But rather than leaving viewers in this dreamy state, Bong pinches them and returns to the apartment. The next day, the Kim family is invited back to the Parks as they decide to throw a birthday party for Da-song. When Ki-woo goes into the basement, Geun-sae attacks him and bludgeons him in the head with the rock. The original housekeeper, Moon-gwang (Lee Jung Eun), displaced by the scheme, turns up at the home while the Parks are away and begs the Kims to allow her husband, Geun-se (Park Myeong-hoon), to continue living there after they discover him. Since then, the Park family had never spent Da-songs birthday in the house. Dont buy eggs. Ki-taek and Chung-sook, the patriarch and matriarch, are having trouble finding employment, and their children, Ki-woo and Ki-jung are trying to help in whatever way they can. as an art student at a middle-class family. Its no accident that the lower-class protagonists happen to have the single most common surname in South Korea. Following the films major twist, Parasite continues in a far darker tone until its ending. For some Parasite movie analysis straight from the auteur himself, check out this scene breakdown from Bong Joon-ho. An American DIY Film Movement, When is Golden Hour? Hes going to get his whole family into this house. Ki-woo as the Park daughters English tutor, Ki-jeong as the Park sons art tutor/therapist, Mr Kim as the familys chauffeur, and Mrs Kim as the housekeeper. Parasite has a lot worthy of analysis and it has a lot to say. Moon-gwang may first appear as an easy person to take advantage of, but when she returns to the Park family's home to care for her sick husband, we see that she didn't get to where she is by chance. What ensues from this point on is a chaotic, discordant frenzy, where the tension set from the moment we discover the hidden bunker never eases. More books than SparkNotes. Stick with me here. Ki-jeong, Ki-woos sister, is the main brain behind the scam operation that brings in the rest of her family into the Park residence. Ki-jeongs death was also foreshadowed when she was the only one who got injured in the process of hiding their house party from the Parks as they returned from their failed camping trip. All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident. What ensues is a sneaky ploy on the Kim familys part to slowly insert themselves into the lives (and house) of the Park family as they attempt to build a better life for themselves. On that fateful day, he ran from the backyard with blood on his hands not Mr. Parks, as one might assume, but his own daughters. Parasite Genre Shift Subscribe on YouTube His thoughtless comments were slowly building up resentment in Mr Kim, and further amplified the divide between the two families. Now, the exquisite building is home to Yeon-Kyo, her husband Dong-Ik, and her two children. When you move up the ladder, someone else has to be displaced. Bong shows us this vision: Ki-taek ascends the bunker stairs and embraces his son. For more Parasite movie analysis, check out our article on how Bong Joon-ho creates meaning through set dressing. Trying to make long term plans for him to eventually marry Da-hye are laughed off by his family. Parasite is seamless in the way it shuffles moods, tones and genres, and downright Hitchcockian in the way it manipulates your sympathies. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. In the good ol' days, her husband Ki-Taek owned a chicken shack, then a Taiwanese Castella shop. The characters are a reason for the success and we've ranked how smart they are. Like the Park family's young boy, Ki-Woo used to be a Scout as a child. The film is packed with social commentary, thrilling moments, and plenty of meaty writing worthy of a full Parasite movie analysis. 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. At every point, the viewer understands whose perspective were supposed to follow due to the tracking shots as we move with each character. To download a PDF of the breakdown for Parasite, go here. Let me know if, like me, you wanted to re-watch the film from the top immediately after it ended. 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. Husband! as they descend into the depths of the bunker also do nothing to alleviate the building tension as we shockingly discover that her husband is in fact a mole person hiding and living right under the Parks noses and supplied food by Moon-kwang regularly, who even worships Mr Park for providing him with food and accommodation. For years the country has been producing some of the finest films and directors in the world of cinema, but Parasite has crossed new milestones in terms of global impact. Personality driven and flexible. This article was published more than3 years ago, Note: This story, as one might assume from its headline, contains major spoilers for Parasite.. Mr. Park is the head of the Park household. Living in a musty semi-basement in the slums of Seoul, South Korea. Outside of the sub-basement, violence erupts, and the prophetic scholars stone becomes an instrument of violence. They take on odd jobs for cash like folding pizza boxes, and they rely on unprotected wi-fi networks and street-cleaning pesticides to keep their home insect-free. 