Be sure to watch our video essay on the scene for more detail and deeper Parasite analysis. Mr Kim is the most nonchalant about their misfortunes, even as their house is flooded, leaving the Kims homeless. Staircases are an evocative symbol in Bong Joon Hos Parasite, a biting drama critics have named one of the years best films. Realizing that they are all related, Moon-gwang takes an incriminating video of them and threatens to send it to the Parks. Can the poor really just step into the world of the rich? NEXT: Parasite: D&D Alignments Of The Main Characters. Living in a musty semi-basement in the slums of Seoul, South Korea. Ki-taek may be out of work, but he's no dummy. Acting on impulse, Ki-woo heads to a mountain near the house the Parks have since vacated, and which now belongs to a rich German family. The visual effects Thats all for my in-depth analysis! Well be taking a look at all of the ingredients to made Parasite one of the best films of 2019 and one of the best South Korean films ever made, but first, lets get started with a Parasite synopsis. Parasite exploded this past weekend on Oscar night when it became the first international film to win four Academy Awards, including the coup de grace, Best Picture. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The films score here perfectly uses the technique of moving up musical keys in non-linear, minor and discordant chords to instill fear and anxiety in the viewer as Moon-kwang and Mrs Kim descend down endless flights of concrete stairs, turning left and right at every corner to finally reach the bunker below. In our Parasite movie analysis video, this mid-point scene was the focus. No. The second half of Parasite is one of the most daring things Ive seen in years narratively. Its evident that the Kim family lives in squalor. Writers can shade and shape a storys character in limitless ways. Living in a state-of-art mansion. She likes to play games with Ki-taek, calling him a cockroach and belittling him, as part of their marital dynamic. Characters are the players in our stories. Mrs Kim calling Mr Kim a cockroach, which we all understand is a relentless survivor that not only 1) runs and hides at signs of danger, but also 2) is literally a parasitic insect that doesnt contribute to the ecosystem. It seems that Ki-jeong had the most passive hand to play in the situation despite setting off the entire disastrous plot, never going as far as Ki-woo as he forms a romantic relationship with the Parks daughter, or harbouring as much resentment against the Parks as Mr and Mrs Kim. We can also see small hints at each of the Kim family members background, such as Chung-Sook aka Mrs Kims medal for hammer-throw hung on the wall. Its no accident that the lower-class protagonists happen to have the single most common surname in South Korea. He is a generally congenial but snobbish man. Staircases are among the many things in Parasite that could be considered metaphorical, as becomes a refrain of the Kims son, Ki-woo (Choi Woo Shik). The smell won't go away unless we leave this place.". Today and maybe forever the Kims remain underground. Chung-sook is framed as deceiving the family by hiding a dangerous illness. Their credentials were just as questionable as hers were. Improving the family's financial situation is the most important goal for Ki-Woo, and he remains hopeful of his future. It's all fun and games until Moon-gwang shows up, insisting that she left something at the house. Mr and Mrs Park make themselves comfortable on the couch as our protagonists nervously wait for an opportunity to sneak out. Their camping trip had been cancelled due to the heavy downpour. Chung-sook, the Kim family matriarch, not only knows how to be a good housekeeper but also knows when to call her family members out when they're full of it. They participate in scenes, move the plot forward through action and dialogue, influence each other, evolve and change. Youve never seen a movie quite like Parasite. Dammit. Find out how you match to her and 5500+ other characters. She is also too easily swayed by Ki-taek's fakery of Moon-gwang's supposed tuberculosis diagnosis. Alongside actor Choi Woo-sik, he explains the significance of production design elements from the beginning of the film, such as the cultural context of scholars stones in South Korea and the idea of distant hope conveyed by the semi-basement window. When Da-song wants to sleep in a tent outside, Mr. and Mrs. Park sleep on the couch to watch over him. Moon-gwang is pretty remarkable in that she has not only managed to ward off people from taking her job up until the Kim family, but she has also managed to keep her husband hidden in the Park family basement for alongtime. Living in a small, musty semi-basement in the slums of Seoul, South Korea. These themes cross all cultural-barriers and can speak to the 99% anywhere in the world. Mr Kim and his children continue to hide under the living room coffee table as Da-song camps outside in the lawn, determined to