Seoul voxpops after 'Parasite' sweeps Oscars

South Koreans reacted with rare collective joy Monday after director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” won the Oscar for best picture and three other awards.The movie’s wins made history in both the Hollywood and South Korean film industries.

The positive story came as the country struggles to guard against a new virus and counter North Korea's nuclear threat.The class satire is the first non-English-language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards, and is the first South Korean movie to ever win an Oscar.

Bong, Parasite and other Oscar-related news dominated search terms throughout Monday at major internet portal sites, which had been preoccupied with the outbreak of a virus in China that has killed more than 900 people and sickened tens of thousands of others, mainly in China.

But the concerns about the virus and political warfare paused on Monday to celebrate Bong’s wins.South Korean social media were overwhelmed with congratulatory messages.Office worker Cho Sung-ho said the film's success was "a great opportunity to let the world know the true value of Korean movies".

(Image Credits: AP)