The Academy Museum in Los Angeles has announced that it will open the first exhibition dedicated to Korean film director Bong Joon Ho. Internationally acclaimed for his dark and jarring movies, Bong Joon Ho is the second to be featured in the Director's Inspiration series, which juxtaposes a director's filmography with the cinematic influences that marked their output.

Bong Joon Ho's cinematic narratives touch upon sensitive issues which transcend national boundaries: class disparities caused by unrestrained capitalism, social injustice, the unfolding environmental crisis, and more. These and other issues are navigated by his protagonists – ordinary people who have to contend with the absurd paradoxes of modern life.

Bong Joon Ho, Parasite, 2019. Courtesy of the artist.

The exhibition will display over 100 original items from the director's archive and personal collection, including storyboards, research materials, on-set photographs, props, creature models and film posters. Visitors will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the inner workings of Bong Joon Ho's style, which has often been described as possessing a dark humor, manifesting abrupt shifts in tone, and is noted for its refined shooting process.

Bong Joon Ho is known for masterful cinematic works such as Parasite (2019), Okja (2017) and Snowpiercer (2013). The Academy Museum exhibition is curated by Michelle Puetz and Nicholas Barlow. It opens on March 23, 2025 and will be on view through January 10, 2027. More information about this and other events at the Academy Museum can be found on their site.

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