BEHIND THE “PARAISTE” SYNDROME

[Anchor Lead]

Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho is the second person thus far to win four Oscars at once after Walt Disney, who achieved the feat in 1954. The groundbreaking success of "Parasite" is largely the result of the ardent support of young movie fans from around the world.

[Pkg]

When director Bong Joon-ho's name was called out and he took the stage he made sure to express his deep respect for his senior colleague also nominated for the award.

[Soundbite] BONG JOON-HO(DIRECTOR OF "PARASITE")

Bong's witty remarks aroused laughter in the audience.

[Soundbite] BONG JOON-HO(DIRECTOR OF "PARASITE")

After the award ceremony, the filmmaker was seen joking around with the cast. He grabbed the Oscars spotlight with his humility and excellent sense of humor. A U.S. magazine wrote, "Bong’s speech seemed genuine and heartfelt, which made it all the more electrifying to watch live." Each time "Parasite" was announced, images showing young people from various parts of the globe whooping and cheering on Bong Joon-ho were shown one by one. It was the generation of millennials and Generation Z that created the Bong Joon-ho sensation. Tech-savvy and open to foreign cultures, these ardent fans dubbed "the Bong Hive" had been cheering on Bong Joon-ho on social media even before the Oscars night, and played a pivotal role in the box-office success of "Parasite." When former U.S. President Barack Obama mentioned "Parasite" as one of the best movies of 2019 on Twitter, Bong Joon-ho's fans were elated to know that Obama was one of them. The filmmaker's humble yet funny and open-minded personality has earned him a massive fan base around the world.

[Soundbite] KIM HEON-SHIK(POPULAR CULTURE CRITIC) : "It's a generation that finds joy in accepting things passionately and publicizing them widely. That's the reason Bong Joon-ho was able to become a star among young people from around the world."

It was the young digital generation of Bong Joon-ho's fans who changed Oscars history.