What is Bong Joon Ho Known for Besides 2019's Parasite?

Summary

• Bong Joon Ho's career spans 24 years and 8 feature films.
• Despite his fame, the filmmaker lives modestly in an apartment in Seoul.
• Bong Joon Ho immersed himself in the problems of Korean society while still a student.

In 2019, the South Korean dark comedy thriller Parasite wowed audiences with its angst-ridden narrative about the harsh realities of class inequality, capturing the desperate attempts of impoverished Koreans to overthrow the obliviously wealthy elite. The film's writing, acting, direction, and cinematography have led to prestigious international awards and high scores on review aggregators (for example, the film boasts a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).

And while the film's director, co-screenwriter, and co-producer, Bong Joon Ho, has certainly been a recognizable Korean filmmaker for years, it was Parasite that broke his name into the mainstream. But don't write off his previous works, because his filmography is full of highly acclaimed movies, each of which is worth a look on its own.

Bong Joon Ho's Impressive Filmography

Although Bong Joon Ho took his first steps into filmmaking back in the 1990s, working on various short projects in one capacity or another, his full-fledged directorial debut came in 2000, and since then his portfolio has grown to include eight feature films that he has directed and written. Let's check out his filmography and then take a closer look at some of his work:

• Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)
• Memories of Murder (2003)
• The Host (2006)
• Mother (2009)
• Snowpiercer (2013)
• Okja (2017)
• Parasite (2019)
• Mickey 17 (2025)

His debut feature was the dark comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite. The movie remained little known to Western audiences, but it was incredibly well received in Korea. Moreover, it became the second feature film in the career of the incomparable Bae Doona.

Next was Memories of Murder, a crime thriller starring Song Kang Ho and Kim Sang Kyung based on the infamous Hwaseong serial murders. The movie placed great emphasis on the corruption and incompetence of the Korean police, who were unable to catch the killer. Snowpiercer and Okja were Bong Joon Ho's first internationally produced films.

Combining the filmmaker's wit with the performances of international movie stars, the movies have become as critically acclaimed as Parasite. Also due out in 2025 is Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo.

Where Does Bong Joon Ho Live

The famous Korean filmmaker was born in Daegu, South Korea, but soon moved with his family to Seoul, where he still resides. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he is worth $30 million, but according to Bong, he lives quite modestly:

'I live in an apartment on the ninth floor. In terms of size, it's probably around a quarter of the size of the house in the movie [Parasite]. Of course, my films did make a lot of money, but I don't know if you could call me rich if you just look at my place in society.'

Bong Joon Ho — How to Pronounce

Korean names are usually written beginning with the surname and ending with the first name, so it is correct to refer to him as Bong rather than Joon Ho. His surname is not pronounced as a homophone for smoking device, but with the 'o' closer to the vowel in words like 'own' or 'oh'. In the name, however, 'Joon' should be pronounced as 'June', and 'Ho' should also be pronounced with an 'o' as in 'oh'.

Where Did Bong Joon Ho Go to College

It was the student protest movement that politicized Bong, and since then pressing social issues have been the leitmotif of his films. From 1990 to 1992, the future director did his military service and upon his return, he graduated in 1995.

Source: Guardian.