have his birthday camping trip and probably fearful of returning to the house on his birthday. Lover of foreign films; hater of American remakes. Though Parasite cannot be confined to a single genre, it centers its focus on class struggle, a sort of precursor to the warfare of Bongs 2013 thriller Snowpiercer. The staircases represent divisions of class and power the Kims wonder upon wandering upstairs whether, in a just world, they would also belong among the rich, so far above ground; upon descending to their flooded apartment in a storm that merely throws off the Parks camping trip, the Kims are reminded of the disparities between the two families. As with every film, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so my interpretation here may be different from yours. Yes, it wouldn't have taken as much skill as she demonstrated to convince Yeon-gyo to be Da-song's new art therapist, but she plays the part so well that it positions her charge an exorbitant sum of money. Lee Jeong-eun, who plays Moon-Gwang the housekeeper, also provided the vocalization for Okja the super pig in Bong Joon-hos previous film. Get entertainment recommendations for your unique personality and find out which of 5,500+ The scene where we discover the bunker easily has the highest tension of all scenes in the movie. Mr Parks arrogance and distaste for the smell becomes his downfall. What an astute observation for a young child, and this was such a key detail to throw in. To download a PDF of the breakdown for Parasite, go here. Following the films major twist, Parasite continues in a far darker tone until its ending. He takes a liking to Ki-jeong and trusts her, but unjustifiably suffers the most at the hands of Moon-kwangs family and the Kim family, suffering two seizures resulting from shock. Even my boyfriend, whos no cinephile, was thoroughly impressed by the film and we spent the next hour or so discussing it. To download a PDF of the breakdown for Parasite, go here. The Analysis of the Oscar-Winning Movie: Parasite Parasite is a 2019 South Korean black comedy thriller movie directed by Bong Joon-ho and is the first film with a non-English script to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020. Both parties have dark secrets, and both threaten to expose the other to the Park family, who remain above all the drama, currently unaware. Each character inParasiteis unique, but they definitely differ in levels of intelligence. The metaphorical themes are presented in as literal a way as possible with the act of this stabbing. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. The two teenage children, Ki-jeong (Park So-Dam) and Ki-woo, are scrambling around the house trying to get a WiFi signal as the neighbour that they usually leech WiFi off had wised up and made it password-protected. Seeing an opportunity to get his artistically talented sister, Ki-jung, a job, Ki-woo says that he knows someone named "Jessica" who went to college in Illinois, who might be perfect for the job. Each has their own distinct backstory, personality, world view, and voice. She is the archetype of the mistress of a wealthy household: glamorous, naive, and good at wielding power with feminine grace. Moon-kwangs husband, enraged at the Kim family for leaving Moon-kwang for dead, attacks Ki-woo by strangling him and striking him in the head with the very fortune rock that Ki-woo brought. The sense of dread that the husband instills doesnt pay off until the end of the movie. How to Capture the Perfect Light. Hes skewered classicism in all of his films to some degree. This review was filed from the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7th. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques. This is especially impressive given how ethnocentric the Academy Awards often unfold, prioritizing English-language films over foreign-language films much of the time. This secret basement reveals an even lower level of status below what we had thought was the floor with the Kim family. Mr Kim manages to trap Moon-kwang and her husband in the basement and quickly returns to join his family hiding in the living room. She is easily deceived by Ki-jeong's framing of the Park family chauffeur as explained by Dong-ik. And theres a reason the Kim apartment is halfway undergroundtheyre caught between worlds, stuck in the growing chasm between the haves and the have nots. As with great stories, every seeming-antagonist has their own reasons for doing what they do, making it nearly impossible to clearly identify an antagonist as we sympathise with their actions. They didn't fold the Pizza boxes correctly. This was foreshadowed early in the film when Mr Kim flicks a stink bug off the table in his house he is the stink bug to Mr Park, a smelly, insignificant insect that is unwelcome, and it is ultimately his stink that triggers his aggression towards Mr Park. ki-woo's sister, smart and tough, gains the upper hand with mrs. park by expressing expertise and confidence, says she . Ki-taek, who