Bong Joon-ho

Bong Joon-ho is a South Korean film director, producer, and screenwriter renowned for his award-winning films. Known for his distinctive genre-mixing, black humor, and abrupt tone shifts, his filmography often delves into social and class themes. He received three Academy Awards and has directed popular films such as "Memories of Murder," "The Host," "Snowpiercer," "Okja," "Parasite," and "Mickey 17."

In 2019, Bong achieved international acclaim with "Parasite," being the first Korean director to win the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film also set a milestone by becoming the first South Korean film to receive Academy Award nominations, eventually winning Best Picture and making history as the first non-English language film to do so. Bong also received the Best Director Oscar for his work on "Parasite." He is currently an executive producer for the HBO series based on the film, which is in development.

Previously, he had directed his debut film, the black comedy "Barking Dogs Never Bite" in 2000, which won awards at the Slamdance Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival. His second film, "Memories of Murder"," was a critical and popular success that won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Lighting at the Grand Bell Awards in 2003, along with three awards at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, including Best Director. His film "Mickey 17" premiered at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in 2025.

Apart from his feature films, Bong has also contributed to anthology film projects like "Tokyo!" which premiered in 2008, and "3.11 A Sense of Home," which screened on the first anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. He served as a jury member at various film festivals, including the 27th Sundance Film Festival, the Caméra d'Or section of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and the 2013 Edinburgh International Film Festival. He also served as the jury president of the 78th Venice International Film Festival in 2021. He has been included on Metacritic's list of the 25 best film directors of the 21st century. In 2020, he was included in Time's annual list of 100 Most Influential People and Bloomberg 50.