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. But if you dig down deep enough, you can find each characters narrative function, and that can become a lens through which you develop the players in your stories. As their house party goes on and the rain pours down relentlessly, the doorbell suddenly rings its the old housekeeper that Mrs Kim had displaced. The next day, Mrs. Park calls each of them in to work on Da-song's birthday party, which will take place on the lawn. Director Bong even uses a wider aspect ratio of 2.35:1 to not only capture a large family group in a single frame, it also gives the viewer the impression of wide spaces that dont allow for hiding spots. as Chung-sook ( Ki-taek's wife ), Berlinale 2023 Highlights, Part Two: Reality, Manodrome, The Adults, Inside, Golda, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Feted at SBIFF 2023, Revisiting Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Tragically Common: Jamie Dack, Lily McInerny and Jonathan Tucker on Palm Trees and Power Lines. Bong Joon-ho 's masterful film Parasite is a wicked and brutal satire about wealth disparity. What an astute observation for a young child, and this was such a key detail to throw in. RELATED: 5 Reasons Why HBO's Parasite Is A Good Idea (& 5 Why The Movie Should Be Left Alone). The only thing I can think of is that the original housekeeper was in contact with the original tutor of the family. With a run-time of 2hrs 15mins that you would barely notice due to the amazing pacing of the film, the film moves seamlessly through its different genres and settings without missing a beat. The record-setting trend continued for the Parasite film. There are plenty of subtle, comedic moments in the film that gave me a good chuckle, and some even managed to get a LOL from me. He is a generally congenial but snobbish man. account. 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. Ki-woos friend is actually in love with the Park daughter, proclaiming that he would officially date her once she enters university, and that he trusts no one else to be her stand-in tutor except for Ki-woo. One clear way to explain the movie is: Parasite is about class. Class is the primary target of social commentary within Parasite. The smell won't go away unless we leave this place.". *SPOILER WARNING* Major, major spoilers ahead! Profession art tutor. Mr Kim, tasked with managing Moon-kwang and her husband, struggles to subdue them both in the basement bunker. as Ki-woo ( Ki-taek's son ), Park So-dam The Question and Answer section for Parasite is a great He translates the code and realizes that it is a message from his father, who is living in the bunker. You can download the script here. Parasite Analysis: Navigating the Shift At its exact mid-point, Parasite undergoes a massive tonal shift. Moon-Gwang has been living in the mansion as the architect's housekeeper since it was first built. 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. Parasite study guide contains a biography of Bong Joon-ho, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. These steps are involved in many of the films pivotal moments, including those in the gruesome final act. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques. At some points, it seemed that the music didnt match the situation, such as instilling fear or anxiety in the listener when there was really nothing to worry about at the moment, but the sense of foreboding always pays off later in the film. Be sure to watch our video essay on the scene for more detail and deeper Parasite analysis. This vertical comment on status is illustrated cleanly in this alternate poster for the film, without spoiling the sub-basement reveal. He has held a bunch of different jobs, working as a valet and at a bakery, but struggles to provide for his family. The crimes of the Kim family are evident they are scammers, inserting themselves into the lives of the Parks to take advantage of their wealth. If not for the homicidal tendencies of the Kim family, she may well have lasted longer. What is Mumblecore? Perhaps Ki-jeong being killed off was due to her death having the most significant impact on the family and on the viewer. On to the in-depth analysis! This secret basement reveals an even lower level of status below what we had thought was the floor with the Kim family. They get Ki-taek a job as Mr. Park's driver, after Ki-jung leaves her underwear in the car to make it look like his previous driver was having a sexual relationship in the car. She is the archetype of the mistress of a wealthy household: glamorous, naive, and good at wielding power with feminine grace. The film's setup has a poor family, the Kims, infiltrating the lives of a wealthy family, the . In our Parasite movie analysis, we found that although the tone and style change, the themes at play remain consistent from the first half to the second half, and continue to be developed further as the film progresses. characters are most like you. 