South Korean directorBong Joon - hostarted in the industry with various fishgig as a cinematographer , lighting technician , and maker of short film before breaking through with his first feature - distance picture show , skin Dogs Never Bite , in 2000 . Since then , Bong has install himself as one of South Korea ’s most gifted filmmakers , and his releases have ranked as some of the nation ’s highest - gross movies , and eventually , the country ’s first Oscar win for Best Picture .

Bong ’s consistency of body of work spans a wide range of genres – from dingy funniness and crime thriller to creature feature of speech and action sci - fi — yethis genre - mashing movies often defy easy categorization . He affect critic with his horror movieThe Hostand then showed he could create a brute feature film that was also a heartwarming sci - fi film inOkja . However , when he acquire Best Picture forParasite — the first non - English - language movie to make headway that honor — he proved why he remains one of Hollywood ’s most compelling directors .

8Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

Bong Joon-ho’s Debut Film

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Bong Joon - ho ’s first picture show , skin Dogs Never Bite , is a black clowning that follow a frustrated , unemployed academic ( Lee Sung - jae)driven to drastic measures by the incessant barking of a neighbor ’s hound . However , when a woman who works at his apartment complex ( Bae Doona ) begins to get report card about missing dog , she decides to investigate the affair . It might not be Bong at his very good , but it ’s nevertheless an assured and impressive debut .

Bong Joon - ho is a maestro of the sci - fi and thriller genre . Here are a few similar movies that might stir devotee of the South Korean music director .

rooter of Bong might recognise Bae Doona . She returned to work with the director inThe Hostin 2006 and also starred in Park Chan - wook’sSympathy for Mr. Vengeance . The picture show has the twists and turns that Bong ’s fans have come to expectwhile also maintaining its heart and a sense of realism that nothing is ever as good as the characters might have hoped in the end . While a box seat post loser , it still has an 88 % Rotten Tomatoes nock .

Parasite, Godzilla and similar movies in a side by side collage.

7Okja (2017)

A Girl Wants To Save Her Genetically Enhanced Super-Pig

A weird and wonderful tale about the bond between a new South Korean girl and her genetically modify super - pig , Okja , is Bong Joon - ho ’s sixth film . The movie mix illusion , fairy narration , and satire in a story that sees the Mirando Corporation give farmers genetically - enhanced pigs to rear on their farms , and one will get the title of best pig . However , when a girlfriend name Mija develops a alliance for her pig , only to learn Mirando Corporation will slaughter it after the competition , she fructify out to find a way to save it .

Unbliuke many of Bong’sfilms , this one was loose as a Netflix exclusive in the United States and has a high 87 % fresh Rotten Tomatoes score .

There is a lot of societal messaging in this film , as a group call in the Animal Liberation Front is fighting to pull through the beast but have been deemed terrorists by the government . Okjaboasts vainglorious - name talents like Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano butsuffers somewhat from a jumbled toneand a wildly over - the - top performance from Jake Gyllenhaal . Unbliuke many of Bong’sfilms , this one was released as a Netflix scoop in the United States and has a high 87 % fresh Rotten Tomatoes score .

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6Snowpiercer (2013)

Post-Apocalyptic Thriller On A Frozen Earth

Sci - fi activity flickSnowpierceris a true external picture . It was Bong Joon - ho ’s first English - speech film and is found on the French graphic novelLe Transperceneigeby Jacques Lob . The motion picture is set in a future ravaged by a 2d ice agein which the last survive phallus of human race have been cram into a constantly moving railroad train segregate by social class . Its message can be a little heavily - handed , butSnowpierceris still a splendid contribution to dystopian movie house .

Academy Award - winning director , Bong Joon - ho , is most renowned for his picture show Parasite . Here ’s a comparison to another notable movie of his , Snowpiercer .

The cast is incredible , with Chris Evans , Tilda Swinton , Jamie Bell , Octavia Spencer , Ed Harris , John Hurt , and many more . The film also has the social messages that Bong likes to put into his cinema , as the main storyline sees the " tailies " ( the working year ) fighting to move forward to obtain good handling and the middle and upper family fighting to hold them back . The movie was a outstanding post - apocalyptic story , but more fans might know the TV show better , which played out for four season .

Parasite Black and White Color

5The Host (2006)

Bong Joon-Ho’s Giant Monster Movie

Released eight years before Godzilla returned to American movie house , Bong Joon - ho proved that elephantine monster movies could still work as long as they kept the focus on the people trying to live . The Hostsees a mutate beast emerge from Seoul ’s Han River to play havoc on the cityand follow one father ’s attempt to save his daughter from its clutches . The film then follows this Padre and his family as they attempt to abide alive as this animate being kills and consumes anyone it find out on a path of end .

It ’s more than just a creature feature film , however . Inspired by real - life pollution problems in Seoul , The Hostis also infuse with plenty of political critique .

