Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Parasite’ HBO Series Is an ‘Original Story’ Set in Film’s Universe, Not a Remake

Shortly before “Parasite” made history at the Oscars with wins for Best Picture, Best Director, and more, word got out that Bong Joon Ho was teaming with Adam McKay and HBO for a television series adaptation of his Palme d’Or-winning thriller. McKay, whose working relationship with HBO includes Emmy winner “Succession,” recently appeared on MTV’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast to confirm HBO’s “Parasite” series is “chugging full speed ahead.”

“We’re just having the best time,” McKay said (via Collider). “We’ve just staffed up with an incredible writers’ room. I basically outlined the series with director Bong during the quarantine, with him overseeing.”

McKay stressed that HBO’s “Parasite” will not be a remake of Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar winner. “It’s an original series,” he said. “It’s in the same universe as the feature, but it’s an original story that lives in that same world.”

The only thing McKay had left to add about the series is the following: “Occasionally in life, you get very lucky, and for me to get to work anywhere near director Bong’s orbit — usually, when I hear people say ‘I’m honored,’ it sounds like bullshit to me, but I’m legitimately honored. And having a blast.”

Bong said in January 2020 that he got an itch to create a “Parasite” television series because there were so many more ideas that he could not pack into his two-hour film version. The Oscar winner said, “[The ideas are all] stored in my iPad and my goal with this limited series is to create a six-hour-long film.”

Bong also said at the time he wants to expand the “Parasite” universe by picking up on elements that were hinted at, but not explicitly explored in the movie. “For example, when the original housekeeper Mun Gwang (Lee Jung Eun) comes back in the late night, something happened to her face,” he said. “Even her husband asked about it, but she never answered. I know why she had the bruises on her face. I have a story for that, and aside from that, why does she know the existence of this bunker? What relationship does she have with that architect to know of this bunker? So I have all these hidden stories that I have stored.”

Visit the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast website to listen to McKay’s recent interview in its entirety.

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