Parasite: Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar Winning phenomenon was first conceived as a play - Did you know?

Every filmmaker dreams of winning an Oscar and writing their name in history with golden letters. However, only a few manage to leave a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of the audience, ensuring they are remembered for many Oscars to come. Bong Joon Ho, the first Asian filmmaker to bring an Asian movie to the main stage and win in the main category, made history with Parasite, a piece of art both alarming and marvelous in its execution. The film dominated the Oscars, winning almost all the trophies it was nominated for and making an indelible mark. But did you know the movie was initially conceived as a play?

Parasite Was Conceived As A Play

Released in 2019, Parasite was one of the year's biggest films, making a significant impact at award shows worldwide and excelling at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie, set in the 'Eat The Rich' genre, tells the story of a family of have-nots infiltrating a wealthy household for their benefit, only to discover a dark secret beneath the posh mansion. Interestingly, Bong Joon Ho first envisioned this story as a play.

Before embarking on Parasite, Bong Joon Ho was busy with his cult classic Snowpiercer, another beloved film. During this time, a theater actor friend approached him to write a play, prompting Bong to consider stories that could be told with limited staging. This opportunity allowed him to turn his tutoring experience into a film.

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It could be done mostly in just two homes, Bong explains, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But I thought a lot of fascinating cinematic elements could come out of it because in reality, the rich and poor so rarely mix together. They’re always separated. But when you’re working as a tutor or a housekeeper, you’re in the most private spaces, and both sides are brought together in such intimacy.

After finishing Snowpiercer, Bong developed a 15-page treatment for the first half of Parasite and convinced Korean studios Barunson E&A and CJ Entertainment to back his project with a $12 million budget. While making Netflix’s Okja, he handed over the Parasite treatment to his production assistant from Snowpiercer and tasked him with compiling research. Bong made it seem like it would be a light and easy project, just a couple of hours of research a day while he worked on Okja, said Han. In a good way, he sort of fooled me. Once I got started, I was basically working on it every moment that I wasn’t sleeping.

Parasite is now streaming on SonyLIV in India and can be watched with an OTTplay Premium subscription. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

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