Bong Joon Ho.

봉준호

Born 14 Sep 1969 Daegu, South Korea

Citizenship South Korea

Age 56 yr Today

TL;DR

At the 92nd Academy Awards, Parasite won Best Picture — the first for a non-English language film — along with Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Bong Joon Ho’s other films include Memories of Murder, The Host, Snowpiercer, and Okja. He studied sociology at Yonsei University and co-founded the film club Yellow Door.

At a glance.

STATS

Bong Joon Ho by the numbers — life, work, and family.

56 Age

32 Film credits

1 Book

7 Awards

1 Marriage

Family ties.

KIN · 3

The relatives of Bong Joon Ho — parents, partners, children, and siblings.

PARENTS: Park Soyeong Bong Sangkyun
SPOUSES: Jung Sun young

Who is Bong Joon Ho?

BIOGRAPHY

Bong Joon Ho — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

At Yonsei University in 1988, Bong Joon Ho studied sociology during a period of student activism. Born on September 14, 1969, in Daegu, South Korea, to Park Soyeong and Bong Sangkyun, he joined demonstrations and was tear-gassed. To pay for filmmaking, he sold doughnuts at the school cafeteria and bought a Hitachi video camera, which he hugged at night. He served two years in the South Korean military before returning to college in 1992. At Yonsei, he co-founded the film club Yellow Door, where he made short films and shot wedding videos to earn money.

Career

In 2000, Bong Joon Ho debuted with the black comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite, which gained a cult following. The crime thriller Memories of Murder in 2003, based on true events, marked his breakthrough. The monster film The Host in 2006 became a commercial success in South Korea. He directed the English-language films Snowpiercer in 2013 and Okja in 2017. At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Parasite premiered and won the Palme d’Or, the first for a South Korean film. At the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020, Parasite won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, becoming the first non-English language film to win Best Picture.

Personal life

Bong Joon Ho is married to Jung Sun young. He completed two years of compulsory military service before returning to college in 1992. He has spoken about buying his first video camera with money from selling doughnuts. He is described as reserved and intensely focused on his work.

Legacy

Parasite became the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020. Bong Joon Ho became the first South Korean to win Best Director, and only the second Asian director after Ang Lee. In 2020, Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People, and Bloomberg included him in the Bloomberg 50 list. His social themes and genre-mixing style inspired a new generation of South Korean filmmakers. He served as president of the jury at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in 2021. Bong Joon Ho brought Korean cinema to global prominence.

Filmography.

FILMS · 32

Browse the complete filmography of Bong Joon Ho — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

TV
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
TV
You Quiz on the Block
2018
TV
The Oscars
1953
TV
Nattering with Nah
2023
TV
Next Entertainment, Visionary
2021
TV
Modern Korea
2019
TV
Sohn's Questions
2024
Movie
Doomsday Book
2012
TV
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards
2018
Movie
Ari Ari the Korean Cinema
2012
Movie
Crush and Blush
2008
Movie
No Blood No Tears
2002
Movie
A Brave New World
2012
Movie
Mr. Kim Goes to the Cinema
2026

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Bibliography.

BOOKS · 1

Bong Joon Ho's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon
Parasite
by Bong Joon Ho

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 7

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Bong Joon Ho — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Palme d'Or
Academy Award for Best Director
Ho-Am Prize in the Arts
Officer of Arts and Letters
Grand Bell Awards
Academy Award for Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 3

A wall of memorable lines from Bong Joon Ho — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

It’s Fun for Me to Bury My Political and Social Comments Here and There in a Film.
My Movies Are Based in Genre, Which Is a Universal Language. Everybody Speaks It.
Wes Anderson’s Films Are Delightfully Strange and Endearing.

Did you know?

FACTS · 8

Little-known facts about Bong Joon Ho — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

Bong Joon Ho sold doughnuts at a school cafeteria to save money for his first video camera, a Hitachi model that he slept hugging. At Yonsei University, he co-founded the film club Yellow Door and made short films while earning money shooting wedding videos.
Bong Joon Ho is the second Asian director to win the Academy Award for Best Director, following Ang Lee.
Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho, won the Academy Award for Best Picture, becoming the first non-English language film to do so. It was also his only film nominated in that category.
At Yonsei University, where he enrolled in 1988 to study sociology, Bong Joon Ho participated in student democracy demonstrations and was frequently tear-gassed.
Bong Joon Ho is one of only ten directors to have won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for the same film, joining Billy Wilder, Leo McCarey, Francis Ford Coppola, James L. Brooks, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Peter Jackson, and Sean Baker.
Bong Joon Ho was the first Korean director to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
Before graduating, Bong Joon Ho completed a two-year compulsory military service, returning to college in 1992.
At the 78th Venice International Film Festival in 2021, Bong Joon Ho served as president of the Official Competition jury.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 35

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Bong Joon Ho.

