Character Analysis. 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. I left the cinema around 2am reeling and shookt, and was still desperately Googling and researching for the films reviews and analyses two hours later. Parasite concludes where it begins, in the semi-basement apartment. It's all fun and games until Moon-gwang shows up, insisting that she left something at the house. account. "Parasite"is so perfectly calibrated that theres joy to be had in just experiencing every confident frame of it, but then thats tempered by thinking about what Bong is unpacking here and saying about society, especially with the perfect, absolutely hauntingfinal scenes. He may be the youngest of the Park family, but he is by no means the dumbest. He has always been fascinated by pop culture and film. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Parasite by Bong Joon-ho. The topic of class is one that Bong Joon-ho has a clear fascination with. Ki-taek, the father, begins working as the Park family chauffeur after the Kims have removed their previous chauffeur from his position, and similarly Chung-sook, the mother, replaces Moon-gwang, the housekeeper who has served the home longer than the Parks have even lived there. "Parasite" is a marvelously entertaining film in terms of narrative, but theres also so much going on underneath about how the rich use the poor to survive in ways that I cant completely spoil here (the best writing about this movie will likely come after its released). Parasite has proven to be a groundbreaking achievement for South Korean movies. Guen-sae manages to get the jump on Ki-woo after he fails to murderGuen-sae with the rock given by Min. Mr Park makes a comment about smelling Mr Kim (who, unbeknownst to him, is literally right under his nose), and complains about the smell that Mr Kim exudes. Be sure to watch our video essay on the scene for more detail and deeper Parasite analysis. The use of smell in the film is a great analogy for how the Kims literally stink of poverty to the Parks. He stands in the woods near the Parks' house, which has been bought by Germans, and observes that the censor light is turning on and off in a patternMorse Code. When folding the pizza boxes during the fumigation, he is the most determined (cockroach-like behaviour, as explained above) but also the most careless with his actions. When Moon-gwang tries to ascend the stairs and reveal herself, Chung-sook kicks her down, concussing and killing her. Da-song was perhaps the only hope the Park family had and still they collapsed. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. The Parks go on a camping trip for Da-song's birthday, leaving the house empty. Nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards, this Korean film certainly has a wide fanbase all over North America. Their credentials were just as questionable as hers were. as an art student at a middle-class family. They take the affluent home as their own while the Parks are away and thats when Moon-gwang shows back up and everything changes. In our Parasite movie analysis video, this mid-point scene was the focus. 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. At the start of the film, we are introduced to the Kims, a family struggling to live under impoverished conditions. He has held a bunch of different jobs, working as a valet and at a bakery, but struggles to provide for his family. This same subject of class is less overt in Parasite but far more grounded and effectively subtle to the point of never overshadowing the story being told for the sake of its themes. Objectively, I would say that this has to be the best film that Ive ever watched. Since then, the Park family had never spent Da-songs birthday in the house. He is a generally congenial but snobbish man. These two powerhouse awards ceremonies rarely overlap and are comprised of entirely different audiences and judges and with entirely different viewing criteria and preferences. It is the only common factor between the Parks' young boy and Ki-Woo. This simple, comedic entry sets up the level of poverty that the Kim family faces. The real Parasite movie ending is more bleak and, unfortunately, more realistic. Suffice to say, the wealthy in any country survive on the labor of the poor, whether its the housekeepers, tutors, and drivers they employ, or something much darker. The sense of dread that the husband instills doesnt pay off until the end of the movie. For more Parasite movie analysis, check out our article on how Bong Joon-ho creates meaning through set dressing. After Chung-sook stabs Geun-sae with a meat skewer, Mr. Park grabs the keys from under him, but in the process, scowls at Geun-sae's smell. 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. Dont buy eggs. As Ki-woo first arrives at the Park house, were treated to an awe-inspiring view of the front lawn an immaculately manicured space with trimmed hedges and trees surrounding the perimeter. Parasite has a lot worthy of analysis and it has a lot to say. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The lawn itself is huge, and is the first thing that any visitor sees. He deciphers a message, delivered in Morse code via a flickering light, that his father now inhabits the bunker. The Question and Answer section for Parasite is a great *SPOILER WARNING* Major, major spoilers ahead! Mr Kim, already an accepting and adaptable character, was unknowingly triggered by Mr Parks reaction to Moon-kwangs husband as his pent-up resentment comes crashing through. Just as he called Snowpiercer his film about class revolution set in a dystopia his "hallway movie," he has called Parasite his "stairway movie." It is an upstairs-downstairs film that. The film continues with Ki-woos narration. Now, the exquisite building is home to Yeon-Kyo, her husband Dong-Ik, and her two children. It is his success in passing as a competent English tutor that allows him to invite Ki-jeong into the home and so on. When the architect sold the mansion to the Park family, Moon-Gwang survived a change of ownership. Just trust me on this one. 