‘Parasite’ Director Bong Joon Ho Reveals How Hollywood Can Respond to Anti-Asian Racism
By Grace Kim
Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho addressed the rise of anti-Asian violence during his virtual Master Class at Chapman University’s Dodge College in Orange, California.
The “Parasite” director said to the class that Hollywood should respond to the ongoing social injustices by sharing stories that overcome these issues through film.
“Creators and filmmakers can be bolder with dealing with issues and they shouldn’t be afraid to confront them,” he said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
He noted through a translator that being in South Korea, away from the violence that Asian Americans have been facing, has made him view things as an outsider.
“But as someone who is a part of mankind, as a person, it’s quite fearful to watch the hate crimes against Asian-Americans and the BLM movement,” he added.
Using Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing,” as an example, Bong went on to say that creators can challenge these social issues “not necessarily to predict what will happen in society, but to use your insight to portray the issues that are currently boiling underneath the surface of society that can explode later on.”
He explained how he hoped to accomplish this goal in “Parasite.”
“[‘Parasite’] talks about the haves and have-nots of our current society. It began with a question of ‘what does it mean to be poor or rich in our current times?’ As creators and artists, you sort of have to see through the essence and the central questions in our society through the days that you live through and send a reply to those questions through your work,” he said.
The virtual Masterclass can be viewed on YouTube.
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