The Best of Bong Joon-ho: Six of His Movies You Must Watch

“I have a complex feeling about genre. I love it, but I hate it at the same time. I have the urge to make audiences thrill with the excitement of a genre, but I also try to betray and destroy the expectations placed on that genre.” —Bong Joon-ho

Every film Bong Joon-ho creates combines his aesthetic vision, which he exploits to offer radically unique entertainment. The filmography of the Academy Award winner is notable for its attention to social issues mixed with dark humor and dramatic mood shifts, as well as its employing actual locations or custom-made sets. Director Bong has a reputation for being precise in articulating what he wants to convey. He is a genius at portraying the extremes that are widespread in Korean society, as proven by the following six classic films he has directed:

Memories of Murder (2003)

Two detectives are investigating a succession of rapes and homicides of women in a Korean hamlet as they look for a serial killer in this murder-mystery thriller starring Song Kang-ho and Kim Roi-ha. The fact-based film garnered numerous accolades, was hailed as one of the best South Korean films ever made, and received favorable scores from reviewers for its deftly woven humor, sarcasm, and criminality.

The Host (2006)

An American military pathologist’s careless act of throwing vials of formaldehyde into the Han River causes an extra-terrestrial beast to emerge and cause havoc. After killing countless people, the monster seeks out a vendor’s (Song Kang-ho’s) daughter (Go Ah-sung), who decides to protect her. Director Bong claims that a local newspaper article about a mutant fish with an S-shaped spine that was found in the Han River served as the inspiration for the movie and that it makes a political and allegorical argument about the US. The Host was screened at significant film festivals and won plenty of awards, including Best Film at the Asian Film Awards and the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

Mother (2009)

When the corpse of a slain young girl turns up, a widow (Kim Hye-ja) and her mentally challenged son’s (Won Bin’s) routine are upended. The son is implicated by plausible suspicion, and through the bungled police investigation, he is held accountable. The mother defends her child by using the law on her own after feeling duped by the legal system. The picture, which is dark, suspenseful, and another major accomplishment for the director, is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of Korean cinema.

Snowpiercer (2013)

Snowpiercer is a fascinating metaphor about the ramifications of a post-apocalyptic ice age that criticizes socioeconomic stratification. The story takes place on board the ‘Snowpiercer’ train and has received praise for its unique perspective and style. Having created a “Snowball Earth” as a result of an unsuccessful attempt to regulate global warming, it rounds the world carrying the last humans still alive. Curtis Everett, portrayed by Chris Evans, is the captain of the lower-class passengers at the back who rebel against the front-segment elite class.

Okja (2017)

The inhumane practices of the meat sector are the focus of the dark comedy Okja. The story revolves around a young girl, Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun), who adopts Okja, a bioengineered “super pig,” and who, after Okja is transferred to America, embarks on a rescue attempt to save the animal from the horrible mistreatment it endures in the meat industry. This critically acclaimed action adventure tells the poignant and profoundly touching tale of two species who bond and interact via the language of love.

Parasite (2019)

The 92nd Academy Awards saw Parasite win the top four prizes for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film making it the first film produced in a language other than English to achieve so. This was only one of the many honors the film received. It examines the friendship between the affluent Park family and the poor Kim family, who are looking for work under false pretenses. What emerges is a wry, vivid, and deftly crafted canvas of class animosity that makes overt references to the word ‘parasite,’ meaning an organism that coexists with or feeds on another species’ organism (its host) to gain nutrients.