Bong Joon Ho: Power and Paradox

Coinciding with the release of the hotly anticipated new film Mickey 17, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre UK the BFI celebrates the work of Bong Joon Ho.

One of the most influential filmmakers of the 21st Century Bong Joon Ho is a titan of Korean cinema. Bong’s films span everyday life and the realms of alternative or futuristic worlds, and manage to balance critical acclaim with commercial heft. Shot through with themes of power through paradox, where control meets chaos, and the intertwining of humour with horror, his films lay bare the intricacy of societal systems in gripping ways.

This month-long season showcases all of Bong’s feature films to date: Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), Memories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006), Mother (2009), Snowpiercer (2013), Okja (2017), and Parasite (2019), plus his new film Mickey 17 which will also be screening at the BFI IMAX.