Martin Scorsese Sent Bong Joon-Ho An Emotional Post-Oscars Letter
One of the world's most famous directors has officially joined the #Bonghive.
After Bong Joon-ho's momentous, universally acclaimed film Parasite surged ahead of a crowded field to become the first non-English language film to ever win the Academy Award for Best Picture, the South Korean director has been the talk of Hollywood. With an upcoming HBO series adaptation — produced by Bong himself alongside Adam McKay — and a new record for the most Oscars won by one person at a single ceremony (thanks to statues for Best Original Screenplay, Best International Film, and Best Director), Bong is on top of the world. As if that wasn't enough, he's also earned a hugely influential new fan in the process.
During a recent press conference in the wake of Parasite's historic win (via IndieWire), Bong revealed that none other than Martin Scorsese reached out to him after the 2020 Oscars ceremony on February 9. Scorsese penned a letter to Bong, marking what may turn out to be an enduring friendship between these immeasurably talented directors.
Here's what Scorsese had to say to Hollywood's new favorite director.
Martin Scorsese told Bong Joon-ho to relax for just a bit
As reported by IndieWire, Bong opened up at a South Korean press conference about the personal letter he received from Scorsese — which must have been an incredible moment for the South Korean auteur, even on top of his multiple Academy Awards.
Though the director confirmed that he "got a letter from Martin Scorsese," Bong still played things close to the chest. When pressed about everything the letter said, he responded, "I can't tell you what the letter said because it's something personal. But towards the end he wrote, 'You've done well. Now rest. But don't rest for too long.' He continued by saying how he and other directors were waiting for my next movie."
This marks yet another significant interaction between Bong and the Irishman director, whom the former has referred to as one of his cinematic heroes. During Bong's acceptance speech at the Academy Awards, he said that he always carries one of Scorsese's most enduring quotes with him throughout his life — specifically, "the most personal is the most creative" — which earned a rousing standing ovation for a visibly touched Scorsese.
Earlier during awards season, in the midst of an acceptance speech at the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Foreign Language Film, Bong acknowledged how "surreal" it was to be speaking in front of Scorsese, peppering his speech with references to Scorsese masterpieces like Raging Bull and Goodfellas.
Bong Joon-ho's big future
Beyond the fact that Parasite – which Bong wrote, directed, and produced — was universally adored by critics and fans alike, Bong's sheer likability has propelled him to the top of Hollywood's directorial A-list. Thus, it's no no surprise that Scorsese is being so friendly. Throughout an incredibly competitive awards season, Bong won accolade after accolade, and eventually became an Internet darling – inspiring memes thanks to memorable acceptance speeches (especially that unforgettable moment where the director announced that he planned to "drink until the next morning" after the 2020 Academy Awards) and an undeniable level of charm.
As far as Bong's next project is concerned, beyond his upcoming collaboration with McKay and HBO, he has a few more mysterious irons in the fire. Back in October 2019, when Parasite started making serious headlines, Bong sat down with Collider and said he has two future films in the works — one in English and one in Korean. The English film, which would follow Bong's previous English-language projects Snowpiercer and Okja, will be a "realistic drama." The Korean one will skew towards horror.
Beyond Bong, another familiar face associated with Parasite is set to make her mark in Hollywood. Sharon Choi, Bong's translator who stood by his side during the entire awards season, is a director as well, and reportedly wants to write a feature film about awards season itself.
People have a lot to say about Bong Joon-ho
Scorsese isn't the only Academy Award favorite who's a big fan of Bong. During his acceptance speech for Best Director at the 2020 Oscars, Bong pointed to Quentin Tarantino as one of his biggest supporters over the years. Tarantino has regularly listed Bong's films as amongst his favorites, even comparing Bong to Steven Spielberg back in 2013 at the Busan International Film Festival.
Despite overwhelming adoration, Bong inspired some odd political fervor thanks to his Parasite win. During a recent campaign rally, President Trump voiced his extreme disappointment that a South Korean film won Best Picture, saying that the Academy should have celebrated Gone with the Wind instead. (In fact, the Academy did just that... in 1940, when the Civil War epic won Best Picture.)
Apart from any detractors, it's clear that with several history-making Academy Awards under his belt, the sky's the limit for Bong — especially with the support of heavyweights like Scorsese behind him.