Bong Joon Ho considers himself an optimist, even if it’s not exactly obvious from his work. “It doesn’t work to deny the dark reality, to just gloss over it,” he explained to me through his go-to translator (and awards season celeb) Sharon Choi.

Bong Joon-ho is a one of a kind. He's only made 8 films in the past 25 years, but each feature is a precious jewel, expertly chiseled and finely shined. There are a handful of thematic and narrative obsessions that he cleverly reworks throughout his films — the injustices associated with Capitalism,

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s latest film, Mickey 17, debuted at No. 1 in the North American box office, becoming the first film by a Korean filmmaker to achieve this feat. According to Box Office Mojo,