Bong first became known to audiences and gained acult following with his feature directorial debut, the black comedy filmBarking Dogs Never Bite (2000). He later achieved widespread critical success with his subsequent films: the crime thrillerMemories of Murder (2003), the monster filmThe Host (2006), the science fiction action filmSnowpiercer (2013), which served as Bong's English-language debut, and the black comedy thrillerParasite (2019). The latter three are also among thehighest-grossing films in South Korea, withParasite being the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.[2]
All of Bong's films have been South Korean productions, althoughSnowpiercer,Okja (2017) andMickey 17 (2025) are Hollywood co-productions with major use of the English language. Two of his films have screened in competition at theCannes Film Festival—Okja in2017 andParasite in2019; the latter earned thePalme d'Or, which was a first for a South Korean film.[3][4] Bong won Academy Awards forBest Picture,Best Director, andBest Original Screenplay, makingParasite the first non-English language film to win Best Picture.[5][6]
While Bong was in elementary school, the family relocated toSeoul, taking up residence inJamsil-dong by theHan River.[13] He later attended Jamsil High School,[15] and lived in an apartment near theJamsil Bridge at that time. One day, while at the apartment preparing for hiscollege entrance exam during his third year at the high school (in 1987), Bong was reportedly startled by seeing out the window what he believed to be a monster crawling up a pillar of the Jamsil Bridge and then falling into the Han River. He was already desiring to become a film director at that point in time, and vowed to make a movie about a large creature living around the river someday. 19 years later, he fulfilled his dream when his monster movieThe Host (2006) was released.[16]
In 1988, Bong enrolled inYonsei University, majoring insociology.[11] He also studied the English language while in college, and he creditsSpike Lee's films with teaching him Englishprofanity.[17] College campuses such as Yonsei's were then hotbeds for theSouth Korean democracy movement; Bong was an active participant of student demonstrations, frequently subjected totear gas early in his college years.[11][18] He served a two-year term in the military in accordance with South Korea'scompulsory military service before returning to college in 1992.[11] Bong later co-founded a film club named "Yellow Door" with students from neighboring universities.[11] As a member of the club, Bong made his first films, including astop motion short titledLooking for Paradise and16 mm film short titledBaeksaekin (White Man).[11] He graduated from Yonsei University in 1995.[11]
After graduating from university, Bong enrolled in the two-year program at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. While there, he made many 16 mm short films. His graduation films,Incoherence andMemories in My Frame, were invited to screen at theHong Kong International Film Festival andVancouver International Film Festival. Bong also collaborated on several works with his classmates, which included working ascinematographer on the highly acclaimed short2001 Imagine (1994), directed by his friendJang Joon-hwan. Aside from cinematography, Bong was also alighting technician on two shorts—The Love of a Grape Seed andSounds From Heaven and Earth—in 1994.[1] He was credited as a screenwriter on theanthology filmSeven Reasons Why Beer is Better Than a Lover (1996); both screenplay and assistant director credits on Park Ki-yong's debutMotel Cactus (1997); and is one of four writers (along withJang Joon-hwan) credited for the screenplay ofPhantom: The Submarine (1999).[1]
In 1999, Bong began shooting his first featureBarking Dogs Never Bite (released in 2000) under producer Cha Seung-jae, who had overseen the production of bothMotel Cactus andPhantom: The Submarine.[19] The film, about a low-ranking university lecturer who abducts a neighbor's dog, was shot in the same apartment complex where Bong lived after his marriage.[20] At the time of its release in February 2000, it received little commercial interest but some positive critical reviews. It was invited to the competition section of Spain'sSan Sebastián International Film Festival, and won awards at theSlamdance Film Festival andHong Kong International Film Festival. Slowly building international word of mouth also helped the film financially; over two years after its local release, the film reached its financial break-even point due to sales to overseas territories.[1][additional citation(s) needed]
Bong's second film,Memories of Murder (2003), a much larger project, was adapted from a stage play centered on a real-life serial killer who terrorized a rural town in the 1980s.[21] Production of the film was a difficult process (the film set a local record for the number of locations it used).[citation needed] It was released in April 2003 and proved a critical and popular success. Word of mouth drove the film to sell over five million tickets (rescuing Cha Seung-jae's production company Sidus from near-bankruptcy), and a string of local honors followed, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (forSong Kang-Ho) and Best Lighting prizes at theGrand Bell Awards in 2003. Although passed over by theCannes Film Festival andVenice Film Festival, the film eventually received its international premiere, again at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it picked up three awards including Best Director. The film also received an unusually strong critical reception on its release in foreign territories, such as France and the U.S.[1]
Following this, Bong took some time to contribute short films to two anthology film projects.Influenza (2004) is a 30-minute work acted out entirely in front of realCCTV cameras stationed throughout Seoul. The film, which charts a desperate man's turn to violent crime over the space of five years, was commissioned by theJeonju International Film Festival, together with works by Japanese director Sogo Ishii and Hong Kong-basedYu Lik-wai.Twentidentity, meanwhile, is a 20-part anthology film made by alumni of the Korean Academy of Film Arts, on the occasion of the school's 20th anniversary. Bong's contribution isSink & Rise (2003), a work set alongside theHan River.[1]
Bong at a Q&A session forThe Host in September 2006.
