If there was ever a lock at this year’s Oscars, it was likely the fact that Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” was going to win the Best International Feature at the awards ceremony. But then it didn’t happen…kidding. It definitely happened.
As almost everyone expected, Director Bong secured an Oscar win for his latest film “Parasite,” besting his category contemporaries, including “Corpus Christi,” “Honeyland,” “Les Misérables,” and “Pain and Glory.” If there was any chance that an upset might occur, it would have been for Pedro Almodovar’s “Pain and Glory.” That film received incredible acclaim, and at least around these parts, has fans that feel that it’s a better film than “Parasite.” Alas, tonight was all about Bong’s film.
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The Oscar win is yet another in a long list of major awards “Parasite” has received since it debuted as last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Right off the bat, the film earned Cannes’ top honor, the Palme d’Or, securing its place amongst the best films of the year pretty early in 2019. From there, awards season played out as many predicted, with “Parasite” earning awards at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, SAG Awards, and WGA Awards.
In addition to its critical acclaim, including tonight’s Oscar, the biggest feather in the cap of Director Bong might actually be the box office performance of the film. Not only are foreign-language films a tough sell in North American theaters, but South Korean films, in particular, have never had much crossover success over here. That changed with “Parasite,” as the film not only has earned $35.4 million domestically, but it actually became the biggest hit for its distributor, NEON. Worldwide, the film has earned a respectable $165 million, proving that “Parasite” is a win no matter what metric you use.