South Korean director Bong Joon-ho holds his Golden Globe after winning the best foreign language film prize with “Parasite” at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on Jan. 5, 2020. (image: CJ ENM)
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Bong Joon ho’s “Parasite” has made history again.
The class satire was named best foreign language film at this year’s Golden Globes Awards ceremony on Sunday (U.S. time), becoming the first South Korean movie ever to receive a prize from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organizes the annual awards.
It was also nominated in the best director and screenplay categories at the Golden Globes, but those trophies were taken by Sam Mendes for “1917″ and Quentin Tarantino for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” respectively.
The Golden Globe award is one of the biggest that “Parasite” has collected since it was named the winner of the Palme d’Or, the top honor of the Cannes Film Festival, in May.
It was the first South Korean-made film to take Canne’s highest prize.
“Parasite,” a story of two families, one rich and one poor, who become entangled in a string of mishaps, has won a slew of accolades from U.S. film critics associations including the National Society of Film Critics, the Chicago Film Critics Association and the L.A. Film Critics Association.
Bong’s interpretation of capitalism and income inequality and his genre-bending direction and cinematography have won rave reviews from mainstream U.S. cinema critics.
“‘Parasite’ highlights the conflict between haves and have-nots, or struggles among the poor, embellished by Bong’s own tones of black comedy,” film critic Yoon Sung-eun said.
“It appealed to Asia and Europe, and now the mainstream U.S. film industry has recognized it.”
A scene from “Parasite.” (image: CJ Entertainment)
On top of the critical acclaim, the film also experienced great commercial success stateside.
Since its U.S. release in October, the film has grossed over US$23 million in America, becoming the best-selling Korean-made movie in the U.S. and the most popular subtitled film of the year.
The Golden Globe honor has helped Bong rival world-renowned filmmakers, including two-time Golden Globe winner Pedro Almodovar, director of “Pain and Glory,” in the best foreign language film category.
In the best director section, he was listed with Sam Mendes, Quentin Tarantino, Todd Phillips, who directed “Joker,” and Martin Scorsese of “The Irishman.”
Moreover, the Golden Globes win boosts the Oscar odds for “Parasite,” as the awards are regarded as a strong predictor in the Academy Awards race.
“Parasite” has been shortlisted for best international feature film at the upcoming Academy Awards and was also included in the 15-film shortlist of the original song category for “A Glass of Soju.”
Many anticipate that “Parasite” will easily make the five-film final nominations for the best foreign-language category, set to be announced on Jan. 13, with possible nods for best picture, best director and best screenplay as well.
Last season, the Spanish-language “Roma,” directed by Alfonso Cuaron, clinched the best foreign language film and best director Oscars.
(Yonhap)