The Host (2006) marked a step up in scale in Bong's career, and for theKorean film industry as a whole.[22] The big-budget ($11 million) work centered on a fictional monster that rises up out of theHan River to wreak havoc on the people of Seoul—and on one family in particular. Featuring many of the actors who had appeared in his previous films, the film was the focus of strong audience interest even before it started shooting, but there were many doubts raised about whether a Korean production could rise to the challenge of creating a full-fledged, believable digital monster.[22] After initially contacting New Zealand'sWeta Digital—the company responsible for theCGI inThe Lord of the Rings—scheduling conflicts led Bong to San Francisco-basedThe Orphanage, who took on the majority of the effects work. After rushing to meet deadlines, the film received a rapturous premiere in theDirectors' Fortnight section of the2006 Cannes Film Festival. Although local audiences were slightly more critical ofThe Host than attendees at Cannes, the film was nonetheless a major summer hit. With theater owners calling for more and more prints, the film enjoyed South Korea's widest release ever (on over a third of the nation's 1,800 screens) and set a newbox office record with 13 million tickets sold.The Host was bought by US studioUniversal for the remake rights.[1][23] The administrations ofLee Myung-bak andPark Geun-hye later deemedThe Host promoted leftist viewpoints, and included Bong on a leftist blacklist.[24]
Bong, along with French film directorsMichel Gondry andLeos Carax, directed a segment ofTokyo! (2008), a triptych feature telling three separate tales of the city. Bong's segment is about a man who has lived for a decade as aHikikomori—the term used in Japan for people unable to adjust to society who do not leave their homes—and what happens when he falls in love with a pizza delivery girl.[25] Bong's fourth feature filmMother (2009) is the story of a doting mother who struggles to save her disabled son from a murder accusation. It premiered in theUn Certain Regard section at the2009 Cannes Film Festival to much acclaim, particularly for actressKim Hye-ja; she went on to win theLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress.[26]Mother repeated its critical success locally and in the international film festival circuit. The film appeared on many film critics' "best-of" lists of 2010.[27] In 2011, Bong contributed to3.11 A Sense of Home, another anthology film, addressing the theme of home. The films were made by 21 filmmakers in response to the devastatingearthquake and tsunami which hit the Tohoku region of Japan on March 11, 2011. The film screened on the first anniversary of the disaster.[28] In Bong's short filmIki, a teenage girl finds a toddler, seemingly dead, on a beach.[29] That same year, Bong served as a jury member for the27th Sundance Film Festival.[30][31] He was also the head of the jury for theCaméra d'Or section of the2011 Cannes Film Festival[32][33] and 2013Edinburgh International Film Festival.[34]
Bong's first English-language film,Snowpiercer, was released in 2013. It is based on the graphic novelLe Transperceneige (1982) byJacques Lob andJean-Marc Rochette,[35][36][37][38][39] and set largely on a futuristic train where those on board are separated according to theirsocial status. The film premiered atTimes Square on July 29, 2013, inSeoul, South Korea,[40] before screening at theDeauville American Film Festival as the closing film on September 7, 2013,[41] theBerlin International Film Festival as part of Berlin's Forum Sidebar on February 7, 2014,[42] opening theLA Film Festival on June 11, 2014,[43] and theEdinburgh International Film Festival on June 22, 2014.[44] Upon release in cinemas,Snowpiercer was met with near-universal praise and strong ticket sales,[45] both in South Korea and abroad. On the filmreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 94% based on 253 reviews, with aweighted average of 8.10/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Snowpiercer offers an audaciously ambitious action spectacular for filmgoers numb to effects-driven blockbusters."[46] OnMetacritic, the film has a score of 84 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[47] As of April 2014, it is the tenth highest-grossing domestic film in South Korea, with 9,350,141 admissions. The film also holds the domestic record for the fastest movie (domestic and foreign) to reach four million admissions, which it achieved in its fifth day after the premiere, and another record for the highest weekend figure (from Friday to Sunday) for a Korean film, with 2.26 million viewers.[48] In addition to receiving severalawards and nominations,Snowpiercer appeared on several critics' lists of the ten best films of 2014.[49]
Bong (far right) at the Japanese premiere ofOkja (2017).
