Parasite (2019)

I actually had to watch this for ib lit (my fav course ever ??) and had only one night to complete it, so I watched it on 3x speed (definitely ruined the cinematic experience for myself).
From the casual movie viewer facet of me, this was honestly a pretty boring watch.
However, from the super critical, analytical deep thinker facet of me, I loved it. To be fair, I love analyzing even the smallest details in literature, so if you’re a fan of literary classics, I’m sure you would absolutely love this drama.

(I’d actually watched this movie a few years ago back when it was super hyped up, but dropped it after the 15 minute mark because I hate movies with manipulative protagonists no matter how warranted or justified their behavior may be. But I mean the title is literally PARASITE for god’s sake, so what was I expecting?)

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Parasitic Society Metaphor

Ominois and claustrophobic movie telling the story of a poor, low class family using their wits to con their way into getting what they want such as employment, their employers' house and wealth, the way upper class people lives, etc.

It depicts the judgmental gullibilty of this rich family made them an easy target for the cons. Oddly, none of the characters in this film will make you feel love or sympathy for them.

This film was done in a way that deserved an 8 minutes standing ovation in Cannes Film festival. Although it is not my kind of film to watch, due to the hype, it got me interested enough to devote my undivided attention and it didn't fail me.

Whatever genre of films you enjoy, I suggest giving this film a chance and see for yourself the reason why it garnered so much award and attention internationally.

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Statement on social class divides

Parasite is one of deepest films I have ever seen and of course it was written and directed by Bong Joon-Ho. There is a reason why it was nominated and won so many awards.
At first glance Parasite is just a typical good movie exploring the difference in dynamics between a rich family and a poor one and the clashing that occurs between them. However, if you really delve into the details and symbolisms that Bong Joon-Ho carefully curated in this film there is so much more to be uncovered namely the pointing out the broken system which perpetuates the divide between the upper social class from the lower one. I think that in order to grasp all the details rewatching the movie is a necessity and even one re-watch might not be enough.
A detail that I just learned is that Bong Joon-Ho actually wrote this film based on his own experience tutoring an upper class family, obviously not the entire plot.



**************************Spoilers and analysis from here******************************
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As I said before Parasite is a reflection of the struggles and clashes between rich and poor and the end of the film shows the harsh reality that poor families are not able to rise from their low status no matter how hard they try because of the broken social system.
Here are some symbols and key themes that Bong Joon-Ho uses throughout the film to express these ideas. (Also comment more themes/ analysis you saw in the film. I'm curious to hear other thoughts!)

The most famous being Ram-Don/Chapaguri:
It's a combo of Neoguri and Chappagetti korean instant ramen noodles (very inexpensive). But the Park family adds steak, this shows the drastic difference in social status between the poor Kim family who probably would rarely be able to afford expensive quality meats to add to their instant noodles as a snack.

High/Low Ground and Water to signify rich vs. poor:
Water runs downwards from low to high. The poor people live in semi-basement apartments, they are drowning in society and this physically happens in the film. Ki-Jung says in the film that there is no way to escape the basement smell (poverty) unless they leave the basement (get rich). However, the semi-basement apartments still has partial sunlight (they have hope). The rich house is on high ground, there are stairs leading up to the house and in the movie we see a scene where Kiwoo is reading on the lawn in the full sunlight.
When we are introduced to the true basement we see the stark contrast to the other two houses. This place has no natural light (no hope) the house keeper family acknowledges that they are poor. This is contrasted with the Kim family who attempts to act sophisticated, Kiwoo's mom denies being anything like the house keeper when she tries to suggest that the two of them are the same.
And then at the end of the movie we see Kiwoo's father is forced to retreat to the basement.

Scholars Stone:
It is mostly a collectors item, given to the Kim family from Kiwoo’s rich friend
symbolic of Kiwoo’s innermost desires to become rich like his friend (Min) and join the world in the sunlight (rich), it rises in the water when their house floods unnaturally as rocks are heavier than water (eggs on their desires). The rock is also very ironic and symbolic as it is a blow to the head from this rock that knocks out Kiwoo. In the ending scenes in Kiwoo’s dream to become rich he is shown placing the rock in a river bed with many other rocks seemingly indistinguishable symbolizing that he has reached his goals and no longer sees the rock as meaningful he has reached his goal of joining the upper class. This can be compared to the scene following the flooding of their home in the emergency shelter where he is desperately holding the stone and the beginning where he and his whole family are fawning over the gift.

The Knife at the Birthday Party:
This is probably the most simple theme but the idea that Death doesn't discriminate between rich an poor. The Knife ends up killing both Kiyung and Mr. Park.

Soju:
Kiwoo and Min, his friend who gave him the job, share soju which is a type of Korean alcohol as I'm sure many of you know. Soju is cheap therefore it is accessible to even poor families like the Kims. It shows Min’s humility compared to the Park family. He is rich as well but sees Kiwoo as more equal.

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Absurd, twisted and deliciously dark family saga.

The gap between the poor and the rich is depicted with sharp humor, unexpected twists and a lot of darkness in Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. It's a lovely black comedy about the most twisted household since Dogtooth.

