[AP / Yonhap Photo]
"Thank you. I will drink until next morning," Bong said with an astonished look in his face, holding his Oscar trophy for the best picture in his hand.
It is the first time that a Korean-made film has won a prize at the awards ceremony of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Out of six nominations, Parasite, co-written by Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won, took home four titles -- best original screenplay, best international feature film, best director and best picture.
"Writing a script is such a lonely process, and we never write to represent our country. This is the very first Oscar to South Korea," Bong said after accepting the best screenplay award. Parasite is the first non-English movie to win the best original screenplay award since the Spanish-language "Talk to Her," written by Pedro Almodovar, won the title in 2002.
Bong and his crew were overwhelmed with joy, standing together on the stage after Parasite was given the best picture award. "After winning the best international feature, I thought I was done for the day and was ready to relax," the director said.
"When I was young and studying cinema, there was saying that I carved deep into my heart which is the most personal is the most creative. That quote was from our great Martin Scorsese," the director said, holding his hand out toward the American director. The audience stood up to applause.
"When I was in school, I studied Martin Scorsese's films. Just to be nominated was a huge honor. I've never thought I would win. When people in the U.S. were not familiar with my film, Quentin would always put my films on his list," Bong said as Quentin Tarantino, an American filmmaker, held out a sign of victory, thumping his chest with his left fist twice.
Bong showed respect to two prominent directors, Todd Phillips and Sam Mendes. "Todd and Sam, great directors I admire. If the Academy allows, I would like to get a Texas chainsaw, split the Oscar trophy into five and share it with all of you."
The show in Los Angeles was televised live in South Korea, and Bong Jun-ho immediately topped a list of search keywords on Naver, South Korea's largest web search portal, with online communities and chatting rooms swamped with congratulatory comments. South Korea's movie industry attaches great meaning to the best picture award.
"With a very Korean story, Parasite has touched the hearts of people around the world," President Moon Jae-in said in a Facebook post, expressing joy at Bong's Oscar feat.
"This is not only a great achievement in the 101-year-old history of Korean cinema but also a great joy in our cultural history," Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Park Yang-woo said. "I am confident that this award will open up a new 100 years for the Korean film industry and the globalization of Hallyu (Korean cultural wave)."
"This is a milestone in our movie history. A film that is very Korean won the most prized commercial film award in Hollywood," Kim Kyo-suk, a pop-culture critic, told Aju news. He said the Oscars, which have been criticized as being conservative, sought to ditch its former negative and authoritarian image by awarding its top trophy to Parasite.
The global popularity of Parasite comes from the global audience's shared perspective of the gap between the rich and poor, Kim said. "The film creates a bond of sympathy among people. It's the same feeling shared beyond language barriers."
When Parasite debuted at Cannes and won the Palme d'Or in May last year, nobody anticipated that the film would win an Oscar. However, the film has become a massive hit since its release in the U.S in October, wining at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Writers Guild Awards, the Eddie Awards of the American Cinema Editors and the Art Directors Guild Awards.
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