South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho with the trophy after he was awarded the Palme d'Or at Cannes for his film "Gisaengchung", or "Parasite"SEOUL - South Korea on Sunday hailed Bong Joon-ho's Cannes film festival win for "Parasite", saying it had left a historic footprint as the first Korean film to win the Palme d'Or. South Korean President Moon Jae-in congratulated Bong for the prize, adding the passion of the "Parasite" staff had created national pride in the country's cinema industry. South Korea had won a handful of prizes at the French festival since 2002 when Im Kwon-taek took the best director award, but had fallen short of receiving the highest honour. Jason Bechervaise, a critic based in Seoul, noted the Cannes win guaranteed the movie's box office success and could pave the way for bigger milestones. Fans praised Bong's accomplishment, saying he had elevated the position of South Korean films on the international stage.

Source: Bangkok Post May 26, 2019 03:45 UTC