Despite unemployment and poverty, Ki-taek and his family manage to keep their spirits up. Mom, dad and two soon-to-be-grown children are crammed into a shabby basement in a run-down alley, constantly looking for odd jobs and free wifi. The family doesn't have much, but they have a nice cohesion, cordial jargon and ambitions for a better life.

When the son Ki-woo receives a tip about a job with a rich family, the possibilities for an extra income open up. With a forged university diploma, he gets a job as an English teacher for the Park family's teenage daughter. Also living in the luxurious villa is a businessman, his housewife, a quiet guy who mostly expresses himself through drawings, and the housekeeper who keeps everyone in order.

Ki-woo soon seizes the chance to arrange a job for his sister, Ki-jung, as the boy's "art therapist". He advises Mrs. Park of "a talented acquaintance," who is "probably very busy," but he will do his best to arrange a meeting. On false credentials and with made-up names, both siblings have soon tricked themselves into employment with the wealthy family.

How long can they keep up the lies, and how far can the charade go? This is just the beginning of a twisted scenario that Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer, Okja) has so masterfully directed. Here is the DNA of both the Sune family and the absurd Greek Dogtooth (2009) from Yorgos Lanthimos. While Parasite feels completely original, never predictable, and impossible to put into a single genre box.

Comedy and tragedy go hand in hand through Bong's twisty corridors, and you never know what awaits around the next corner. Parasite is a film that is best experienced without knowing anything in advance. It's an entertaining story that grabs me early on with its delightful humor, and then just tightens its grip more and more as the film goes on.

Not entirely unsurprisingly, the director also talks about the gaps between those who have money and those who have none. You can see the film as a commentary on a society where the poor take desperate measures to climb out of their misery, and where the rich turn a blind eye to what is happening in the outside world. Bong Joon-ho has made one of the best movies of 2019, and I'm loving every second of it!

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Dark and deep

Like, really, this discrimination against the lower classes is bothersome and disgusting. Though I only have a few dialogues that I liked, the bottom line of the story, I think lies in the characters' attitudes and the setting itself. This family is on a whole other level of racking their brains. If this family living in poverty is so desperate to live, just to live, and so are the other impoverished families. But it's sad to affirm that the scene where Kim Gi Wu's family was fighting against Guk Mun Gwang and her husband, is the situation of many of the indigents. Poor versus poor, while the rich remain unbothered is a real thing in our society. If pulling each other down is an individual's solution then it would never work out. Sometimes people get too blinded by the idea of being comfortable that they would take chance to commit some things, not deeply comprehending how it would affect the other party. Yes, that's because they want survival, and it's their choice, but why choose to survive alone when you both can survive together, just with cooperation.

That's one of the points the movie is trying to point out, I suppose. Another scene is the erotic one, that's the turning point, they started to realize that they were opposed to the wrong enemy. This adds up to the meaning of the title parasite and how intensely linked it is to the storyline. The needy people all gaining from the host (rich). They were the parasites, but they had to taint each other's hands with blood to gain better.

And the part when Mr. Park was sickened of the blood is so horrifying. A rich person, who did not care if someone died because of the rivalry for his riches, is apathetic, cruel. He obviously did not care about anyone. He only wanted a comfortable living with his family. Not in a bit, empathetic.

The poor can be greedy, the middle class can be greedy, and the rich can be greedy. No exceptions. No matter how poor you are, once you step upper in the ladder, you will want more. No matter how rich you are, you will aim for more. Money isn't the solution happiness is, but if money is your happiness you will never be happy.

I was only thrilled once, the acting was superb as I hated whom I was supposed to hate. The climax left me perturbed. The only reason I didn't rate this a solid because I wasn't feeling the thrill more than I should be feeling it. Besides, the genre is a black comedy, thriller. I had picked up messages from this movie, which is better enough since I always call a movie "superb" if it's meaningful. Sure enough, this movie is meaningful.

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A thriller that will blow your mind with every plot twist

Parasite easily became my favorite movie as soon as I watched it, over a year ago.
It has to be one of the best narrative films I've ever seen! Nothing can be truly compared to it.
Every single scene feels super intriguing, and it had me hooked from very beginning because it just keeps getting crazier and crazier.
The plot revolves around two families, a rich family, and a low class family, that "without a plan" starts making their way into the wealthy's life to work for them in order to get away from their flooded apartment and the poor Wi-Fi connection, not knowing that it'll just just make things even more complicated for them.

This movie made me reflect a lot on capitalism and how much society makes us think that in order to be happy, you have to be living someone else's life. And unless you fake it till' you make it, you will be looked down upon because you stink.

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I loved it sooo much!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

OMG what's happening here?! omomo
This film really can catch everyone's attention, from the very beginning. The hungarian dubbed sounds also fit to a large extent and they are not disturbing at all. It was enjoyable in both languages, with both Korean and Hungarian dubbing. The plot threads are perfectly connected and they are also remarkable. The soundtracks are dramatized at once, but still creepily cool!
The casting of the actors was also a great success! Both the main and supporting actors too. AND THE END OF THE movie wassss touched but at the same time it was great and "artistic" as well. I loved the ending scene! I know that I would defenetely watch it again and again this movie in the future! I can recommend this movie for everyone!!

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