It also just so happens to be one of Quentin Tarantino ’s best-loved movies ( viaComcast).The Hostwas a strike run into in South Korea , one of the highest - grossing movie in the state ’s history , and it was the first Bong film to pick up worldwide attending , help him become a sought - after manager .

A montage of Parasite, Mickey 17, and Okja

Original SR Image by Shawn S. Lealos.

4Mother (2009)

A Mother Searches For A Killer

After setting the worldly concern on fire with his giant monster movie , Bong Joon - ho dialed thing back for a neo - noir thriller about a widow woman whose son was accuse of murder based on his intellectual disability . She consider he is willing to defend himself butdoes not believe he is shamefaced of committing the murder he ’s been accuse of . As a issue , she sets out to find the real murderer to clear her son ’s name , putting her own life in peril along the way .

This bears a strong law of similarity to Bong ’s late movieParasite , which shows how far a kinsperson would go to protect each other , even if it means otherwise good people would do terrible thing to enshroud the truth . With themes of love , acceptance , and protective cover , there are plenty of twists and rick , although this film miss the drear humor of the manager ’s other feature article . Critics praisedMother , awarding it a 96 % Fresh musical score on Rotten Tomatoes .

3Memories Of Murder (2003)

A Biopic About Serial Killer Lee Choon-Jae

Bong Joon - ho ’s second feature article , Memories of Murder , was the movie that really put him on the map , and it ’s not intemperate to see why . inhale by the case of South Korea ’s first nonparallel sea wolf ( Lee Choon - jae ) , the film centers on two mismatched detectives ( Song Kang - ho and Kim Sang - kyung ) trying to solve a series of grisly execution in a small , rural town . Tense and stalk with stunning filming , it ’s been described as South Korea ’s reply toZodiac .

This helped it get an outside expiration , make $ 12 million at the box office , show that Bog was a rise virtuoso behind the camera .

Memories of Murdergot its initial release in 2003 in South Korea and quickly received critical plaudits for the screenplay , which Bong co - wrote with Shim Sung - bo . This serve it get an international release , pass water $ 12 million at the box berth , show that Bog was a rising principal behind the camera . It has since become a cult film and has an impressive 95 % invigorated score on Rotten Tomatoes , with critics praising its social caustic remark and funniness .

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2Mickey 17 (2025)

A Sci-Fi Movie About Cloning

Mickey 17is Bong Joon - ho ’s follow - up to his Oscar - winningParasite . However , if anyone thought Bong was going to bet it safe , they were sorely mistaken . Robert Pattinson stars as a wretched mankind on the ladder named Mickey who signs up for a mission off Earth , but he ends up signing up to be an Expendable , which stand for he will do the serious missions , break down every clip , and then get brought back as a clone . However , when Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 both end up alive simultaneously , they find their aliveness are legitimately in danger .

Like most of his previous movies , this is a social caustic remark that has very dark humor spread throughout . Critics praised Robert Pattinson ’s comedic timing in the film , and it might be fourth dimension for the worker to take on a full comedy purpose in the future tense . kudos also went to Bong , who perfectly juggled the drollery , the societal messaging , and the action , let in creating his first bighearted monsters sinceThe boniface , although with a very different outcome .

1Parasite (2019)

A Poor Family Scams A Wealthy Family With Disastrous Results

Parasiteis Bong Joon - ho at the height of his vocation — at least for now . dexterously mixing blackened drollery , social commentary , and suspense , Parasiteis an example in layered storytelling that follows a lower - class South Korean family as they introduce themselves into the lives of a wealthier menage with disastrous consequences . While things seem to be survive well for the low - course fellowship , when they discover secrets obliterate under the wealthy family ’s base , slaying and conjuration follow .

Bong Joon - Ho ’s Parasite has received a inglorious and lily-white version after its Best Picture winnings at the Oscars , and it ’s like take in a different movie .

Not only isParasiteuniversally acclaimed , but it ’s also the only non - English - language motion-picture show to make headway Best Picture at the Oscars . In all , Parasitereceived six nominations , winning Best Picture , Best Director , Best Original Screenplay , and Best International Feature Film . It was also a massive boxwood office succeeder , making $ 258 million on an $ 11.4 million budget , and it reach the room access forBong Joon - hoto basically choose his next projects for the time being .

Headshot Of Bae Doona

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Okja Movie Poster

Headshot Of Steven Yeun IN The 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards

Snowpiercer

Headshot Of Chris Evans

Headshot Of Jamie Bell

The Host Movie Poster Showing a Monster’s Arm Grabbing a Woman and Pulling her Into the Ocean

Headshot Of Song Kang-ho

Mother (2009) - Poster

Memories of Murder - Poster

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Headshot Of Robert Pattinson In The Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 show

Headshot Of Naomi Ackie

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