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IMDbPro

Bong Joon Ho

  • Writer
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000227
Bong Joon Ho
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
Play trailer2:03
Parasite (2019)
16 Videos
99+ Photos
Bong Joon-ho is a South Korean filmmaker. The recipient of three Academy Awards, his filmography is characterized by emphasis on social themes, genre-mixing, black humor, and sudden tone shifts. He first became known to audiences and achieved a cult following with his directorial debut film, the black comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), before achieving both critical and commercial success with his subsequent films: the crime thriller Memories of Murder (2003), the monster film The Host (2006), the science fiction action film Snowpiercer (2013), and the black comedy thriller Parasite (2019), all of which are among the highest-grossing films in South Korea, with Parasite also being the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.

All of Bong's films have been South Korean productions, although both Snowpiercer and Okja (2017) are mostly in the English language. Two of his films have screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival-Okja in 2017 and Parasite in 2019; the latter earned the Palme d'Or, which was a first for a South Korean film. Parasite also became the first South Korean film to receive Academy Award nominations, with Bong winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, making Parasite the first film not in English to win Best Picture. In 2017, Bong was included on Metacritic's list of the 25 best film directors of the 21st century. In 2020, Bong was included in Time's annual list of 100 Most Influential People and Bloomberg 50.
BornSeptember 14, 1969
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornSeptember 14, 1969
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000227
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 210 wins & 136 nominations total

    Photos107

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    Known for

    Ed Harris, John Hurt, Jamie Bell, Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Octavia Spencer, and Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer (2013)
    Snowpiercer
    7.1
    • Writer
    • 2013
    Okja (2017)
    Okja
    7.3
    • Writer
    • 2017
    Song Kang-ho, Jung Ik-han, Jung Hyun-jun, Lee Joo-hyung, Lee Ji-hye, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park Myeong-hoon, Park Keun-rok, Jang Hye-jin, Lee Jeong-eun, Choi Woo-sik, Park Seo-joon, Park So-dam, and Jung Ji-so in Parasite (2019)
    Parasite
    8.5
    • Writer
    • 2019
    Won Bin and Kim Hye-ja in Mother (2009)
    Mother
    7.7
    • Writer
    • 2009

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Writer



    • Untitled Bong Joon-ho/Animated Project
      • Writer
      • In Development



    • Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, and Naomi Ackie in Mickey 17 (2025)
      Mickey 17
      6.8
      • written by
      • 2025
    • Jennifer Connelly, Sean Bean, Michael Aronov, Clark Gregg, and Daveed Diggs in Snowpiercer (2020)
      Snowpiercer
      6.9
      TV Series
      • based on the motion picture "Snowpiercer" screen story by
      • based on the motion picture "Snowpiercer" screenplay by
      • 2020–2024
    • Song Kang-ho, Jung Ik-han, Jung Hyun-jun, Lee Joo-hyung, Lee Ji-hye, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park Myeong-hoon, Park Keun-rok, Jang Hye-jin, Lee Jeong-eun, Choi Woo-sik, Park Seo-joon, Park So-dam, and Jung Ji-so in Parasite (2019)
      Parasite
      8.5
      • screenplay by
      • story by
      • 2019
    • Okja (2017)
      Okja
      7.3
      • screenplay by
      • story by
      • 2017
    • Sea Fog (2014)
      Sea Fog
      6.8
      • screenplay
      • 2014
    • Ed Harris, John Hurt, Jamie Bell, Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Octavia Spencer, and Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer (2013)
      Snowpiercer
      7.1
      • screen story by
      • screenplay by
      • 2013
    • Won Bin and Kim Hye-ja in Mother (2009)
      Mother
      7.7
      • screenplay
      • story
      • 2009
    • Tokyo! (2008)
      Tokyo!
      7.0
      • writer (segment "Shaking Tokyo")
      • 2008
    • Ko Ah-sung in The Host (2006)
      The Host
      7.1
      • screenplay
      • 2006
    • Antarctic Journal (2005)
      Antarctic Journal
      5.9
      • Writer
      • 2005
    • Lonely Street Lamp (2003)
      Lonely Street Lamp
      5.7
      Short
      • story
      • 2003
    • Memories of Murder (2003)
      Memories of Murder
      8.1
      • writer
      • 2003
    • Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
      Barking Dogs Never Bite
      6.9
      • Writer
      • 2000
    • Phantom: The Submarine (1999)
      Phantom: The Submarine
      5.6
      • writer
      • 1999
    • Motel Cactus (1997)
      Motel Cactus
      5.1
      • written by
      • 1997

