‘Parasite’ director Bong Joon Ho wins best director Oscar
Associated PressLOS ANGELES — Writer-director Bong Joon Ho made Oscar history Sunday night, capturing Oscars for best director and best international feature with his dark comic thriller, “Parasite,” the first South Korean film to win an Academy Award in any category. In addition to his director Oscar, Bong also shared the best original screenplay award with his “Parasite” co-writer Han Jin Won, while “Parasite” won the award for best picture. The best director category was not only one of the most competitive this year but also one of the most highly criticized for the fact that no women were nominated, including previous nominee Greta Gerwig, whose film “Little Women” was up for best picture. Only five women have been nominated for best director in the Oscars’ 92-year history and only one, Kathryn Bigelow, has won, for 2009’s “The Hurt Locker.” “Parasite’s” sweep was groundbreaking, however, in that no South Korean film had previously won an Oscar in any category.