As Korean cinema marked its centennial last year, director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” won the country’s first Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, opening a new chapter in Korean cinema.

Bong continues to write history, clinching the first Golden Globe for a Korean film. ”Parasite“ also became thefirst film to win at the BAFTA Film Awards, winning the best film not in English and best original screenplay. “Parasite” now awaits the results of this year’s Academy Awards where it has nabbed six nominations, including best picture, best director, best international feature film, best original screenplay, best editing and best production design.

With the hopes high for a first nod from Oscar for Korean film, here’s a look back at some of the notable achievements by Korean movies in the global cinema scene. 



“The Coachman” by Kang Dae-jin
1961 Berlin International Film Festival 
Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize

“To the Last Day” by Shin Sang-ok
1962 Berlin International Film Festival
Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize

“The Surrogate Woman” by Im Kwon-taek
1987 Venice International Film Festival
Best actress - Kang Soo-yeon

“Adada” by Im Kwon-taek
1988 Montreal World Film Festival
Best actress - Shin Hye-soo

“Come Come Come Upward” by  Im Kwon-taek
1989 Moscow International Film Festival
Best actress - Kang Soo-yeon

“Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?” by Bae Yong-kyun
1989 Locarno International Film Festival
Golden Leopard

“Silver Stallion” by Jang Kil-su
1991 Montreal World Film Festival
Best actress - Lee Hye-sook, Best Screenplay

“I Will Survive” by Yoon Sam-yook
1993 Moscow International Film Festival
Best actor - Lee Deok-hwa

“Hwa-Om-Kyung” by Jang Sun-woo
1994 Berlin International Film Festival
Alfred Bauer Prize

“The Day a Pig Fell into the Well” by Hong Sang-soo
1997 International Film Festival Rotterdam
Tiger Award

“Painted Fire” by Im Kwon-taek
2002 Cannes Film Festival
Best director

“Oasis” by Lee Chang-dong
2002 Venice International Film Festival
Silver Lion for best direction, Marcello Mastroianni Award - Moon So-ri

“Save the Green Planet!” by Jang Joon-hwan
2003 Moscow International Film Festival
Silver St. George for best director

“Samaritan Girl” by Kim Ki-duk
2004 Berlin International Film Festival
Silver Bear for best director

“Oldboy” by Park Chan-wook
2004 Cannes Film Festival
Grand Prix

“3-Iron” by Kim Ki-duk
2004 VeniceFilm Festival
Silver Lion for best direction

“Secret Sunshine” by Lee Chang-dong
2007 Cannes Film Festival
Best actress - Jeon Do-yeon

“Thirst” by Park Chan-wook
2009 Cannes Film Festival
Jury prize

“Poetry” by Lee Chang-dong
2010 Cannes Film Festival
Best screenplay

“Pieta” by Kim Ki-duk
2012 Venice International Film Festival
Golden Lion

“On the Beach at Night Alone” by Hong Sang-soo
2017 Berlin International Film Festival
Silver Bear for best actress - Kim Min-hee

“Parasite” by Bong Joon-ho
2019 Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or
2020 Golden Globe best foreign language film
2020 EE British Film Academy Awards best film not in the English language, best original screenplay