Cheers broke out in the South Korean capital of Seoul on Monday when the dark comedy "Parasite" became the first non-English language movie to win the Best Picture award, already having netted three other Oscars in a historic first for the country.
South Koreans proud of 'Parasite' Oscar win
The film was one of the biggest winners at the Academy Awards, having already taken best international feature film, best original screenplay, and best director for Bong.
"This kind of thing is a huge national celebration," Kim Chan-dong, a pastor who watched Parasite on its second day in the box office, said.
While South Korea's film industry is one of the largest in the world, the Korean-language "Parasite" made unprecedented waves in international markets.
After the nominations were announced in January, Bong said he saw it as a sign that language is no longer a barrier to global success.