(LEAD) Top U.S. envoy congratulates 'Parasite' director for winning Oscar

(ATTN: ADDS updates on Oscar wins in 3rd para)

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris posted a message online Monday congratulating the director of the South Korean thriller "Parasite" for winning the best screenplay at the Academy Awards.

"Enjoying the Embassy's Oscars Watch Party with a bowl of 'jjapaguri.' Congratulations to Korean Director Bong Joon-Ho for 'Parasite' winning Best Screenplay...ROK's first-ever Oscar! More awards to come!" he said in a tweet, referring to the host country by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

His message came shortly after Bong's "Parasite" won the best original screenplay prize at the Oscars, the first Korean-made film to have won an Academy award. The movie took the top prize -- best picture -- and best international feature, and earned Bong the best director award.

"Jjapaguri," which Harris presumably had with his embassy officials to reenact a scene in the film, is a mixed dish of two popular instant noodle brands in Korea, widely favored by children.

In the movie, the affluent housewife orders her new maid to cook a pot of jjapaguri for her children and then decides to add some sirloin topping because she doesn't want her kids to eat cheap food. The scene has been cited by critics as an illustration of class tension between the rich and poor.

Jjapaguri was translated into "ramdon," an invented word combining "ramen" and "udon."

elly@yna.co.kr
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