-won’s voice was hoarse from cheering loudly and he only said “Thank you” before falling silent. The actors sat facing us with elated expressions. Song Kang-ho sat at the far corner, impressively giving the glory to his juniors. Though he had quietly endured six months away from home, at this glorious moment, he was the greatest, encouraging his juniors and sincerely congratulating director Bong.

Song Kang-ho probably knew. The Oscars were director Bong’s glory. Of course, it was a big stage and achievement for the actors, but over time, the actors would return to their places. Other actors showed obvious excitement and elation on their faces. This atmosphere was sensed from the LA airport. When asked about their participation, the actors’ responses were somewhat different than before. Especially Park Myung-hoon said nothing to the reporter’s questions. He already exuded the aura of a great actor. Seeing him, I inwardly felt, “He’s here to win a big award.” Park’s demeanor was a kind of spoiler.

Officials initially said the press conference would last only 20 minutes. I felt empty thinking we had traveled so far but had only 20 minutes. The Parasite team left the venue after about 26 minutes, saying they had many Oscar-related parties all night. The official said, “They are busy with Oscar parties all night,” but the Parasite team spent the night eating and drinking at a Korean restaurant in Koreatown from 2 a.m., celebrating all night.

The press conference was a meaningful moment but also left much to be desired. We had flown all the way from Korea to cover it, but the press conference was broadcast live by YTN and various online streams. CJ ENM’s PR team tried to prohibit live streaming and uploading full videos on SNS channels in advance, but it was not stopped. Many domestic media watched YTN’s live broadcast and published articles from Korea. If that was the case, I felt exhausted wondering why we had come all this way. It was past midnight. If Parasite had not achieved the miracle of winning four Oscars, domestic media companies might have vowed never to send reporters for such local coverage again.

I returned to the accommodation and wrote articles all night. I wrote everything I could without leaving out a single word. I felt the responsibility to convey what I saw and felt on-site. I reported the scenes and impressions I witnessed, and fortunately, the article was well received. I barely ate, just snacking on sandwiches, but I felt full. Afterwards, I received offers to appear on various entertainment information programs and radio broadcasts. My personal SNS was flooded with inquiries and DMs.

I slept for three hours and quickly got up. After the ceremony, I went back to the Dolby Theatre to cover local reactions. It wasn’t a film festival, but I didn’t tire of crossing the Dolby Theatre’s threshold repeatedly. The Hall of Fame bore the name Parasite. Green Book in 2018, Parasite in 2019. Seeing the plaque moved me deeply. The Oscars install the names immediately after the ceremony. The place was crowded with people checking if Parasite’s name was there. Locals, Chinese, and Japanese tourists overflowed. Reporters who had fought together on the front lines gathered one after another. Everyone looked tired but their expressions were bright. We took photos with Parasite as the background and asked locals about their reactions to the win.

Coverage was easier than expected. Crossing the Dolby Theatre’s threshold, I heard “Parasite” from all directions. I naturally approached and started interviews. Press deadlines were tight, so I hurried. But I didn’t get the answers I wanted. I needed answers not just saying “It was great, the best,” but explaining “why.” Asking repeatedly was tough but meaningful.

Locals unanimously said it wasn’t mere curiosity about an Asian film. The dominant response was praise for Bong Joon-ho’s cinematic world and a weariness with Hollywood’s formulaic commercial films. How will Parasite be recorded in history ten years from now? What impact will it have on Korean films expanding overseas? How will the Oscar win affect regions where the film has yet to be released? There is no denying that the Oscar win carries cinematic curiosity. For some, it might just pass by like “Gangnam Style.”

The footprints Parasite left in history are meaningful and valuable. The journey of director Bong Joon-ho and Parasite, culminating with the Oscars, has ended. Now, the Korean film industry must contemplate the future. Director Bong’s shoulders have grown heavier. We must recognize the absence of a second Bong Joon-ho and prepare for tomorrow.