Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

"Parasite" Just Made Oscars History, Becoming The First Foreign-Language Film To Win Best Picture

The South Korean black comedy has been a huge word of mouth hit. Now, it has scored Hollywood’s top prize.
The South Korean film Parasite earned the top prize at Sunday’s Academy Awards in Hollywood, making Oscar history by becoming the first ever foreign-language film to win Best Picture.

The film also took home Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film.

“I'm ready to drink tonight,” joked director Bong Joon-ho during one of his acceptance speeches.

The black comedy Parasite tells the story of the poor Kim family, who scheme their way into service jobs with the wealthier Park family, only to make several shocking discoveries about the Park’s modernist mansion.

A blood-soaked satire of class tensions and climate change, the movie has proved a hit around the world, taking in more than $100 million worldwide. “The story is very universal,” Bong told Variety in a recent interview. “It’s a story about rich and poor. But maybe there is something more.”

Sunday’s win caps off a remarkable year for Parasite. In 2019, it became the first South Korean movie to win the Palme d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. It also won the top Screen Actors Guild Award for best cast in a motion picture.

In addition to being the first Korean film to ever earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, Parasite is only the sixth film ever to be nominated in both that category and Best International Feature Film. Just last year, the Netflix film Roma also achieved this feat but failed to take home the night’s top prize.

Bong himself also made history earlier on Sunday night, becoming the first Korean to take home the Best Director trophy.

“Just to be nominated was a huge honor,” he told the audience. “I never thought I would win.”

“I will drink until next morning,” he joked.

Before his win on Sunday, Bong told Variety he hoped his nominations would draw Westerners’ attention to cinema in his home country.

“Korean cinema has a long history. There are many masters that have yet to be introduced to the Western audience,” he said. “It would be great if people take more interest in Korean cinema due to my nomination.”

Last month, Bong announced that he and director Adam McKay would adapt Parasite for HBO as a six-hour limited series. The director told the Wrap that the extended runtime will allow him to tell “hidden stories” he was not able to depict on the big screen due to the film’s two-hour runtime. It’s not clear yet whether the new project will be in English or Korean.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×