Photo: Kevin Paul / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bong Joon-ho is a film director, screenwriter and politician, born on September 14, 1969 in Daegu, South Korea. As of 2026, Bong Joon-ho is 56 years old. Schooling on record includes Yonsei University. Awards on record include Palme d'Or (2019), Academy Award for Best Director (2020), Ho-Am Prize in the Arts and 4 more. Credited works include Memories of Murder, Snowpiercer and Okja.
My Take
Bong Joon-ho is, for my money, the most reliable storyteller in contemporary cinema. From the haunting Memories of Murder to the chaos of The Host and Snowpiercer, he kept refining a voice that finally exploded with Parasite, which pulled off the near-impossible feat of winning both the Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Picture. What I admire most is how seamlessly he folds biting class commentary into pure entertainment, then yanks the tone from comedy to horror in a single beat. He dragged Korean film to the center of the world stage yet wears it all with disarming lightness. I show up for every release he makes.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bong Joon-ho
- Name (Japanese)
- ポン・ジュノ
- Reading
- ぽん・じゅの
- Born
- September 14, 1969 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Rooster
- Origin
- Daegu, South Korea
- Occupation
- film director / screenwriter / politician / television producer / director
2. Background
- University
- Yonsei University
Awards & achievements
- 2019 Palme d'Or
- 2020 Academy Award for Best Director
- Ho-Am Prize in the Arts
- 2016 Officer of Arts and Letters
- Grand Bell Awards
- 2020 Academy Award for Best Picture
- 2020 Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Memories of Murder | — | |
| Notable work | Snowpiercer | — | |
| Notable work | Okja | — | |
| Notable work | Parasite | — | |
| Notable work | The Host | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bong%20Joon%20Ho
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9D%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A5%E3%83%8E
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q495980
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Bong Joon-ho born?
Born September 14, 1969 (age 56).
Where is Bong Joon-ho from?
Bong Joon-ho is from Daegu, South Korea.
What does Bong Joon-ho do?
Bong Joon-ho works as film director, screenwriter, politician, television producer, director.
What is Bong Joon-ho known for?
Notable works include Memories of Murder, Snowpiercer, Okja.
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