The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended invitations to the 2020 class! The Academy sent out 819 invitations to people from 68 countries around the globe, as they continue to expand their organization’s membership with improved global representation. Among the 819 invitations, 75 of them are Oscar nominees and 15 are Oscar winners. Among those are multiple South Korean actors and filmmakers, including cast and crew from the Academy Award-winning Best Picture “Parasite.” If the invitees accept the Academy’s invitations, they will then be members of the prestigious organization of actors, filmmakers, and more.
“Parasite” filmmaker Bong Joon Ho and star Song Kang Ho are already members of the Academy, having first been invited in 2015. In addition to these two respected Korean celebrities, more than 40 other Korean filmmakers and stars are also members of the academy, including superstar Lee Byung Hun, “Oldboy” director Park Chan Wook, and more.
The 2020 South Korean invitees (with the branches of the Academy that they have been invited to being marked in parenthesis) are as follows:
- Choi Woo-Shik – “Parasite,” “The Divine Fury” (ACTOR)
- Jang Hye-Jin – “Parasite,” “Poetry” (ACTOR)
- Jo Yeo-Jeong – “Parasite,” “The Target” (ACTOR)
- Lee Jung-Eun – “Parasite,” “Okja” (ACTOR)
- Park So-Dam – “Parasite,” “The Priests” (ACTOR)
- Choi Seyeon – “Parasite,” “Okja (COSTUME DESIGNER)
- Jung Jae-Il – “Parasite,” “Okja” (MUSIC)
- Park Inyoung – “Pieta,” “Poongsan” (MUSIC)
- Kwak Sin-Ae – “Parasite,” “Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned” (PRODUCER)
- Lee Ha Jun – “Parasite,” “Okja” (PRODUCTION DESIGN)
- Hyun-min Lee – “Moana,” “Big Hero 6” (SHORT FILMS AND FEATURE ANIMATION)
- Choi Tae Young – “Parasite,” “The Host” (SOUND)
- Han Jin Won – “Parasite” (WRITER)
- John H. Lee – “Operation Chromite,” “71: Into the Fire” (DIRECTOR)
- Yi Seung-Jun – “In the Absence,” “Planet of Snail” (DOCUMENTARY)
- Gary Byung-Seok Kam – “In the Absence,” “Planet of Snail” (DOCUMENTARY)
- Yang Jinmo – “Parasite,” “Okja” (FILM EDITOR)
As readers can tell, 12 of the 18 invitees from South Korea listed above are connected with the hit film “Parasite.” Others include those connected with the Sewol Ferry documentary “In The Absence,” while another is from the feature film “Operation Chromite.” Yet another invitee is listed due to their work on classic films like “Pieta.”
The Academy President David Rubin stated, “The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travelers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now.” The Academy themselves then revealed in a statement on their website, “In 2016, the Academy set specific inclusion goals as part of its A2020 initiative to double the number of women and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities by 2020. Through dedicated and intentional work by the Board of Governors and members on the branch executive committees, the Academy has surpassed both these goals.”
Academy CEO Dawn Hudson then stated, “We take great pride in the strides we have made in exceeding our initial inclusion goals set back in 2016, but acknowledge the road ahead is a long one. We are committed to staying the course. I cannot give enough thanks to all our members and staff who worked on the A2020 initiative and to our head of Member Relations and Awards, Lorenza Muñoz, for her leadership and passion in guiding us through to this point and helping to set the path going forward. We look forward to continuing to foster an Academy that reflects the world around us in our membership, our programs, our new Museum, and in our awards.”
This year’s class of invitees is the third largest in the history of the Academy. For the full list of invitees, click here.
Congratulations to all the deserving invitees and wonderful actors, filmmakers, and crew on these amazing movies and projects!
What do you think of the news? Are you glad to see more Korean actors and filmmakers being recognize by international organizations like the Academy? Share your thoughts with us by tweeting to @whatthekpop1!
Media: Oscars.org
Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences