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In an interview with ABC News' Chris Connelly, Bong Joon-ho spoke about the recognition the film is garnering.

\"It's a huge celebratory moment for Korean cinema because it's the first time a Korean film has been nominated,\" he said through a translator. \"And personally for me, it's been 20 years since I've become a film director and so to receive this nomination in 2020 is usually meaningful.\"

\"PHOTO:
NEON
PHOTO: So-dam Park and Director Bong Joon Ho on the set of the film, "Parasite."
>

He also spoke about the main message he wanted to convey through his artistry in the film.

\"Although the story is about the rich and poor, I think ultimately I wanted to explore how we can truly live as human beings and why is it so difficult to live a dignified life as just an individual,\" he shared. \"I think that's something that applies to the U.S., to Europe, Japan, it applies to any country all over the world.\"

2. It's a major hit at the box office

Since its release date in October 2019, the film has grossed over $30 million domestically and over $163 million worldwide.

Bong told ABC News about his surprise at the film's continued box office success.

\"I never expected the film to gain this much buzz, and a couple of days ago the box office surpassed $30 million in North America,\" he shared. \"These are reactions that we never anticipated, so I'm very happy. I'm very glad that I was able to share the cinematic excitement and joy and the thematic exploration that this film provides.\"

\"The way the audience has been able to overcome the subtitles has been great to watch,\" he added.

He also spoke about the need to look past subtitles in order to appreciate the world of cinema while accepting the award for best foreign language film at the Golden Globes.

\"Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,\" he said.

\"Just being nominated along with fellow amazing international filmmakers was a huge honor. I think we use only one language: the cinema,\" he added.

3. Bong Joon-ho has already cemented his status as an accomplished, well-known filmmaker

Bong has many notable projects under his belt already.

He directed 2013's \"Snowpiercer,\" 2006's \"The Host\" and 2017's \"Okja\" among many other films.

He discussed influences in the history of film that inspired him growing up, noting he would watch pictures from the United States on American Forces Korea Network.

\"The channel isn't on TV anymore, but when I was little it was popular and they played American films that were not censored,\" he shared. \"Although I didn't know English at the time, I watched all those films and imagined the story on my own. For me, it was my own personal small cinema tech.\"

He added that at the time he didn't have an understanding \"of the movies or the cast,\" but later recognized them when he was older in cinema club.

Brian De Palma, Sam Peckinpah, John Schlesinger and Francis Ford Coppola were a few of the renowned directors he later recognized from studying film as a child.

4. The house featured in the film takes on a life of its own

One of the most remarkable aspects of the film is the Parks' home, where much of the plot unfolds. The differences between the property the upper class family is living in -- as well as the complex, different layers the home holds -- and the Park's family home is an essential element in understanding class distinction in the thriller.

Production designer Lee Ha Jun revealed that everything from the way in which the homes were built to the colors of the sets were heavily considered in production.

\"First of all, director Bong said precisely ... the movement has to continuously go from top to bottom. Including the semi-basement home, everything had to have contrast,\" he told Deadline. \"As you come down from the rich family’s home, the look of the neighborhood has to slowly change.\"

The iconic Park and Kim family homes in #PARASITE were designed and created from scratch on massive stages in Korea.

Over 1,400 VFX were used to bring these environments to life and over 130,000 gallons of water were used to flood the Kims' home in the film’s thrilling climax. pic.twitter.com/ZE257t5KL4

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 31, 2020

On the contrast in colors used in set design, Jun told Deadline: \"Director Bong wanted the higher class to have monotonous and luxurious colors. For the lower class, he wanted the combination of complicated and diverse colors and textures.\"

The director also spoke to ABC News about why the set design was so particular in the film.

\"We built that house from scratch and because 60% of the story happens in the rich house, we put in a lot of effort to make sure it feels like its own universe and a main character of the film,\" the director said. \"That's why we were so happy when the production designer was nominated.\"

Cho Won Woo, who handled set decoration for the film, is also nominated alongside Lee Ha Jun in the category.

5. American audiences are getting familiar with notable South Korean talent

With the tremendous success of the film, viewers in North America are getting acquainted with established names in the film industry from South Korea.

\"PHOTO:
P. Lehman/Barcroft Media via Getty Images
PHOTO: Bong Joon-Ho, Choi Woo-Shik, Lee Sun-Kyun, Cho Yeo-Jeong, Chang Hyae-Jin, Park So-Dam, Lee Jung-Eun and Kang-Ho Song at the premier red carpet for "Parasite" during the 72nd Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals, May 21, 2019, in Cannes.
>

Song Kang Ho has worked with Bong Joon-ho before, appearing in the director's thrillers \"Snowpiercer\" and \"The Host.\"

\"PHOTO:
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images
PHOTO: Song Kang-Ho and Bong Joon-ho attend the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 at Royal Albert Hall, Feb. 2, 2020, in London.
>

The actor reflected on their works together in an interview with Deadline.

\"When I look back at the past 20 years, and consider the films we’ve made together, they’re not just the best films either of us have made; they’re also some of the best films in Korean cinema,\" he said on working with Bong Joon-ho.

Editor's note: A version of this story was originally published on Feb. 7.

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