The Korean film “Parasite”, directed by Bong Joon Ho, won four Oscars this year. The movie received “Best Motion Picture of the Year”, “Best Achievement in Directing”, “Best Original Screenplay”, and “Best International Feature Film”. This was a groundbreaking night at the Oscars as “Parasite” became the first international film to win “Best Motion Picture of the Year”. I did not watch the Oscars, but I did watch “Parasite” at my local theater and I am glad the film is getting the praise it deserves. If you have not seen the film let me fill you in on what the hype is and why you should go see it as soon as possible.
The movie follows a poor family that lives in a basement apartment in Seoul, South Korea with no wifi and no employment. Throughout the movie, the family becomes connected to a rich family when their son obtains a job tutoring the rich family’s daughter in English. We see that the two families resemble each other in many ways but significantly differ in socioeconomic status. However, as the movie continues, it comments on greed, capitalism, and modern society as a whole.
The stigma of poverty was represented by the rich’s aversion to the smell of the working class. The rich family continually mentioned how “the help” had an odor. Even their young son mentioned that the help all smelled the same. Although “smelling poor” is not the grand takeaway of the film, it resonated with me as a reflection of the society that we live in. While poor people do not actually stink nor do they smell the same, the film makes it clear that upper-class society looks down on the impoverished and assumes that they are all the same. Everyone has their own story and cannot be thought of as the same.
I think that this movie appeals to a wide audience. There is horror, action, romance, and deep life lessons all embedded into one film. I also must mention that you should not be scared by the subtitles. Many Americans do not have much experience watching movies with subtitles but they do not deduct from the intensity or humor of the film. Director Bong Joon-Ho himself said, “Once you overcome the one-inch barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films” Watching “Parasite” was all-encompassing great entertainment and enlightening cultural experience.
Here’s a trailer to get a quick taste of this masterpiece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXfv87Wpk