Bong Joon-ho is a South Korean film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born on September 14, 1969, in Daegu, South Korea. Bong began his career in the film industry in the 1990s, making his directorial debut with the crime thriller “Barking Dogs Never Bite” in 2000.
However, he gained international recognition with his fourth feature film, “Memories of Murder” (2003), which was based on the true story of a serial killer in South Korea in the 1980s. He went on to direct several critically acclaimed films, including “The Host” (2006), “Snowpiercer” (2013), and “Parasite” (2019), which won the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Picture, making it the first non-English language film to win the prestigious award.
Bong is known for his ability to blend different genres and create films that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. His films often explore social issues and inequalities in Korean society, and he is considered one of the most important directors in the Korean film industry.
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Bong Tael-il [1] |
| Profession(s) | Film Director, Producer, and Screenwriter |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters– 183 cm in meters– 1.83 m in feet & inches– 6’ |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Short Film: Baeksaekin (White Man)(1994) Feature Films As a Screenwriter: Motel Cactus (1997)  As a Director: Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)  TV: Snowpiercer (as Executive Producer) (American; 2020)  Acting: In the short film “Incoherence” (1994) as ‘Delivery Boy’
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| Awards, Honours, Achievements | • 2020: British Academy Film Awards – Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Not in the English Language for “Parasite” • 2020: Writers Guild of America Awards – Best Original Screenplay for the film “Parasite”  • 2020: Critics’ Choice Movie Awards – Best Director for the film “Parasite”  • 2020: Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards – Best Asian Film for “Parasite”  • 2019: Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (the second highest class of national cultural medals) by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (South Korea)  • 2019: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award – Best Director for the film “Parasite” • 2019: Asia Pacific Screen Awards – Best Feature Film for “Parasite” in 2019 • 2019: Cannes Film Festival – Palme d’Or for the film “Parasite”  • 2016: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Officier in 2016 Academy Awards • 2020: Best Picture for “Parasite”  • 2020: Best Director for the film “Parasite” • 2020: Best Original Screenplay for the film “Parasite” Blue Dragon Film Awards • 2019: Best Director for the film “Parasite”  • 2019: Best Film for “Parasite” • 2013: Best Director for the film “Snowpiercer” • 2009: Best Film for “Mother” • 2006: Audience Choice Award for the film “The Host” • 2006: Best Film for “The Host” • 2003: Audience Choice Award for the film “Memories of Murder” Buil Film Awards • 2019: Best Screenplay for the film “Parasite” • 2019: Best Film for “Parasite” • 2013: Best Film for “Snowpiercer” • 2009: Best Film for “Mother” Grand Bell Awards • 2007: Best Director for the film “The Host” • 2003: Best Film for “Memories of Murder” • 2003: Best Director for the film “Memories of Murder” Korean Association of Film Critics Awards • 2019: Best Director for the film “Parasite” • 2019: Best Film for “Parasite” • 2017: FIPRESCI Award for the film “Okja” • 2013: Best Director for the film “Snowpiercer” • 2013: Best Film for “Snowpiercer” • 2009: Best Screenplay for the film “Mother” • 2009: Best Film for “Mother” • 2003: Best Director for the film “Memories of Murder” • 2003: Best Film for “Memories of Murder” |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 14 September 1969 (Sunday) |
| Age (as in 2019) | 50 Years |
| Birthplace | Bongdeok-dong, Nam District – Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Signature | |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Hometown | Jamsil-dong, Seoul, South Korea |
| School | Jamsil High School, Songpa-gu, Seoul |
| College/University | • Yonsei University, Seoul • Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), Busan |
| Educational Qualification | • Major in Sociology from Yonsei University, Seoul • A Two-Year Course in Filmmaking from Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), Busan |
| Religion | Catholicism [2] |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Political Inclination | • New Progressive Party (South Korea; now, dysfunctional) • Democratic Labour Party (South Korea) |
| Hobbies | Watching Film & Collecting Blu-rays |
| Controversies | • At the screening of the black and white version of the film “Mother” (2009), actress Kim Hye-ja said that Bong Joon-ho had allegedly asked the actor, Won Bin to touch her breast; when the scene was not in the script. The issue was brought up later in 2019 when social media users and various media outlets turned the scenario into her ‘MeToo Story.’ When the things went out of hands, Hye-ja clearing the air, said, [3] I was absolutely flabbergasted when I saw the articles and comments. I have blisters on my lips because I’ve been so upset. It was my mistake trying to explain it in a fun way, but to say that it was ‘Me Too’ as if I had witnessed something big? To say that director Bong and Won Bin planned to fool me and sexually harassed me? I feel scared and embarrassed even saying this. Mother’ was a film where I talked a lot with director Bong and he said to me, ‘I’m not a mom so I think you’ll probably know the mind of the mom in the film more than me.’” Explaining the situation at the time, she said, “Now that I think about it, director Bong said to me before filming began, ‘Do Joon could put his hand on his mom’s breast,’ and I said, ‘So what if he puts his hand on it. A mentally challenged son can sleep while touching his mom’s breast.’” According to the actress, she spoke with the director before filming the scene, and it proceeded after it was discussed in advance.” • In 2012, the distribution rights to the film “Snowpiercer” (2013) was given from CJ Entertainment to The Weinstein Company, with a plan of a wide release in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Harvey Weinstein, an owner of The Weinstein Company, requested 25 minutes of the footage from the film to be edited, to which, Bong disagreed. As a result, the release of the film was delayed. Eventually, Bong succeeded in getting the film released in an uncut form. However, the distributor of the film was later switched to TWC. [4] |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Year | 1995 |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Jung Sun-young |
| Children | Son– Bong Hyo-min Daughter– none |
| Parents | Father– Bong Sang-kyun (Graphic Designer & Professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul; died in 2017) Mother– Park So-young (Homemaker) |
| Siblings | Brother– Bong Joon-soo (elder; English Professor at Seoul National University) Sister(s)– Bong Ji-hee (elder; Fashion Designer & Professor of Fashion Designing at Hanyang University) & 1 more (elder)
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| Favourite Things | |
| Food | Ramen, Jjapaguri |
| Filmmaker(s) | Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Shohei Imamura, John Frankenheimer, Sidney Lumet, and John Schlesinger |
| Film | The Wages of Fear (1953) |
| Money Factor | |
| Net Worth (approx.) | Rs. 214. 53 crores (as in 2020) [5] |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Bong Joon-ho
- Bong Joon-ho’s parents were both involved in the creative arts. His father was a graphic designer and his mother was a painter.
- Bong initially wanted to become a writer, but he was drawn to filmmaking after watching Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws.”
- Bong is known for his meticulous attention to detail in his films. For example, in “Parasite,” he insisted on designing the entire set from scratch to achieve the desired look and feel.
- Bong often incorporates humor into his films, even in the midst of serious or suspenseful scenes. He has said that he enjoys the challenge of balancing different tones in his work.
- Bong has expressed admiration for filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick, and has cited their work as inspiration for his own.
- In addition to directing, Bong is also a prolific screenwriter. He has written the scripts for most of his own films, as well as for other Korean filmmakers.
- Bong is a strong advocate for the preservation of traditional Korean culture and has incorporated elements of it into his films.
- Despite his success, Bong remains humble and down-to-earth, often deflecting praise and crediting his collaborators for his achievements.
- Bong is married to Jung Sun-young, a former TV news anchor, and they have two children together.
- Bong has expressed interest in making a film in Hollywood, but has also stated that he wants to continue making films in Korea and exploring Korean stories and themes.