‘Parasite’ Wins Five Prizes at Korea’s Grand Bell Awards

Bong Joon-ho’s multi-Oscar winning “Parasite” keeps winning. A year after its triumphant Cannes debut, the film took home five trophies at Korea’s Daejong Awards (a.k.a Grand Bell Awards) held in Seoul on Wednesday.

Awards included best film; best director for Bong; best supporting actress for Lee Jung-eun; best script for Bong and Han Jin-won; and best original music score for Jung Jae-il. The awards ceremony was held without public audience, due to coronavirus prevention measures.

“I miss the audiences that were filling up the cinemas [for “Parasite” at this time last year],” said “Parasite” producer Kwak Sin-ae as she accepted the best film prize. “I hope we can overcome the hard time and meet again, with cinema screens in front of us.”

Best actor and actress went to Lee Byung-hun for disaster drama “Ashfall” and Jung Yu-mi for feminist drama “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982,” respectively. It was the third time that Lee has won the best actor award.

“ ’Ashfall’ is a disaster flick, but I’ve come to think that the real world in which we are living today is more like a disaster than ever before,” said Lee. “It has been a long while since we last went to cinema and watched a movie.”

Best new director went to internationally acclaimed indie drama “House of Humming Bird” director Kim Bo-ra. Best new actor and actress prizes were picked up by Jung Hae-in (“Tune in for Love”) and Jeon Yeo-been (“After My Death”).