Song Kang Ho And Bong Joon Ho Receive Recognition From Government After Success Of "Parasite"

“Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho and actor Song Kang Ho have been recognized for their work with Orders of Cultural Merit.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on December 19 that it has given the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (the second highest class of national cultural medals) to Bong Joon Ho and the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit (the fourth highest class) to Song Kang Ho. The awards were presented to them at the National Theater in Seoul that day.

Bong Joon Ho has been lauded for his contributions to the advancement of the Korean film industry. The director has created many films that are both acclaimed by critics and hits at the box office, including “The Host,” “Mother,” “Snowpiercer,” “Okja,” and most recently “Parasite.” He is known for his use of dark humor, suspense, and surprising mood shifts, and he is often applauded for addressing social issues through his films.

The director stated, “I’m very grateful and it’s an honor to be receiving an Order of Cultural Merit for ‘Parasite,’ which I made with the same calm mindset as I’ve had throughout my 20 years of working as a director. I will continue to calmly walk the path of making new creative works step by step, working in the same way as I always have.”

Song Kang Ho is one of Korea’s most famous A-list actors, with a filmography that includes popular movies such as “Joint Security Area,” “Secret Sunshine,” “Thirst,” “The Attorney,” “A Taxi Driver,” and many more. He’s worked together with Bong Joon Ho on films including “Memories of Murder,” “The Host,” “Snowpiercer,” and “Parasite.” He is the first Korean actor whose films have brought in a total of over 100 million theatergoers.

The actor said, “I feel that this Order of Cultural Merit is more than I deserve. As I’m receiving this as a representative of all the great producers and actors, I will treasure it more and be more grateful for it.”

“Parasite” received the top prize of the Palme D’or at the Cannes Festival this year, while it’s also been a box office hit, surpassing 10 million viewers in Korea and achieving success overseas as well. It has been included on the shortlist for International Feature Film for next year’s Academy Awards.

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