By Song Hyeongguk
26.05.2019
[Bong Junho’s new film, Parasite, has won the top prize, the Palme D’Or, at the Cannes Film Festival.]
The Cannes Film Festival ended today (26th) at dawn and here last night. But excitement is still at fever pitch. I’m currently in front of Lumiere Grand Theatre, the main screening centre of the film festival, and the atmosphere has still not yet calmed down. Director Bong Junho and star of Parasite, Song Gangho, met with reporters immediately after the award. Bong said, “I am really glad to be able to act with Gangho, who has been a compatriot of mine for the last 17 years. I did not realise that I felt like I was in a fantasy film. Song said that the win was possible due the support, encouragement and backing provided by Korean film fans.
Parasite has won big at Cannes in response to the fun of the film’s genre trappings and the flawless execution of the work. But exactly what kind of movie is it? It seems that the reason why the movie ” satisfied the audience of here of international viewers is because the film gained favourable responses by touching on issues related to social inequality and the gap between rich and poor. The majority of the audience who watched the movie found similarities with the situation in their own country. As a result, universality and speciality have been incorporated into one work, and it can be interpreted as capturing world film fans and officials. Bong’s work includes a lot of movies that have a lot of fun with social messages and so on. His body of work has involved telling the stories of the powerless. In particular he has studied the next generation, the situation of children and young people, and this work Parasite also deals with the struggles of young people. The film’s efforts to go beyond the expectations of audiences and suck them into the film, through its genre, suspense and humour, has gained Bong many fans across the world.
After this screening of Parasite [at Cannes], the expression “Bong Junho’s genre” was born here in this foreign country, and his film life has reached a peak.
Analysis: This news coverage brings new meaning to the term “puff piece”, and is notable for the awkward exchange between the anchor and location reporter as they dissect Parasite‘s appeal for the judges (summary: it’s a good film with prescient themes). Let’s not be churlish – this is the first time a Korean film has won the prestigious Palme d’Or, so it’s only natural that Koreans are intensely interested. I’m looking forward to seeing the film myself.