South Korea's 'Parasite' makes Oscar history with best picture win

Bong Joon Ho, right, reacts as he is presented with the award for best picture for "Parasite" from presenter Jane Fonda at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 9,2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Looking on from left are Song Kang-ho and Kwak Sin Ae. Photo: AP

Parasite made history at the 92nd Academy Awards on Sunday night, becoming the first foreign language film to win best picture. The victory caps off an improbable awards season run for the South Korean thriller. It's one that saw the story of four grifters who infiltrate a wealthy family cross cultural and language barriers to become a commercial and critical smash.

It's also a win that few saw coming. Heading into the night, 1917, Sam Mendes' bold and ambitious one-shot World War I epic had been expected to add best picture to an awards chest that already included top wins at the Golden Globes, Producers Guild, and Directors Guild awards. Instead, that film's four prizes came in technical categories.