In 2015, Bong's next film,Okja, was announced.[50][unreliable source?] On April 30, 2015, screenwriterJon Ronson announced on his Twitter account that he was writing the second draft of Bong's screenplay for the film.[51]Darius Khondji joined the film as cinematographer in February 2016.[52] Filming for the project began in April 2016.[53] It premiered at the2017 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for thePalme d'Or and sparked controversy due to it being produced byNetflix.[54] The film was met with boos, mixed with applause, during a press screening at the film festival, once the Netflix logo appeared on screen and again during a technical glitch; the film was projected in the incorrectaspect ratio for its first seven minutes.[55][56][57] The festival later issued an apology to the filmmakers.[58] However, despite the studio's negative response, the film itself received a four-minute standing ovation following its actual premiere.[59] The film was later released on Netflix on June 28, 2017, and received positive reviews.[60] On the filmreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 86% based on 235 reviews, with aweighted average of 7.54/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Okja sees Bong Joon Ho continuing to create defiantly eclectic entertainment – and still hitting more than enough of his narrative targets in the midst of a tricky tonal juggling act."[61] OnMetacritic, the film has a score of 75 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[62]New York Times criticA. O. Scott wrote: "Okja is a miracle of imagination and technique, andOkja insists, with abundant mischief and absolute sincerity, that she possesses a soul."[63]
Parasite was released in South Korea byCJ Entertainment on May 30, 2019, and in the United States byNeon on October 11, 2019. It received unanimous critical acclaim and earned $266 million at the worldwide box office, becoming Bong's highest-grossing release.[69] On the filmreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 99% based on 451 reviews, with aweighted average of 9.37/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes,Parasite finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft."[70] OnMetacritic, the film has a score of 96 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[71] Regarding motivation of the film's creation, Bong hoped that he would live a comfortable life, however he was disappointed several times in reality. He wanted to express the anxiety, sadness, and deep fear that came from reality of life via his film.[72][73]
Parasite was later submitted as theSouth Korean entry forBest International Feature Film for the92nd Academy Awards,[86] making the December shortlist.[87] It eventually became the first South Korean film to receive anAcademy Award nomination in any category, receiving a total of six nominations and winning four awards—Best Picture,Best Director,Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. This was also the first time a non-English language film won the Academy Award[88][2] for Best Picture[89] and the first time Asian writers won Academy Awards for screenwriting.[90][91] While accepting the Academy Award for Best Director, Bong expressed his deep respect and appreciation for fellow nomineesMartin Scorsese, who inspired his work, andQuentin Tarantino, who supported and praised his earlier films.[92] He also mentioned a quote from Scorsese—"The most personal is the most creative"—that also inspired him, which prompted the audience to give Scorsese an enthusiastic standing ovation.[93] Scorsese later wrote and sent a heartfelt letter to Bong afterParasite's Oscar success.[94]Parasite's Best Picture win was well received by film critics, who hailed it as a major step forward for popular appreciation of international film and for restoring the legitimacy of the Academy. "The academy gave best picture to the actual best picture", wroteJustin Chang of theLos Angeles Times, who continued that the film awards body was "startled ... into recognizing that no country's cinema has a monopoly on greatness".[95] Conversely, U.S. presidentDonald Trump lambastedParasite's win at a campaign rally inColorado on February 20, 2020, questioning why a foreign film won Best Picture.[96] Distribution companyNeon responded bytweeting: "Understandable, he can't read."[97]
In January 2020, anHBO six-hour limited series based on the film, with Bong andAdam McKay serving as executive producers, currently in early development, was announced as an upcoming project.[98] Bong has stated that the series, also titledParasite, will explore stories "that happen in between the sequences in the film".[99][100] In February 2020,Mark Ruffalo was rumored to star whileTilda Swinton was confirmed to being cast as the female lead.[101][102][103] Swinton left the project in October 2022[104] and Bong confirmed in February 2025 that the series was still in development.[105]
In February 2021, Bong said that he had been working on two scripts after completingParasite, one in English and one in Korean, and that he had finished one of the two. He said that the Korean film "is located in Seoul and has unique elements of horror and action" and that the English film is "a drama film based on a true event that happened in 2016."[113] Bong is working on a Korean animated film, currently titledThe Valley, as one of his next projects.[114] This animation was conceived since 2018 and is said to be about deep-sea creatures and humans.[115] In 2024, Bong confirmed that the animated film about deep-sea creatures and Seoul horror films were still in development, and he also expressed interest in making a biographical film about a historical figure, being inspired by the recent filmHarbin.[116]
As a child, Bong watchedBlack Orpheus (1959) on Korean television, which made a big impact on him. While he was in film school, Bong watched theQatsi trilogy (1982–2002).[117] His main inspirations are fromGuillermo del Toro—his favorite films of del Toro's areThe Devil's Backbone (2001) andPan's Labyrinth (2006)—andNagisa Ōshima, describing Oshima as "one of the most controversial masters".[117] Bong also studied the films ofMartin Scorsese and cited him as one of his major influences during his acceptance speech for theAcademy Award for Best Director when he won forParasite (2019).[118] His process when working with actors is to make them feel comfortable and gives them a high amount of freedom when performing, even allowing them to improvise. Bong has commented that he doesn't like the term 'Directing Actors' as he feels that "acting is the actor's job and it's something I don't feel like I can direct".
