Edited with introduction by Michelle Puetz. Foreword by Amy Homma. Text by Dooho Choi, Choi Woo-shik, Lee Isaac Chung, Toni Collette, Guillermo del Toro, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Catherine George, Dan Glass, Hong Kyung Pyo, Jung Jaeil, Darius Khondji, Lee Hajun, Miky Lee, Robert Pattinson, Seo Woo-Sik, Amy Taubin, Steven Yeun. Interview by Nam Lee.
Through objects from his personal archive, Bong Joon Ho reveals his inspirations and creative processes for his films including Snowpiercer, Parasite and Mickey 17
Published with Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
From his earliest short films through his international breakthrough The Host and the Oscar-winning Parasite, the films of Bong Joon Ho defy simple categorization. Whether set in 1980s Korea or an imagined future time and space, they address issues that are transnational and universal: class disparity, social injustice, the environmental crisis and political and moral corruption. Bong embeds social critique into deeply humorous, unexpected and thought-provoking stories, and his protagonists are everyday people—often unlikely heroes—who confront the absurdities of modern life. With unprecedented access to the filmmaker's archive and personal collection, Bong Joon Ho: Director's Inspiration features storyboards, notebooks, concept art, models, props, behind-the-scenes photography and more. The book includes a new interview with Bong by film scholar Nam Lee, essays by exhibition curator Michelle Puetz and film critic Amy Taubin, and personal reflections by friends and colleagues that give insight into the Academy Award-winning director's inspirations and creative process. Bong Joon Ho (born 1969) is an Oscar-winning director and writer whose films include Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer, Okja and Mickey 17. His 2019 film Parasite was the first South Korean film to win the Palme D'Or at Cannes and the first non-English film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
From left, Choi Woo-shik, Song Kang-ho, Chang Hyae-jin, and Park So-dam as the Kim family in 'Parasite' (2019). From 'Bong Joon Ho: Director's Inspiration,' published by DelMonico Books / Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
GQ
Michael Nolledo
It feels like a deep visual diary of the Oscar-winning director’s mind, opening up his creative world through sketches, images, storyboards, notebooks, props, and more. It’s not just the how but also the why of his work, perfect for anyone interested in creative process and films that blend human stories with social critique and surreal imagination.
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In honor of the 2026 Oscar nominations, announced today, we are featuring a few spreads from Bong Joon Ho: Director's Inspiration—a recently released staff favorite, published by DelMonico Books and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Featuring stills and materials from Okja (2017), Parasite (2019) and Mickey 17 (2025), these spreads only hint at the treasures within, gathered from the director’s personal archive and elucidated upon by Bong himself. “The absurdity of Korean society in itself excites me cinematically,” he writes. “It’s bewildering. When you depict it cinematically, it may look like comedy at first, but it’s actually the most realistic portrayal.” Further along, he is quoted, “My films generally seem to have three components: fear, anxiety and a sense of humor.… At least when we laugh, there’s a feeling that we’re overcoming some kind of horror.” continue to blog
Published by DelMonico Books. Edited with introduction by Michelle Puetz. Foreword by Amy Homma. Text by Dooho Choi, Choi Woo-shik, Lee Isaac Chung, Toni Collette, Guillermo del Toro, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Catherine George, Dan Glass, Hong Kyung Pyo, Jung Jaeil, Darius Khondji, Lee Hajun, Miky Lee, Robert Pattinson, Seo Woo-Sik, Amy Taubin, Steven Yeun. Interview by Nam Lee.
Through objects from his personal archive, Bong Joon Ho reveals his inspirations and creative processes for his films including Snowpiercer, Parasite and Mickey 17
Published with Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
From his earliest short films through his international breakthrough The Host and the Oscar-winning Parasite, the films of Bong Joon Ho defy simple categorization. Whether set in 1980s Korea or an imagined future time and space, they address issues that are transnational and universal: class disparity, social injustice, the environmental crisis and political and moral corruption. Bong embeds social critique into deeply humorous, unexpected and thought-provoking stories, and his protagonists are everyday people—often unlikely heroes—who confront the absurdities of modern life. With unprecedented access to the filmmaker's archive and personal collection, Bong Joon Ho: Director's Inspiration features storyboards, notebooks, concept art, models, props, behind-the-scenes photography and more. The book includes a new interview with Bong by film scholar Nam Lee, essays by exhibition curator Michelle Puetz and film critic Amy Taubin, and personal reflections by friends and colleagues that give insight into the Academy Award-winning director's inspirations and creative process.
Bong Joon Ho (born 1969) is an Oscar-winning director and writer whose films include Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer, Okja and Mickey 17. His 2019 film Parasite was the first South Korean film to win the Palme D'Or at Cannes and the first non-English film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
