Not Only 'Parasite': 5 Best Movies Directed by Bong Joon Ho, Ranked by IMDb

Bong Joon Ho, the most famous Korean director of the current decade, uses class tension, genre juggling, and humorous passages as his main weapons in his most acclaimed movie – Parasite.

But even before a Korean family infiltrated the wealthy house, the director was already experimenting with genres, social satire, and visual language.

5. 'Barking Dogs Never Bite', 2000

IMDb Score: 6.9/10

Park Hyun-nam works at a housing office, but she is terrible at her job. She spends most of her day solving crossword puzzles, talking on the phone, and daydreaming about appearing on TV and becoming famous.

Yet, Hyun-nam has a kind heart. When a little girl comes to the office with missing dog flyers, Hyun-nam decides to help with posting them and searching for the dog.

When she witnesses something suspicious, her moment in the spotlight no longer seems like a pipe dream.

4. 'The Host', 2006

IMDb Score: 7.1/10

In a secret laboratory, genetic scientists are developing new types of weapons. In a freak accident, some of the secret material leaks into a river through a pipeline.

Unsuspecting town residents are strolling along the riverbank. Suddenly, the peaceful landscape turns into a bloody massacre when a terrifying monster emerges from the water and begins destroying everything around it and devouring people.

This movie about a sea monster is a multilayered narrative that fully realizes the environmental horror agenda and critiques government policies in extreme social conditions.

3. 'Okja', 2017

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

For ten years, Mija has cared for her pet, Okja, a giant mutant piglet, in her home in the mountains of South Korea.

Everything changes, however, when the powerful Mirando Corporation kidnaps Okja and transports it to New York. The company's PR-obsessed CEO, Lucy, has big plans for Mija's best friend.

Mija decides to rescue Okja at all costs and begins her mission. However, the situation soon becomes complicated as capitalists, protesters, and consumers all seek to get their hands on Okja.

2. 'Mother', 2009

IMDb Score: 7.7/10

One night, after having had a few drinks, a young man with the mentality of a child tried to befriend a schoolgirl who was walking home alone. The next day, the police arrested him for her murder.

His mother, a quiet woman who practices herbalism and acupuncture, doesn't believe her son is guilty and is determined to prove his innocence.

Mother depicts a desperate and doomed situation in which an elderly woman must launch her own murder investigation to save her son from false accusations.

1. 'Memories of Murder', 2003

IMDb Score: 8.1/10

This movie is based on the true story of a serial killer who was caught 33 years after he committed his crimes.

It is set in a rural South Korean town in 1986. Two local detectives are assigned to investigate the mysterious murders of women. No one knows where or when the killer will strike next, so a detective from the capital is sent to assist.

He is dissatisfied with his colleagues' methods, and the situation becomes more complicated when every suspect has an airtight alibi.