is hiding under the table, hears Mr. Park discuss his unsavory smell. Parasite has a cynical view of how class operates in a capitalist society, but as Bong has said, its also painfully realistic. Upload images to make storyboards and slideshows. To explain Parasites ending, we turn to the directors own words: You know and I know - we all know that this kid isn't going to be able to buy that house. Were here to help. The film is packed with social commentary, thrilling moments, and plenty of meaty writing worthy of a full Parasite movie analysis. Parallels are drawn between the two families to show that poverty and social status can sometimes really just be a matter of circumstance. Character Analysis. Perhaps he had just gone crazy, but choosing to go after more of the Kim family guaranteed that he would either be killed himself or that he'd land behind bars. Kim Ki-woo (Choi Woo-sik) and his family live on the edge of poverty. The musty smell follows Ki-Jung wherever she visits, revealing her poverty. Because I plan on going to this school next year." GradeSaver "Parasite Summary". Ki-Woo's high school friend persuaded Ki-Woo to take his place as an English tutor for the Parks family's young girl. And every single element of the film from the scholars stone, to the architecture of the homes, to the very names of the families all contribute to this central theme. The thought that the panties were placed their intentionally to sabotage the chauffeur did not even cross Mr Parks mind. The Parks go on a camping trip for Da-song's birthday, leaving the house empty. Living in a musty semi-basement in the slums of Seoul, South Korea. After hearing about the peach allergy of the housekeeper, Moon-gwang, Ki-jung and Ki-woo trigger an allergic reaction and make it look like she has tuberculosis. It is his success in passing as a competent English tutor that allows him to invite Ki-jeong into the home and so on. Screenplay by Bong Joon Ho and Jin Won Han, story by Bong Joon Ho. Relationship Status single without any signs of romance. Armed with a knife, he makes a beeline for the first member of the Kim family he can see Ki-jeong, as shes delivering Da-songs birthday cake to him on the lawn. The rest of the Kims scramble to clean up the mess they had made, sweeping everything under the couch and hiding under the living room table. Mrs. Park is a beautiful, wealthy, and ditzy head-of-household who prides herself on not being able to do domestic chores. The film's setup has a poor family, the Kims, infiltrating the lives of a wealthy family, the . Cockroaches and insects are seen around the house, and at some point, Mr Kim even flicks a stink bug off the table, foreshadowing a larger plot point further on. The family lives in a garden unit where they struggle finding a Wi-Fi signal to sneak into in order to get . Parasite Summary The film starts with the Kim family, a South Korean family struggling with poverty in a poor neighborhood in an unnamed city. Mr Park (Lee Sun-gyun) is clever enough to question that fact that leaving panties behind in a car is not something normal, even in the throes of forbidden fornication. Yeon-gyo is a well-meaning mother and wife, but she's rather gullible. If he is ever caught, he may suffer the death penalty for committing a murder. Ki-jung is Ki-woo's sister, a smart and tough young woman who does not suffer fools. She takes great pride in her work as a housekeeper, and loses her job unexpectedly after the Kims make her peach allergy look like active tuberculosis. After their home is flooded, Ki-taek tells his son that it is best to never have a plan, since plans never work out the way one expects. Interests scouting. The use of smell in the film is a great analogy for how the Kims literally stink of poverty to the Parks. The operatic music and effects when Mrs Park spotted Moon-kwang coughing into a tissue as she ascends the stairs into the house. Parasite Character Analysis (Avoiding Spoilers) Living in a state-of-art mansion. Grew up as an art student at a middle-class family. Ki-woo pens a letter to his father, fantasizing about his plan to go to college, secure a well-paying job and buy the Parks'. What they dont realise is the effects their actions have. Bong's designs included many staircases in the home that help the wealthy characters disappear off into their own spaces or can be used by the members of the poor family. Moon-kwangs constant wails of Husband! Not affiliated with Harvard College. Relationship Status involved with his student Da-Hye. The argument between the two families becomes violent, with the Kims temporarily coming out on top. Find out how you match to him and 5500+ other characters. After being added Hulus catalogue for exclusive streaming, it became the platforms most streamed film in both the independent and foreign film categories, reaching even more audience members and wowing them with its immaculate presentation and resonant themes. One set of stairs descends to the central Kim familys dingy semi-basement