Text Review – Parasite

Parasite is a Korean film based around two families, the wealthy Park family and the poor Kim family. In the first half of the film, one of the Kim’s becomes employed by the Park family as a tutor for their daughter. The Kim’s then construct a plan to make all members of their family work for the Park’s. They do this by creating ways to get the old Driver and Housekeeper fired so they can take their jobs. The second half of the film reveals that the old housekeeper’s husband was hiding in the basement. The Park’s return home while the Kim’s try to avoid being exposed for their scheme. 

The film focuses on class and wealth differences in society. This is also done through height in Parasite. Throughout the film, characters move up and down in terrain when events move them up or down in status. An example of this is the different perspectives on a rainstorm that occurs in the film. The Park’s house is located on a hill, while the Kim’s house is a half basement in a much lower area of the city. In the Kim’s house, their toilet is higher than the floor, showing that the sewage has more “status” than them. When the rainstorm hits, the Kim’s neighborhood floods, submerging their house as well. They are displaced and must spend the night in a gymnasium, receiving clothes for the next day from a donated pile. This is in stark contrast to the Park’s, who were thankful for the rain helping the air quality and held a birthday party the next day. 

Parasite and the wealth differences displayed relate to many ideas in this class including Can the Subaltern Speak. The Kim’s face many struggles during the film, but cannot open up about them. They cannot reveal to the Park’s that they are related or that their house flooded because they are employed and dependent on them. 

Parasite is an excellent film that showcases the wealth divide in it’s plot, as well as in how the film is shot. The Kim’s face injustices due to their financial and living situations in contrast to the park’s lifestyle. When watching the film, pay attention to how height changes, light, and smell relate to status and wealth through the film. After being the first international film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, it is safe to say that Parasite is a must see.