Bong Joon-ho, a prominent South Korean filmmaker, is renowned for his socially conscious movies, genre blending, dark humor, and unpredictable emotional twists. His influence on global cinema is undeniable.
Wiki/Biography
Bong Joon-ho was born on Sunday, September 14, 1969 (age 53 as of 2022), in Bongdeok-dong, Nam District, Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. His astrological sign is Virgo. His family moved to Jamsil-dong, Seoul, during his elementary school years. He attended Jamsil High School in Songpa-gu, Seoul, before enrolling at Yonsei University in Seoul in 1988 to study Sociology. After completing his mandatory military service in 1992, he graduated in 1995. He further honed his filmmaking skills through a two-year program at the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) in Busan.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 6’2″
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
Family & Ethnicity
Bong Joon-ho comes from a Catholic family. His father, Bong Sang-kyun (deceased 2017), was a graphic designer and professor of Applied Arts at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. His mother, Park So-young, was a homemaker. He is the youngest of four siblings (two brothers and two sisters). His brother, Bong Joon-soo, is an English professor at Seoul National University, and his sister, Bong Ji-hee, is a fashion designer and professor at Hanyang University.
He married screenwriter Jung Sun-young in 1995, and they have a son, Bong Hyo-min.
Career
Short Films
While in college, Bong Joon-ho co-founded the “Yellow Door” film club with students from other universities. His early short films include “Paradise” (1994) and “Baeksaekin (White Man)” (1994), the latter of which screened at international film festivals. Other notable short films include “Incoherence” (1994), “The Memories in My Frame” (1994), and contributions to various anthology projects.
He also collaborated with classmates, working as a cinematographer and lighting director on several projects.
Feature Films – Director and Producer
After graduation, he gained experience working with other directors. He received partial screenwriting credit for the 1996 film “Seven Reasons Why Beer is Better Than My Lover.” His directorial debut was “Barking Dogs Never Bite” (2000), followed by “Memories of Murder” (2003), “Antarctic Journal” (2005), “The Host” (2006), “Mother” (2009), “Snowpiercer” (2013), “Sea Fog” (2014), “Okja” (2017), and the globally acclaimed “Parasite” (2019). He also transitioned into producing, starting with “Sea Fog” (2014).
Television
Bong Joon-ho served as an executive producer for the American television adaptation of “Snowpiercer” (2020) and is also involved in the upcoming adaptation of “Parasite”. He’s made appearances on shows like “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”.
Other Works
He acted in his short film “Incoherence” (1994), and has made cameo appearances in several films and documentaries.
Awards & Honours
Bong Joon-ho has received numerous accolades, including:
- Multiple Academy Awards for “Parasite”
- British Academy Film Awards
- Writers Guild of America Awards
- Critics’ Choice Movie Awards
- Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or
- Numerous Blue Dragon Film Awards, Buil Film Awards, and others.
- Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (South Korea)
| Award | Film | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Academy Award for Best Picture | Parasite | 2020 |
| Academy Award for Best Director | Parasite | 2020 |
| Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay | Parasite | 2020 |
| Palme d’Or (Cannes Film Festival) | Parasite | 2019 |
| BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language | Parasite | 2020 |
Controversies
In 2019, a minor controversy arose regarding a scene in “Mother” involving an actor touching actress Kim Hye-ja. Hye-ja later clarified the situation, stating it was a misunderstanding.
A dispute with Harvey Weinstein over editing “Snowpiercer” (2013) also made headlines, resulting in delays and a change of distributors.
Signature
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Favourite Things
Food: Ramen, Jjapaguri
Filmmakers: Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Shohei Imamura, John Frankenheimer, Sidney Lumet, John Schlesinger, Martin Scorsese
Film: The Wages of Fear (1953)
Net Worth
(His estimated net worth would go here, updated for 2022)
Facts/Trivia
Bong Joon-ho enjoys watching films and collecting Blu-rays. His artistic sensibilities are rooted in his family background, including his father’s work as a graphic designer and his maternal grandfather’s career as a writer. He was involved in student activism during his college years, demonstrating for democratic rights and reunification. His experiences during this time, including exposure to tear gas, have influenced his artistic perspective. He has also taught children and been involved in politics. He is admired by many American celebrities. He writes his scripts and storyboards, and his films often involve extensive planning.
