'Parasite' photographer Hong draws attention
Hong Kyung-pyo / 20th Century Fox
By Park Hyong-ki
Hong Kyung-pyo, the director of photography for director Bong Joon-ho's Cannes winner “Parasite,” is getting the spotlight as much as Bong and the star of the film Song Kang-ho.
Bong and Song thanked Hong among the crew, including art director Lee Ha-jun for his “artistic contribution” at press conferences in Cannes, France and Seoul after receiving the Palme d'Or.
“Parasite” marks the third collaboration between Hong and Bong, as well as Hong and Song.
The relationship between Bong and Song is often compared to that of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro.
Hong shot Bong's “Snowpiercer” and “Mother,” and served as the director of photography for “The Foul King,” starring Song.
The actor had a supporting role in “Snowpiercer” starring Chris Evans, who is known for playing Captain America.
Hong is credited for pushing to adopt the Hollywood cinematography system in which a director of photography is in charge of both lighting and photography.
He is one of the Korean New Wave filmmakers and cinematographers who sought to change the top-down system here, and promote a collaborative working environment where directors, actors and the crew could each show their creative potential.
Previously, a director of photography was only in charge of camera movement and framing, and a director of lighting was in charge of lighting on a movie set.
This was why the director of photography was often called a cameraman here.
And Hong did not want to settle with this system as veterans such as Vittorio Storaro and Roger Deakins said cinematographers are “painters of lights.”
He said he believed working not only with cameras but also lights were essential in cinematography just like in the Hollywood system.
Hong is also known for his works including “The Wailing” and “Burning.”