From ‘Parasite’ to ‘Bugonia’: How Korea’s CJ ENM Became a Regular Oscars Contender

From ‘Parasite’ to ‘Bugonia’: How Korea’s CJ ENM Became a Regular Oscars Contender Following the playbook that led to success with 'Bugonia' — mining its library of cult Korean hits — CJ ENM is currently developing a remake of crime blockbuster 'Veteran' with Michael Mann, as well as Hollywood reimaginings of Park Chan-wook’s 'Lady Vengeance' and 'Thirst.' By Patrick Brzeski Plus Icon Patrick Brzeski Asia Bureau Chief View All March 4, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment When Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019, Miki Lee, vice-chairwoman of CJ Group, the powerhouse Korean conglomerate behind the film, called an emergency meeting among her executives. “She gathered the whole senior management team and said, ‘It’s time for us to go after the Oscars ,’” remembers Jerry Ko, CJ ENM ’s head of global film. “We had been preparing to go global in many ways, but we had never campaigned for an Oscar before — no Korean film had ever even been nominated. It felt like a tough mission for us.” Related Stories Movies "Is That the Mushrooms Talking?" Trippy Sci-Fi Doc 'Daughters of the Forest' About Indigenous Fungi Experts Makes You Wonder (Exclusive Trailer) Business Will Banijay-All3Media Look to Buy ITV Studios Next? "Consolidation Is the Name of the Game" The Oscars glory came swifter — and bigger — than anyone at the studio expected, Ko says. Parasite , of course, would go on to dominate the 2020 Academy Awards , winning best picture, best director, best screenplay and best international feature. The film’s triumph soon came to be seen as a watershed moment for Korean pop culture’s global rise, arriving just a year before Squid Game became Netflix ’s most-watched series of all time. But CJ ENM’s awards ambitions and global expansion s...