With Golden Globe for Parasite, Bong Joon-ho on way to being recognised as ‘one of the all-time greats of cinema’

‘We use just one language – the cinema,’ South Korean director said in his award acceptance speech. It’s a language he has used to explore some dark themes

That and his skill as an entertainer have given him a unique ability to connect with global filmmakers, critic says

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South Korean film director Bong Joon-ho (centre) poses with the best foreign language Golden Globe for Parasite. The win adds to the Oscar buzz surrounding the film. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:00pm, 6 Jan 2020Updated: 4:00pm, 6 Jan 2020

South Korea’s Bong Joon-ho is known for dark and genre-hopping thrillers, and his Golden Globe-winning Parasite – a vicious satire about the widening gap between rich and poor – features all of the filmmaker’s trademarks.

With a series of critical and commercial hits behind him, Bong is one of South Korea’s best-known faces. He has claimed multiple prizes at home and made inroads into Hollywood – a rarity for an Asian auteur filmmaker.

The movie’s Golden Globe win for best foreign language film is the first award for a Korean in any category at the Globes.

“Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” the 50-year-old Bong said through a translator as he accepted the award at the ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. “I think we use just one language – the cinema.”

Parasite also took the Palme d’Or at Cannes last year, and this latest accolade will intensify the Oscar buzz it has been generating as awards season heats up.