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‘Okja’ Includes a Blink-And-You’ll-Miss-It Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama Reference

You may not notice it on the first watch, but it's there and it's very intentional.
"Okja"
Costume Essentials: A floor-length pink blouse, a green belt, an insatiable hunger for capitalism.  Why It's a Great Idea: More than just a (darkly ironic) opportunity for vegetarians to show some pride in their dietary choices, dressing as the sinister CEO from Bong Joon-ho's "Okja" would be a great way to gauge how many people are actually watching Netflix's original movies. Bonus points for anyone who accents their costume with a pig, a hippo, or a very demented Jake Gyllenhaal. 
Cannes Film Festival

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

Bong Joon Ho’s “Okja” is now streaming on Netflix, which means millions of subscribers have the chance to watch the latest adventure from one of South Korea’s most entertaining filmmakers. The story centers around a young girl (newcomer Ahn Seo-hyun) who travels from South Korea to New York City in order to save her pet super-pig from the clutches of an evil corporation. Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal and Lily Collins co-star.

READ MORE: ‘Okja’ Exclusive: Bong Joon Ho Takes You On Set Of His Biggest Film Ever — Watch

Anyone who streams “Okja” will get to a part in the film where the corporate leaders of the Miranda Corporation sit down to watch video footage of destruction caused by the super-pig. During the animal’s transport from Seoul to America, an environmentalist group led by Dano’s character attempts to save it, prompting a chase that leads to some disaster on the highway and in the underground subway.

The image Bong Joon Ho creates as Swinton and company look on is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but on closer inspection it directly evokes the famous photo of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and their security team in the White House Situation Room watching the raid on Osama Bin Laden’s compound. A source close to the film confirmed to IndieWire this was no accident and it was very much intentional by Bong Joon Ho.

Vulture editor Hunter Harris spotted the similarities and tweeted them side-by-side earlier today, complete with Tilda Swinton channeling Clinton’s hand-over-the-mouth nervous gesture. It would appear by inserting the visual reference to one of the most serious and important moments documented in recent U.S. history that Bong is poking fun at the way that big corporations confront press fiascos.

“Okja” is now streaming on Netflix. Check out the reference below.

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