When was Bong Joon Ho born?
Bong Joon Ho was born on September 14, 1969. He is 56 years old as of 2025.
Where was Bong Joon Ho born?
Bong Joon Ho was born in Daegu, South Korea. Daegu is a major city in the southeastern region of the country.
How old is Bong Joon Ho?
As of 2025, Bong Joon Ho is 56 years old. He was born on September 14, 1969.
What is Bong Joon Ho's height?
Bong Joon Ho stands at 6 feet 0 inches 1.82 meters. His height is noted in interviews.
What is Bong Joon Ho's nickname?
Bong Joon Ho is sometimes called Bong Tail. The nickname is a playful variation of his name used by fans.
What is Bong Joon Ho's native name?
In Korean, his name is written as 봉준호. This is the Hangul spelling of his full name.
What does Bong Joon Ho do for a living?
Bong Joon Ho is a writer, producer, and director of films. He is known for his work in South Korean cinema.
What nationality is Bong Joon Ho?
Bong Joon Ho is South Korean. He holds citizenship in South Korea.
What language does Bong Joon Ho speak?
Bong Joon Ho’s native language is Korean. He also speaks some English, as evidenced by his English-language films.
Who are Bong Joon Ho's parents?
Bong Joon Ho’s parents are Park Soyeong and Bong Sangkyun. His father was a professor and his mother was a poet.
Who is Bong Joon Ho married to?
Bong Joon Ho is married to Jung Sun young. They have been married for many years.
Does Bong Joon Ho have children?
Yes, Bong Joon Ho has one child, a daughter named Hyo-min Bong. He keeps his family life private.
Does Bong Joon Ho have siblings?
Yes, Bong Joon Ho has two siblings, including Ji-Hee Bong and Joon-soo Bong. He is the middle child.
Where did Bong Joon Ho go to university?
Bong Joon Ho attended Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. He enrolled in 1988.
What did Bong Joon Ho study in college?
Bong Joon Ho majored in sociology at Yonsei University. His studies brought him into the democracy movement of the time.
What major awards has Bong Joon Ho won?
Bong Joon Ho has won seven major awards: Palme d’Or, three Academy Awards Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Ho-Am Prize in the Arts, Officer of Arts and Letters, and Grand Bell Awards.
How many total awards has Bong Joon Ho won?
According to his IMDb page, Bong Joon Ho has won over 210 awards and received 347 nominations throughout his career.
How many Academy Awards has Bong Joon Ho won?
Bong Joon Ho won three Academy Awards for Parasite: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.
How many award nominations has Bong Joon Ho received?
Bong Joon Ho has received 347 award nominations total.
What is Bong Joon Ho's Instagram handle?
Bong Joon Ho’s Instagram handle is @agenreofone. He posts about film and behind-the-scenes content.
What are Bong Joon Ho's most famous films?
Bong Joon Ho directed Parasite, Memories of Murder, The Host, Snowpiercer, Okja, and Mother. These films achieved critical and commercial success.
What TV shows has Bong Joon Ho appeared on?
Bong Joon Ho has appeared on TV shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, You Quiz on the Block, and The Oscars. He also appears as a cameo in several films.
What was Bong Joon Ho's directorial debut?
Bong Joon Ho made his directorial debut with the black comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite in 2000. The film gained a cult following.
Which film won Bong Joon Ho a Palme d'Or?
Parasite won the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It was the first South Korean film to receive this honor.
What themes are common in Bong Joon Ho's films?
Bong Joon Ho’s films explore social themes, genre-mixing, black humor, and sudden tone shifts. He critiques class inequality and societal structures.
Did Bong Joon Ho serve in the military?
Yes, Bong Joon Ho served a two-year term in the South Korean military as part of compulsory service. He completed this before returning to college in 1992.
What is Bong Joon Ho's highest-grossing film?
Parasite is Bong Joon Ho’s highest-grossing film, earning over $260 million worldwide. It is also the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.
Has Bong Joon Ho directed any English-language films?
Yes, Bong Joon Ho directed Snowpiercer 2013 and Okja 2017, both mostly in English. These films expanded his international audience.
What is Bong Joon Ho's alias?
Bong Joon Ho is sometimes credited as Bong Joon ho, a slight variation in spelling. This alias appears in some international credits.
Is Bong Joon Ho an Oscar winner?
Yes, Bong Joon Ho is a three-time Oscar winner. He won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for Parasite at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Which other directors have won Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay for the same film?
Bong Joon Ho is one of only ten directors to achieve this feat. Others include Billy Wilder, Francis Ford Coppola, James L. Brooks, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Peter Jackson, Sean Baker, and Leo McCarey.
What was Bong Joon Ho's first camera?
Bong Joon Ho’s first video camera was a Hitachi model, which he bought with money from selling doughnuts. He said he slept hugging it.
How many Oscars did Parasite win?
Parasite won four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. Bong Joon Ho personally accepted three of them.
What is the film club Yellow Door?
Yellow Door is a filmmaking club co-founded by Bong Joon Ho while at Yonsei University. It was featured in the 2023 documentary Yellow Door: ’90s Lo-fi Film Club.
What role did Bong Joon Ho have at the Venice Film Festival?
In 2021, Bong Joon Ho served as president of the Official Competition jury at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, a major honor.