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. Leaving behind an earring or a strand of hair is common, but an entire article of clothing seems unlikely. For Part 1, to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown discussion, go here. He has the hardest part to play in getting rid of Moon-gwang. There are plenty of examples of subtle foreshadowing all throughout this opening act that circle back around by the end of the film. Script Analysis: "Parasite" Part 3: Characters | by Scott Myers | Go Into The Story Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Not affiliated with Harvard College. 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. Plot Summary: All unemployed, Ki-taek and his family take peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks, as they ingratiate themselves into their lives and get entangled in an unexpected incident. Trying to make long term plans for him to eventually marry Da-hye are laughed off by his family. I left the cinema with my heart racing thats just how impactful this movie was. This paper aims to study the gap between the rich and poor reflected in movie Parasite. Bong has made several films about class (including "Snowpiercer" and "Okja"), but Parasite may be his most daring examinationof the structural inequity that has come to define the world. However, if I had to pinpoint one member who would be the eponymous parasite, it would have to be Mr Kim. As Mrs Park eats in the kitchen, she shares with Mrs Kim the story of the trauma Da-song experienced when he was younger. Not just because the film went full circle with Mr Kim hiding out in the bunker, forever condemned to hide and steal from the houses occupants, but also due to the small hints dropped throughout the film: Its also difficult to identify the main antagonist of the film. The Parks seem to be happy too. He is traumatised not once, but twice at the sight of Moon-kwangs husband, and is also the youngest and most innocent character. The film starts with the Kim family, a South Korean family struggling with poverty in a poor neighborhood in an unnamed city. Can the poor really just step into the world of the rich? 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. 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. This causes Da-song to faint, and Mr. Park (Lee Sun Kyun) immediately demands that Ki-taek drive them to the hospital instead of tending to Ki-jung. The brilliant set dressing of Parasite combined with the striking architectural-design choices perfectly reinforce the themes of the film, but more on the themes after we finish our Parasite summary. Min-hyuk believes that Ki-woo poses no threat to his chances of eventually connecting with his student, Da-hye, and he knows that Ki-woo needs the money, so it is a kind gesture. His thoughtless comments were slowly building up resentment in Mr Kim, and further amplified the divide between the two families. Here are our rankings of the most intelligent and least intelligent characters. Parasite study guide contains a biography of Bong Joon-ho, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. 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. 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. Ki-woo makes some rather poor choices, too, though. At the start of the film, we are introduced to the Kims, a family struggling to live under impoverished conditions. 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. This sets off Ki-taek, who stabs Park in the chest before running away and escaping into the basement bunker unseen. Parasite broke a number of financial records as well, including the highest foreign film opening weekend of all time for the UK box office, and a number of records with the Indie Box Office. When Ki-woo goes into the basement, Geun-sae attacks him and bludgeons him in the head with the rock. Perhaps Ki-jeong being killed off was due to her death having the most significant impact on the family and on the viewer. Moon-kwangs husband escapes up the basement and into the house. Some time ago, she and her husband purchased the beautiful mansion from its architect. 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. All three families at play are damaged by this explosive act of violence. The scene where we discover the bunker easily has the highest tension of all scenes in the movie. The thought that the panties were placed their intentionally to sabotage the chauffeur did not even cross Mr Parks mind. However, things went downhill from there. characters are most like you. The series of events that unfold are so atypical and subtly interconnected that its only after the film that you would start to recall the small hints of foreshadowing or plot lines set up earlier on in the film. Each family has their own desperate reasons to continue leeching off the wealth of the Parks, and both would stop at nothing to do what is best or necessary for their family. How to Capture the Perfect Light. However, things went downhill from there. Parasite 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. A major plot driving interaction arrives in the form of Ki-woos friend, who gifts an ornamental rock to the Kim family that can supposedly deliver wealth, and also offers Ki-woo his job as an English tutor for the Park familys daughter as hes travelling overseas. The music was truly masterful as it even manages to foreshadow later plot points that would unfold in the settings that conveyed tension or dread through its music. