SEOUL－Parasite director Bong Joon-ho says he was surprised and overjoyed when the film won six Oscar nominations on Monday, a historic first for the South Korean film industry and a sign that language is no longer a barrier to global success.

Parasite, a dark comedy about the vast gap between the rich and poor in South Korea, snagged a coveted best picture nomination, best director for Bong, and best screenplay in addition to its best international feature nomination.

"Every time they announced the new nominations, it was so thrilling, because we didn't really anticipate any of this," Bong says in an interview in California.

Bong had previously discussed the challenges of international films breaking the "language barrier" around the world, but says the nominations suggest those barriers may now be falling.

"We can say that thanks to the internet, social media and these streaming services, the whole of society is experiencing less of these language barriers and perhaps Parasite benefited from that global trend," he adds.

In a video shared online by film distributor Neon, one of the show's stars, Song Kang-ho, manages to not spill a cup of coffee as he and others in the room excitedly celebrate.