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. Surprisingly, Ki-Woo turns out skilled in his artifice: as Ki-Woo explains, "I dont consider this a crime. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Profession stay-at-home housekeeper. Chung-sook is framed as deceiving the family by hiding a dangerous illness. Ki-jeong manages to gain the trust of the young Da-song, and was even the last person to show compassion towards Moon-kwang and her husband, offering to bring them food when theyre trapped in the basement. 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. While attending a birthday party for the Parks young son, Da-song (Jung Hyeon Jun), Ki-woo heads to the bunker carrying a heavy scholar stone he once received as a gift intended to bring his family material wealth. Youve never seen a movie quite like Parasite. Dammit. Ki-jeong is not only the brains in the family who sets the entire scam operation in motion, she is also pegged by Ki-woo the most likely to succeed in her family as he mentions that Ki-jeong fits in the best at the Parks residence, hinting at her potential for success, but perhaps also foreshadowing her death on the residence grounds. The film continues with Ki-woos narration. The social commentary of "Parasite" leads tochaos, but it never feels like a didactic message movie. 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. How to Capture the Perfect Light. As silly an instruction this is, the Kim family respects his wishes and starts to comedically choke and cough as the fumes fill up their apartment, with only Mr Kim indifferent to the toxic fumes. Be sure to watch our video essay on the scene for more detail and deeper Parasite analysis. Very soon, the Kims also manage to displace the longstanding housekeeper to make room for Mrs Kim to join the operation. It was definitely worth all the $9.50 (Grab movie voucher for Cathay :P) I spent to get the full cinematic experience, and I would definitely watch it again (once I recover from the mental scars it left on me). The friend is in love with the young girl and doesnt want another tutor slavering over her. Her family members have joined her in working for the Park family. To access over 70 analyses of previous movie scripts we have read and discussed at Go Into The Story, go here. With Ki-jeong dead, Ki-woo, recovering from brain damage, obsessively returns to observe the house from afar. Guen-sae may not be the brightest of the bunch, but he's not entirely an idiot either. To access over 70 analyses of previous movie scripts we have read and discussed at Go Into The Story, go here. Theres something off about Moon-kwangs unnamed husband. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal Challenge getting through his family's bad luck. Moon-kwang eventually succumbs to a concussion, leading to her husband desperately smashing his head into the light switches in the bunker to signal Help me in Morse code. Lover of foreign films; hater of American remakes. The films accolades speak for itself it won the prestigious Palme dOr award at this years Cannes Film Festival, which is an award of the highest order at one of the worlds most renowned film festivals. Maybe you're the one who isn't a good judge of character, Min. He deciphers a message, delivered in Morse code via a flickering light, that his father now inhabits the bunker. Unpacking the metaphorical ending of Parasite, See how this cruelty-free circus replaced animals with holograms, Windows 11 update brings Bings chatbot to the desktop. Ill do a spoiler-free review first, followed by an in-depth analysis, so dont scroll too far if youve not caught the movie. Small things, such as the Kim family opening their windows as their neighbourhood is fumigated in order to rid their own apartment of pests, or drunkards that liked to piss on their basement windows at night, were double-edged jokes that combined absurdist humour with sly details of the familys desperation and socio-economic plight. For Part 2, to read the Plot discussion, go here. She is brusque and unsentimental like her daughter, toughened by life in poverty. This simple, comedic entry sets up the level of poverty that the Kim family faces. Elevation clearly equates to status; the parks have a multi-level home at the top of the hill while the Kims live below street level in a semi-basement, and the surprise 3rd party lives deep underground in a sub-basement. Mr Kim is eventually condemned to live and hide in the bunker, truly fulfilling the parasite-like behaviour of leeching of its host at someone elses expense. 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