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. She does an excellent job getting the house back in order before the Park family returns and discovers Moon-gwang and her husband, but she's unable to stop what's coming by then. Ki-woo visits the Parks in their gigantic home, where he is introduced to the spacey and out-of-touch Mrs. Park. However, she has no ill intentions, and can even be credited for saving Ki-woo after he was attacked by Moon-kwangs husband. One clear way to explain the movie is: Parasite is about class. Class is the primary target of social commentary within Parasite. He has good intentions, even if he is dishonest about how he achieves success, and just wants to create a better life for his family. She is very nice, but not especially deep or compassionate. Mr and Mrs Park make themselves comfortable on the couch as our protagonists nervously wait for an opportunity to sneak out. 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. Following the films major twist, Parasite continues in a far darker tone until its ending. But rather than simply getting out of the Park house and trying to make it in the outside world, he goes on a rampage at the party for Da-song. Let me know if, like me, you wanted to re-watch the film from the top immediately after it ended. Its at this stage that the film makes you realise that no matter how low on the ladder of destitution the Kim family was (before they got employed by the Parks), there is always someone on the rung below you. After he gets the job, Ki-Woo proceeds to fetch employment for the rest of his family members--sister Ki-Jung as an art tutor, father Ki-Teak as a chauffeur, and lastly mom Chung-Sook as a housekeeper. Parasites ending features a sequence of Ki-woos plan to work hard, buy the house under which his own father now hides, and reunite the family but this plan is nothing but a fantasy. The Kim family is destroyed; Ki-jung is killed, Ki-woo is left brain-damaged, and Ki-taek is forced into hiding after he snaps and acts out a classism-driven murder in the chaos of the birthday party. Ki-woo and his sister Ki-jung forge credentials for the job, and thus begins the long-con that sees each member of the Kim family infiltrating the upper-class Park family one-by-one. After expressing some doubt at the lies he would have to sell to land the tutoring gig, Ki-woo enlists the help of the artistic Ki-jeong to forge university papers for him in order to land the job. 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. I think that everyone, particularly the Kim family and Moon-kwangs family, showed parasitic behaviour. Chung-sook is the matriarch of the Kim family. Parasite is directed by the South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho, who also directed the sci-fi action film Snowpiercer (which was among the highest-grossing films of all time in South Korea) and Okja (which has won multiple film awards and was also nominated for Palme dOr in 2017). Each has their own distinct backstory, personality, world view, and voice. He even tells Ki-woo that the best plan is to have no plan, because then you will never be disappointed when the plan doesnt play out the way you wanted it. Ki-jeong is usually one step ahead of Ki-woo and really solidifies getting the Kim family into the Park family home. Now he leads a pleasant life in the mansion with his wife Yeon-Kyo and two children. Its a conversation starter in ways we only get a few times a year, and further reminder that Bong Joon-ho is one of the best filmmakers working today. Create robust and customizable shot lists. Grew up as an art student at a middle-class family. Each family has a symbiotic relationship with one another; the Parks need their employees to keep their house and family up and running, and the Kims and Moon-kwangs family leech off the wealth of the Parks. Subscribe for more filmmaking videos like this. The film is packed with social commentary, thrilling moments, and plenty of meaty writing worthy of a full Parasite movie analysis. 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. You would have never expected that the spacious, minimalist living room would having sufficient hiding spots for the Kim family, but they make do, truly living up to the cockroach analogy used by Mrs Kim earlier on as the Kims scatter and hide at the first sign of danger. Get entertainment recommendations for your unique personality and find out which of 5,500+ Review: Class warfare is on full display in director Bong Joon-hos provocative Parasite. She is easily deceived by Ki-jeong's framing of the Park family chauffeur as explained by Dong-ik. Min-hyuk is a friend to the Kim family, primarily Ki-woo. This secret basement reveals an even lower level of status below what we had thought was the floor with the Kim family. For a quick breakdown on satire, including a segment on Parasite, here's an explainer that will answer all your questions about how satire works. The characters are a reason for the success and we've ranked how smart they are. 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. She calls Chung-sook sister, at which the Kims scoff. Ki-jung gets the job after impressing Mrs. Park with some pseudo insights about psychology, and Mrs. Park hires her as both a tutor and an art therapist. What is Mumblecore? Geun-se, driven mad by his own situation, smashes Ki-woo over the head with the rock and runs upstairs to the backyard, where he then stabs Ki-jung. Mr Kim, tasked with managing Moon-kwang and her husband, struggles to subdue them both in the basement bunker. The film centers on two families, one poor and one rich and the interactions between them that end explosively. The Parks suddenly call, informing Mrs Kim that they would be arriving home in 8 minutes. Ki-taek may be out of work, but he's no dummy. Your email address will not be published. Over the course of a few pulse-quickening scenes, and unbeknown to the Parks, Chung-sook critically injures Moon-gwang by pushing her down the stairs, and Ki-taek traps Geun-se in the bunker. Parasite represents the most focused and refined approach to class as a subject that Bong Joon-ho has achieved, and thats certainly saying something given his impressive body of work. moon-gwang's husband. A visual medium requires visual methods. Couldnt she have chosen to do so in broad daylight? 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