apartment in modern-day Seoul, while another ascends to the front door of the ultrawealthy Park family, for whom the cash-strapped Kims work. We even learn that Moon-kwangs husband, like Mr Kim, also had a failed business venture in a cake shop. Parasite Genre Shift Subscribe on YouTube 31 Parasite Character Analysis (Avoiding Spoilers) Grew up. Parasite has a lot worthy of analysis and it has a lot to say. Dong-Ik purchased the beautiful home from its architect some time ago. In a trance-like state as his daughter is bleeding out on the ground, Mr Kim is triggered by Mr Parks balking at the stench and fatally stabs him in the chest before running out the house. Since then, the Park family had never spent Da-songs birthday in the house. This paper aims to study the gap between the rich and poor reflected in movie Parasite. Its revealed that as Mr Kim escapes the house, he realises where he must go back into the house, into the bunker, to hide out for the remainder of his life. The Kim father and children quickly take cover as Mrs Kim decides to let Moon-kwang in. The lawn itself is huge, and is the first thing that any visitor sees. They take the affluent home as their own while the Parks are away and thats when Moon-gwang shows back up and everything changes. Chung-sook is the matriarch of the Kim family. Ki-jeong is usually one step ahead of Ki-woo and really solidifies getting the Kim family into the Park family home. "Parasite" displays the world of the impoverished and the hypocrisy of capitalist "laws." The family lives in abject povertyfirst trying to survive through the precarious work of folding pizza boxes and then finding a hustle by pretending to be middle class, educated and helpful. Director Bong Joon-Ho himself has described Parasite as a cross-genre film, dipping its toes into the regions of dark comedy, satire, thriller and family drama. After the run-in with Moon-gwang and her husband, Ki-woo becomes exceedingly attached to the lucky rock that his friend gave him, and carries it around as a totem. Parasite tells a story about disparate families, but also about disparate social classes, who are scrambling in a society that doesn't set them up to be protagonists and by default, pushes . How could they possibly compare to a couple leeching off the Parks like this? In truth, Ki-Jung never received any college art education, but she now claims to be a graduate of the University of Illinois and a specialist in children's art therapy, working at a special pay rate. director Bong Joon-hos insightful and engaging comedy/thriller became one of the most talked-about films of the year and set a new precedent for the mark a South Korean movie can leave on United States movie-going audiences. son of kim family, smart and ambitious, feels held back by poverty, has good intentions even if he has to be dishonest, wants to create a better life for his family. The family also laments that the rich are only nice because money is like an iron it irons out all the creases in your life, making life smooth and untainted. With its overwhelming plot and acting, this motion picture retains a long-lasting effect and some kind of shock. account. The Kims return to find that their apartment has flooded with sewage water and try to rescue whatever valuables they can, including the fortune rock gifted to Ki-woo. Ki-woo pens a letter to his father, fantasizing about his plan to go to college, secure a well-paying job and buy the Parks old house so that his father can live freely. Brian Tallerico is the Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. She calls Chung-sook sister, at which the Kims scoff. The entire Kim family, beginning with Ki-woo, soon scam their way into different jobs for the Park family. as Yeon-kyo ( Mr. Park's wife ), Choi Woo-shik The crimes of Moon-kwang and her husband are obvious too, leeching off the Park familys wealth to harbour the husband in the house, and threatening to out the Kims for their scam despite their own complicity. It is one of the most effective satires in recent memory. Its so clichd at this point in the critical conversation during the hot take season of festivalsto say, Youve never seen a movie quite like X. Such astatement has become overused to such a degree that its impossible to be taken seriously, like how too many major new movies are gifted the m-word: masterpiece. Please enable Javascript and hit the button below! Director Bong Joon-Ho himself has described Parasite as a cross-genre film, dipping its toes into the regions of dark comedy, satire, thriller and family drama. Official synopsis: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan. The clean, empty spaces of the Park home contrasted against the tight quarters of the Kim living arrangement isnt just symbolic, its visually stimulating without ever calling attention to itself. When Moon-gwang tries to ascend the stairs and reveal herself, Chung-sook kicks her down, concussing and killing her. 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