Bong Joon-Ho may have finally reached international acclaim with his Palme D’Or and Best Picture-winning masterpiece Parasite, but he’s been a maestro behind the camera for nearly a quarter century. Starting as a small-time indie filmmaker from his native South Korea, he quickly climbed to national stardom with 2003’s Memories of Murder. His work became noticed in the US, leading him to make the sci-fi action thriller Snowpiercer, and from there…the rest is history. With his much-anticipated and long-gestating follow-up, Mickey 17, finally coming to theatres this weekend, there’s no better time than the present to look back at all of the movies that have got him to today. 

7. Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

Bong Joon-ho’s directorial debut is a dark comedy that offers glimpses of the style and themes he would later perfect. The film follows a struggling academic who takes drastic action against a barking dog in his apartment complex, leading to a chain of bizarre and darkly humorous events. While the film has wit and social satire moments, it lacks the finesse and depth of his later works. The pacing is uneven, and the protagonist is hard to root for, making it more of a curiosity for Bong completists rather than a must-watch. Still, it’s an intriguing early look at a filmmaker who would go on to redefine modern cinema.

6. Okja (2017)

A visually ambitious and emotionally charged tale, Okja blends adventure, satire, and dystopian sci-fi to deliver a sharp critique of corporate greed and animal cruelty. The film follows a young girl’s journey to rescue her genetically modified super-pig from the clutches of a ruthless multinational corporation. While the emotional core is strong, and Bong’s world-building is compelling, the film suffers from jarring tonal shifts—swinging from heartfelt drama to absurdist comedy in a way that doesn’t always mesh. Jake Gyllenhaal’s over-the-top performance is particularly polarizing.

5. Mother (2009)

A haunting psychological thriller, Mother is a deeply unsettling film that explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her son. When a simple-minded young man is accused of murder, his fiercely devoted mother embarks on a relentless quest to prove his innocence. As the story unfolds, the film morphs into a chilling meditation on obsession, morality, and the destructive power of love. Kim Hye-ja delivers one of the finest performances in Bong’s filmography, portraying a mother whose desperation leads her to make increasingly disturbing choices. The film’s slow-burn tension and tragic ending cement it as one of Bong’s most emotionally complex works.

4. The Host (2006)

Bong’s take on the monster movie genre, The Host is a thrilling blend of horror, comedy, and political satire. The story revolves around a dysfunctional family trying to rescue their daughter after she is abducted by a mutated creature that emerges from the Han River. Unlike typical monster films, The Host focuses less on the creature itself and more on the government’s incompetence, media manipulation, and the struggles of ordinary people caught in the chaos. With thrilling action, a surprising amount of humor, and intense emotional beats, The Host is one of the most unique and entertaining creature features to come from South Korea.

3. Memories of Murder (2003)

Widely regarded as one of the best crime thrillers ever, Memories of Murder is a deeply haunting and masterfully crafted film based on South Korea’s first serial murder case. The film follows two detectives—one a brash, small-town cop and the other a more methodical investigator from Seoul—as they try to solve a series of brutal killings. Bong expertly balances dark humor, procedural realism, and devastating human tragedy, highlighting the incompetence of the police and the frustration of chasing a seemingly unsolvable case. The film’s ambiguous ending lingers long after the credits roll, making it one of Bong’s most haunting works, with the final shot being one of the most creative choices he’s ever made as a filmmaker.

2. Snowpiercer (2013)

Bong’s English-language debut is a high-concept, visually stunning sci-fi thriller that serves as a powerful allegory for class warfare. Set on a perpetually moving train that houses the remnants of humanity after a climate catastrophe, Snowpiercer follows a brutal revolution as the oppressed lower-class passengers fight their way to the front. The film’s world-building is meticulous, with each train car representing a different societal stratum. Chris Evans delivers a surprisingly raw performance, but Tilda Swinton’s grotesque, bureaucratic villain steals the show.

1. Parasite (2019)

A flawless blend of social satire, black comedy, and psychological thriller, Parasite is Bong Joon-ho’s magnum opus. The film follows a poor family that cons its way into working for a wealthy household, only to uncover dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. With masterful pacing, sharp class commentary, and shocking twists, Parasite seamlessly shifts between genres, keeping audiences on edge until its devastating climax. Every frame is meticulously crafted, and every performance is pitch-perfect, especially Song Kang-ho and Choi Woo-shik as the desperate yet charismatic patriarch and son, respectively. Winning the Palme d’Or and four Academy Awards—including Best Picture—Parasite solidified Bong’s status as one of the best filmmakers working today.

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