hankyoreh

The number of North American theaters screening Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” has surpassed 1,000 for the first time. The film has grossed US$31.1 million in US and Canadian box offices, a record for a South Korean film, and has been nominated for six Academy Awards. The film has also seen success in Japan, where it is currently ranked fourth in box office revenue. “Parasite” was originally screened in only three theaters in Los Angeles, but then expanded to 620 theaters. This number then dwindled, but the Golden Globe award for best foreign film has led to an unexpected resurgence of North American screenings. Commenting on the added pressure from his success, Bong said during an interview with Vanity Fair, “I feel like a baseball player who’s forced to go up on the mound.”