The most defining trademark of Bong's films are their sudden tone shifts (sometimes within scenes) between drama, darkness, and black or slapstick humor. During a TIFF Master Class at the2017 Toronto International Film Festival, Bong claimed: "I'm never really conscious of the tone shifts or the comedy that I apply, I never think 'oh, the tone shifts at this point or it's funny at this point.' I'm never conscious of it during the filmmaking or screenwriting process."[119] Bong also uses real filming locations or specially built sets in all his films as opposed to green screens, even to the extent of filming in Seoul's sewers forThe Host (2006);Memories of Murder (2003) set a local record for the number of locations it used.
In an interview promotingSnowpiercer (2013), actorEd Harris described Bong's shooting process as "cutting while filming". Harris also said that "if I was doing a scene and it was a couple of pages long, he would never shoot the whole thing one way. He'd shoot a few lines, like the first beat of the scene, and then he would turn the camera around and get my part for that part of the scene. Then he would change the angle a little bit". He additionally noted that "the editor was sitting right there on the stage, right below the set with a big tent, actually getting the footage as they were filming.[120] Fellow actorDaniel Henshall echoed Harris's sentiment calling Bong "precise" and "very sure of what he wants". Henshall continued by saying: "He only shoots what he's going to use in the edit. Doesn't do any coverage. I've never worked like that before. You're trimming the fat before you've shot it, which is very brave, because when you get into the edit, if something's missing you haven't got it. He's been planning it for four years that meticulously."[121]
Bong married screenwriter Jung Sun-young in 1995. They have a son together, Bong Hyo-min, who is also a filmmaker.[72][73][123] In 2009, Bong had a tattoo of a bird done on his left arm to celebrate the release ofMother, and pay homage to a scene in the film.[14]
In February 2025, Bong revealed he is a fan ofK-pop and considersBlackpink his favorite group.[129] During an interview withBuzzFeed the following month, Bong named all the South Korean members and excluded mentioningLisa, who is from Thailand. Many Thai users on social media platforms, especiallyTwitter, subsequently accused Bong ofracial discrimination.[129][130]
^abcdefgPaquet, Darcy (February 28, 2008)."The Bong Joon Ho Page". Koreanfilm.org.Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. RetrievedNovember 18, 2012.
^ab기타 치는 봉준호? 봉준호 감독에 대한 소소한 사실들 [Bong Joon-ho can play the guitar? Little facts about director Bong Joon-ho ofParasite].Cine21 (in Korean). June 13, 2019. RetrievedMarch 7, 2025.
^개리 하오 父子, 30년 단골 분식집→봉준호 동문 잠실고까지 감성여행(슈돌)[어제TV] [Yesterday's TV: Gary Hao's father and son, a 30-year regular bistro → a sentimental trip to Jamsil High School, where Bong Joon-ho is an alumnus (Superman Returns)].Nate (in Korean). RetrievedMarch 11, 2025.
^ab"코로나" 암울 날려버린 영화감독 Bong J.H. (in Korean). joonganglawnews. February 12, 2020.Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 25, 2020.
^ab[단독] 민노·진보신당 "봉준호 영화감독은 우리당원이야" [Exclusive: The Democratic Labor Party and the New Progressive Party: "Bong Joon-ho, the film director, is a member of our party"].The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2009. RetrievedMarch 11, 2025.
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