Review of ‘Parasite’ by Joon-ho Bong: Exploring the Art of Film through Parasite

April 8, 2020

Parasite, directed by Joon-ho Bong, was first released in May 2019 in South Korea and then in other parts of the world in October. The title “Parasite” already gives the chills. The word refers to a certain type of organism living off another — a host — and is also a derogatory term used for people with similar traits. The film recently won 4 Academy Awards at the Oscars including Best Picture, Directing, International Feature Film and Writing (Original Screenplay). Despite the fact that there are questions to be answered regarding its true eligibility of the awards, the film portrays a sensitive and vital issue that is pertinent in our society in the form of a distinctive artwork, film.

Parasite centers around the Kim clan, an impoverished family of four. Mr. and Mrs. Kim and their children, daughter Ki-jung and son Ki-woo, create a conspiracy to live as “parasites” off the wealthy Park family, Mr. and Mrs. Park and their children, daughter Da-hye and son Da-song. Ki-woo infiltrates the Park family as Da-hye’s private English tutor, and Ki-jung as the little Da-song’s art therapist, while Mrs. Kim goes to work as the family’s housekeeper and Mr. Kim, as the Park’s private driver. The story starts to unfold as the Kim family’s conspiracy is unveiled when the previous housekeeper, Moon Gwang sees them enjoying the house as if it were theirs. This takes place when Moon Gwang visits her house to feed her husband, who she has been “parasitizing” with in the hidden basement bunker of Park’s house. This scene shows the power dynamic that operates even within the same social class zone — lower class within a low class. The story ends when a peaceful birthday party turns into a mass murder scene. Moon Gwang’s husband escapes from the secret bunker, enraged by his wife’s accidental murder by Mrs. Kim. He kills Ki-jung and attempts to kill Mrs. Kim. There is a scene in which Mr. Kim holds his daughter in panic while his boss examines Moon Gwang’s husband stabbed by barbecue skewers. Mr. Park yells for Mr. Kim to return the car keys in an attempt to leave the scene. This is the trigger for the explosion of the poor against the rich — smell (later analyzed) plays a big role in this part. In the eyes of Mr. Kim, Park’s liberty or ignorance could have been the source of anger for such a gap between the reality of the less privileged and the privileged. Park seemed privileged enough to be capable of escaping the scene.

While the form of a film provides symbolic messages similar to those of images, film differs in the way its representations are delivered (for example through a character, setting, l’ objet [explain?] and tone & manner). Film operates more like extended prose, whereas traditional images (paintings, photographs and etc.) mainly operate as paragraphs that extract the essence of a whole. In the case of Parasite, it is important to note how the director, Joon-ho Bong, uses the tools available in film to tackle global phenomena that he’s interested in.

Bong’s use of film as an art form is present in metaphors used with tone & manner, mise-en-scene and props:

• The bunker within Park’s house: The bunker reflects a sub-class that exists within the same class. This is marked by the Moon Gwang and Kim families’ power play. Though they all come from poor backgrounds, depending on whom the situation is advantageous to, different people practice power and speak with authority against each other. That is not towards people of a higher social class but of the same. Perhaps this is just about the line they feel is unreached but not limited for them to cross. This reflects the food chain that seems to exist as a force of nature in our society, where people continuously struggle to get the chance to upgrade their lives, to survive.
• The smell: The Parks catch body odor from the Kims which they define as that of subway riders. The film uses this odor to cause “tension and suspense [to] mount, which eventually makes a multi-layered foundation for the upcoming tragedy,”[1] It also symbolizes the smell of the poor (the semi-basement), the “realness”, “authenticity” of people or a kind of aura that emanates out of and surrounds one unconsciously — that identifies one. Perhaps through this smell, Bong intended to reflect people’s state of poverty or wealth as something inherent. In the film, the Kims disguise themselves as successful tutors, housekeepers, and chauffeur but fail to hide their trueness — the “real” smell.

From lines by the characters

• “Simple and quiet”: This phrase is frequently used by Mr. and Mrs. Park whenever they fire their workers. It bleakly reveals the specific traits of the upper-class family’s tendency to handle all problems or issues simply and quietly — no matter what the consequences — causing no big fuss. The quote reflects the selfishness, indifference, and naivety of the upper-class Park family, who appear to be completely blind to the reality that lies behind their door. For the Kims, it appears, it is a privilege to be able to live such a “simple and quiet” life.
• “The Plan”: Throughout the film, the poor Kim family keep mentioning “the plan” whenever they run into any problems. The “plan,” for the Kim family must be something that they seek for or hold on to in times of crisis when they are standing at the edge of a cliff. In the beginning of the film, it symbolizes escape out of their reality in search of wealth. Then turns into sheer hope — a ray of sunshine that they can hold on to. Towards the end, Ki-woo develops a certain expectation to become rich. Mr. Kim mentions how the plan that never fails is to have no plan at all because he already knows Moon Gwang is dead as a result of their actions at this point. This “plan talk” with his son reflects his state of hopelessness, having nothing to hold on to.

The film portrays traits of both the rich and the poor that emanate from their very consciousness as well as their subconsciousness providing various possible interpretations for the viewers.

Bong sets up his climactic scene for maximum dramatic effect and emotional explosion. On a bright afternoon at a well-groomed garden, while a beautiful string instrument orchestra plays, and everyone is happily celebrating Da-song’s birthday, a chaotic murder takes place. The scene is not only aesthetically arresting but also provides a sophisticated twist to the film. Bong references Alfred Hitchcock, who once said “that a murder that happens in bright daylight rather than a dark and rainy back alleyway is more fascinating and intense.”[2]

His camera work is another quality that communicates the theme or the circumstances of the characters. In the beginning of the film, the camera pans down to reach the inside of the house that the Kim family lives in. The Kims are always coming down from a staircase or the side of a hill when they are trying to get back to their own place from the Parks’. The setting of the semi-basement house is also one of the typical choices of living situations available to the poor and moneyless people who try to make a living in Seoul. In contrast, when Ki-woo visits Park’s mansion-like house for the first time, the camera angle faces upwards the whole time as he enters and ascends the stairway — a clear class differentiation reflected by their living conditions.

Parasite leaves questions to the viewers, both moral and economical ones, that we should think about when fighting for social equality. The film looks into the current ecology of a society that seems to be functioning, to refer to what is perceived from the film, like a food chain. It also suggests that there is no true anarchy and there always will be class differences as long as there are standards to which people can compare themselves. In school grades, at workplaces, and the economy, there is always the idea of something being good, something being better. Otherwise there would not be comparative words like “better”, “worse”, “more” or etc. With this in mind, class division seems inevitable. Perhaps, the film is suggesting, that there is an invisible line that cannot be crossed dividing the lower class and middle class by simply stealing their way into it for their greed and possible future upgrade in their lives — life lesson being one should be appreciative of what they have instead of focusing on what they don’t have.

Foot Note References

[1] Jin-hai Park, “Body Odor Class Gap Guided Bong Joon-Ho’s ‘Parasite’ ,” The Korea Times, 29, 2019, https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2019/06/689_269700.html

[2] By Max Cea, “Parasite’s Wild Ending, Broken Down,” GQ, November 4, 2019, https://www.gq.com/story/bong-joon-ho-breaks-down-parasites-wild-ending