Oscar nod for Parasite shows the lowering of movie language barriers

"The sign you're a global superstar: You don't spill your coffee when your film is nominated for best picture," according to the company.

Kwak Shin-ae, the CEO of the production company, Barunson E&A, says she is delighted by the first Oscar best picture nomination for a South Korean film but disappointed Song did not get a nod for an acting category considering the crucial role he played in the film.

"Being nominated for more than just the foreign language film category is meaningful because it means the film transcended language and nationality to communicate through the universal language of cinema," she says.

South Koreans, many of whom have watched the movie more than once, are also proud to share the honor.

"I was so happy to hear that in the morning Parasite was nominated in many categories for the Academy Awards and I hope the film will do well," Bae Young-sil, 62, says.

A high school student, Kang Jin-gu, 18, says: "It plainly reflected the dark side of our society," referring to the movie's portrayal of the social disparity that has pitted the rich and the poor in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Reuters