    Producer



    • Untitled Bong Joon-ho/Animated Project
      • producer
      • In Development



    • Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, and Naomi Ackie in Mickey 17 (2025)
      Mickey 17
      6.8
      • producer (p.g.a.)
      • 2025
    • Jennifer Connelly, Sean Bean, Michael Aronov, Clark Gregg, and Daveed Diggs in Snowpiercer (2020)
      Snowpiercer
      6.9
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2020–2024
    • Parasite
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2022
    • Song Kang-ho, Jung Ik-han, Jung Hyun-jun, Lee Joo-hyung, Lee Ji-hye, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park Myeong-hoon, Park Keun-rok, Jang Hye-jin, Lee Jeong-eun, Choi Woo-sik, Park Seo-joon, Park So-dam, and Jung Ji-so in Parasite (2019)
      Parasite
      8.5
      • producer
      • 2019
    • Okja (2017)
      Okja
      7.3
      • producer (produced by, p.g.a.)
      • 2017
    • Sea Fog (2014)
      Sea Fog
      6.8
      • producer
      • 2014

    Director



    • Untitled Bong Joon-ho/Animated Project
      • Director
      • In Development



    • Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, and Naomi Ackie in Mickey 17 (2025)
      Mickey 17
      6.8
      • Director
      • 2025
    • Song Kang-ho, Jung Ik-han, Jung Hyun-jun, Lee Joo-hyung, Lee Ji-hye, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park Myeong-hoon, Park Keun-rok, Jang Hye-jin, Lee Jeong-eun, Choi Woo-sik, Park Seo-joon, Park So-dam, and Jung Ji-so in Parasite (2019)
      Parasite
      8.5
      • Director
      • 2019
    • Okja (2017)
      Okja
      7.3
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Ed Harris, John Hurt, Jamie Bell, Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Octavia Spencer, and Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer (2013)
      Snowpiercer
      7.1
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2013
    • 3.11 Sense of Home (2011)
      3.11 Sense of Home
      5.6
      • Director (segment "Iki")
      • 2011
    • Won Bin and Kim Hye-ja in Mother (2009)
      Mother
      7.7
      • Director
      • 2009
    • Tokyo! (2008)
      Tokyo!
      7.0
      • Director (segment "Shaking Tokyo")
      • 2008
    • Ko Ah-sung in The Host (2006)
      The Host
      7.1
      • Director
      • 2006
    • Influenza (2004)
      Influenza
      6.6
      Short
      • Director
      • 2004
    • Digital Short Films by Three Filmmakers 2004 (2004)
      Digital Short Films by Three Filmmakers 2004
      5.8
      • Director (segment "Influenza")
      • 2004
    • Sink & Rise (2003)
      Sink & Rise
      6.3
      Short
      • Director
      • 2003
    • Lonely Street Lamp (2003)
      Lonely Street Lamp
      5.7
      Short
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2003
    • Memories of Murder (2003)
      Memories of Murder
      8.1
      • Director
      • 2003
    • Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
      Barking Dogs Never Bite
      6.9
      • Director
      • 2000
    • Memories in My Frame (1994)
      Memories in My Frame
      5.4
      Short
      • Director
      • 1994

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos16

    Why Director Bong Joon Ho's 'Mickey 17' Cast Loves Him
    Clip 3:08
    Why Director Bong Joon Ho's 'Mickey 17' Cast Loves Him
    What to Watch If You Love "Snowpiercer"
    Clip 3:07
    What to Watch If You Love "Snowpiercer"
    What to Watch If You Love "Snowpiercer"
    Clip 3:07
    What to Watch If You Love "Snowpiercer"
    Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
    Clip 3:24
    Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
    Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite" HBO Series Will Be a 'Six-Hour Film'
    Clip 0:41
    Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite" HBO Series Will Be a 'Six-Hour Film'
    What BAFTA, SAG, & DGA Wins Predict for the 2020 Oscars
    Clip 4:30
    What BAFTA, SAG, & DGA Wins Predict for the 2020 Oscars
    Bong Joon-Ho – Making the Film You Want
    Clip 1:44
    Bong Joon-Ho – Making the Film You Want

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative names
      • Bong Joon-Ho
    • Height
      • 5′ 11¾″ (1.82 m)
    • Born
      • September 14, 1969
      • Daegu, South Korea
    • Spouse
      • Jung Sun-young1995 - present (1 child)
    • Children
      • Hyo-min Bong
    • Parents
        Sang Gyun Bong
    • Relatives
        Ji-Hee Bong(Sibling)
    • Publicity listings
      • 2 Interviews
      • 1 Article

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      He bought his first video camera with savings from selling doughnuts at a school cafeteria. "I still remember sleeping at night hugging the Hitachi camera," Bong said. While studying sociology at Yonsei University in Seoul, he co-founded a filmmaking club named Yellow Door with students from neighboring universities, where he made his first short films. To make a living, he shot wedding videos. [N.Y. Times, Jan. 2020].
    • Quotes
      It's fun for me to bury my political and social comments here and there in a film.
    • Trademarks
        Long takes with many events happening on-screen and the camera being able to capture all of them.
    • Nickname
      • Bong Tail

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