First Time a Foreign Language Movie Takes the Big Prize as Bong Joong Ho’s Parasite Wins Best Picture at the 2020 Oscar

South Korean director Bong Joon Ho actually went home with 4 awards tonight at the 2020 Academy Awards but the biggest win went to the entire cast and crew. The Korean movie Parasite took home Best Picture as the main cast were all in attendance at the ceremony held in Los Angeles. Director Bong also won for Best Director, Best Screenplay (he wrote it) and Best Foreign Language Film as the movie was nominated in both categories. I love the joy, exuberance, awe, and appreciation to see the talented cast standing on the biggest stage in cinema. It’s been a loooooong time coming for a SK film to go fully mainstream so Parasite both deserves all the accolades but is a long time coming after nearly two decades where South Korean directors continue to push the envelope. Congrats to Parasite and here’s the many more years of glorious creativity!


Comments

First Time a Foreign Language Movie Takes the Big Prize as Bong Joong Ho’s Parasite Wins Best Picture at the 2020 Oscar — 35 Comments

  1. Great movie. But honestly i have seen many great movies from asia which never got their due. I hope this wins open doors for others.

    • Yes.. One of my faves is Japan’s “Shoplifters” which won Palme d’Or at Cannes. The movie is so much better than “The Green Book” that netted the big prize.

      It’s the films like Shoplifters and Roma that paved the way for “Parasite” to get Hollywood to finally recognized international movies that some are far superior than theirs. Last year was upsetting and thankfully, the Academy did the right thing this year.

      Congrats to Parasite and SK.

  2. So happy for my Korean movie/ drama fanatic heart. This is history. Love to see my coffee prince Ajjussi and one of the prince from Rooftop prince on the stage of Oscar. Huge congratulation

  3. Yay! They got best picture in the mainstream award and not a “Foreign” award. So many Asian films get so overlooked.
    I am so glad the actors/actresses got to attend the OSCARS. They should, as they work so hard and let’s hope it is not a once in a lifetime but many more to come from Asian Films.

  4. I am so happy for my fav Korean director..Bong Joon Ho. Tho’ Parasite is brilliant, a masterpiece ….one of his earliest film Memories of Murder remains my fav’. I am looking forward to his next one. I hope he doesn’t go Hollywood.
    So happy about Asian representation in the US where for too long our men have been emasculated and women fetishsized.

    • A normal movie can be very well made as well. It has great acting cinematography script and directing. Same with marriage syory. Movies dont have to be always about women falling in love with see creature and having sx. That is weird to me when such movies win oscar

      • I think fantasy movies can be wonderful candidates, something like Pan’s Labyrinth (by the same director as the sea creature movie) is a much better movie than some Oscar winners. But yeah, they often don’t reward the director’s actual best work. And I agree that ‘ordinary’ stories can also be told well and made into great films.

  5. I woke up in the middle of the night, checked my phone for Oscar results.
    Read blurringly the words “Parasite” more than once and
    “YESSSSSS!”‘ed with the arm pump and everything.
    Then I cried.

    Go BJH!!!! GO CHUNGMURO!

  6. Born and raised in Hollywood. It was felt by many that “international” films had not previously been nominated for Academy Awards because US audiences did not favor reading subtitles. Cannot help but believe that KDramas helped to erase that issue. Was watching when the stunning news of Best Picture was announced (of course that was after the 3 previous wins)…the audience cheered and gave a standing ovation and requested additional words from the group. It brought tears to my eyes. Congratulations, South Korea, Congratulations!!!!

  7. I was hoping so badly they would win but didn’t have much hope. So I was so thrilled to read the news. The cast and crew would be so proud and happy. So happy for them.

  8. Absolutely buzzing with euphoria from last night until now this morning. Going to have a beer and fried chicken party to celebrate. It’s like Korea winning the soccer World Cup, lol. Even my non-Korean husband was so elated by Parasite’s stunning wins in 4 categories. A shout-out to Kiwi homegrown boy Taika Waititi from Aoteoroa my adopted homeland. So proud that Korea and little New Zealand gained centre-stage in the Oscars. Been watching Oscars since I was a little girl, extremely rare to see non-US/UK artistes presenting or clutching their Oscars except for Ang Lee from Taiwan. Great night for diversity and accepting non-English language films.

  9. Fantastic win! ?Congratulations to BJH and his stellar cast and crew. OMG what a momentous occasion to win an Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, Best original screenplay and Best International Film. Always knew BJH was one to ‘watch for’ after seeing the 2013 movie ‘Snowpiercer’. I’m feeling quite chuffed along with @Kimchi Ajumma because our very own Taika Waititi scored Best Adapted screenplay but just prior to the ceremony he somehow lost his Mum while walking the red carpet. Yep that’s how us Kiwis roll! ?

    • Hahaha, yup Ginger Crunch. Love it too when Peter Jackson showed up in the 2000s Oscars wearing typically Kiwi jandals. I love Taika in Boy. Should celebrate by eating NZ crayfish too. Lol.

      • Hard we got Korean BbQ at Daebaek in Auckland city to celebrate with heaps of soju so happy and proud of this Oscar win. ?

      • Ooo, pretty please let me know if the BBQ food any good at Daebak? may pop in next time if I’m in Auckland CBD.

  10. Well done, well done!! Loved seeing their joy and elation. If you haven’t done so explore the kdrama world. You will find a huge source of entertainment peopled by these very actors. So happy for all of them.

  11. Have no idea how happy I’m with this achievement. Watching it when it was screening on a big screen in my country along time ago. Definitely didn’t expect it will go mainstream and this huge. Korean has many critically acclaim movie in the past and there is some movie who went mainstream but it’s not as huge as this movie achieved. Congrats Bong Joong Ho and South Korea. You deserve it. You have many talent director and actor.

  12. Congratulations!!!
    I loved watching it. It initially made me laugh thoughtlessly and then made me very uncomfortable in a thoughtful way. Well done!

  13. So happy for the Parasite team!!! This is a momentous moment not just for Korea but for all non-English speakers, as well. I was rooting for them all awards season. Honestly after winning those 3 earlier awards I didn’t think they would end up with Best Picture. So glad the Academy pulled through and gave them the big one. Hopefully this opens more doors for other countries.

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