The Korean film “Parasite” has already made history, becoming the first Asian movie to ever win the top prize of Best Ensemble at the SAG Awards and the first Korean film to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
This week, we’re talking to Bong Joon Ho, director of “Parasite,” which also has six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best International Film. No foreign-language film has ever won Best Picture -- yet.
“Parasite” tells the tale of two families, the wealthy Parks and the poor but enterprising Kims. When the Kims’ college-aged son lands a promising job as a tutor for the Parks, he soon figures out ways to con the Parks into giving jobs to other members of his family, without actually disclosing that they’re related to him.
The movie contrasts the cramped underground basement where the Kims live with the fabulous ultramodern home of the Park family, though that seemingly immaculate and airy house holds some dark secrets.
When Bong Joon Ho joined us in the studio with his translator Sharon Choi, we asked him about his face-off with Harvey Weinstein over cuts to his 2013 film “Snowpiercer.” He explains why that experience led him to make “Okja” for Netflix, even though he prefers to watch films in theaters. And he shares his thinking behind the planned “Parasite” TV series. Plus, for fans of the film, Joon Ho tells us there’s a book version of his storyboards he created for the movie coming to the U.S. soon.