#ki-woo

Parasite (2019)

(This is click-bait, please read my review)

Quick thoughts:

The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. There many stylistic choices that add to the overall atmosphere. The flooding scene with Ki-woo watching the water rush over his shoes. The water filling up their home as we watch the couple trapped in the bunker desperately trying to survive. The silence as Ki-taek realizes that he stabbed Dong-ik.

The movie is beautiful to watch and there are little touches here and there that make the experience even more enjoyable.

South Korea’s Culture:

I’m not South Korean, so there is a lot of cultural context I don’t have. There may be some critiques that come from this ignorance, so I would love to have an explanation. I think I caught most of it, but I know I’m missing information.

Why the Kims are actually bad people

I’m not starting with what they did to the Parks, but instead with Moon-gwang, her husband, and the driver. These people were also working class and had their lives completely upended due to the Kims. What I like about this, is that the Kims do feel some guilt but try to ignore it. It’s realistic and gives depth to our “parasites.” Purposefully aggravating someone’s allergies can be life-threatening. Planting the idea that someone’s driver may have assaulted someone is horrific. They manner in which these people were let go, may well affect their chances at finding other employment. Would you give a recommendation to a housekeeper you think is negligently spreading a serious disease or a driver that may fuck in your vehicles?

Ki-woo starting a romantic relationship with a high school sophomore is absolutely sickening. Min implying that he did the same? Also sickening. No one reacting properly to this? Makes me wonder if this is a common issue in South Korea. Not to mention, he attempted to murder the couple they trapped downstairs. Good on the husband for hitting Ki-woo. I also disliked Ki-jung manipulating a child’s trauma. She’s a cold one, for the most part.

Returning to Moon-gwang and her husband, I have to give the Kims some grace here. Their meeting and confrontation was an incredibly tense scene. Imagine finding out the previous housekeeper kept her husband in a secret bunk. Chung-sook could’ve accepted her deal, but chose to threaten her. A bucket of crabs situation, if you will. I love the parallels from this portion. They discover people doing what they’re doing and quickly work to secure their positions. The Kims attacked these people, attempted to cause anaphylaxis, and kicked Moon-gwang downstairs. Ki-taek finds blood on this unconscious woman and leaves her alone. Also, ties her up and locks them inside.

Why the Kims’ actions are understandable i.e. why they are great characters

The Kims depict the reality of poverty in SK. I assume it’s hard to get jobs unless you go to college. There’s a line about 500 graduates fighting over a security job. I think that paints a clear picture of how competitive the job market is. Ki-woo couldn’t pass what I assume were difficult entrance exams. Ki-jung has amazing talent with editing but probably can’t get a job for the same reasons. This family is barely scraping by. I have no qualms about lying about qualifications to get a job. Use that connection and make some coin.

The flooding scene and its aftermath are fucking amazing. Seeing them run in the rain just to find their only home covered in sewer water. Their few meager possessions are wrecked and they spend the night in the shelter. I think it’s a nice contrast to the warm and cushy night they were originally having. They’re living a fantasy and reality will fuck you over at any point in time.

I understand why Ki-taek lost it and stabbed Mr. Park. I don’t think the Kims are irredeemable monsters and Ki-taek crying over the man he killed shows that. They’re people living with shit circumstances trying to survive. They’re “bad people” in this movie, but they aren’t the bad guys.

No, the Parks aren’t bad guys, they aren’t good, but they aren’t bad.

I honestly want to delve into the minds of the people who think there are “good guys” and“bad guys” in this film. Where do they get this conclusion? The movie did not strike me as anti rich nor did it strike me as painting the Parks as these sweet, innocent protagonists.

The Parks seem like the average upper-class family. What surprised me was how often Mr. Park was home. I thought he would be more absent but he is involved with his family, minus his daughter.

Ahh, Da-hye. I assume SK also has this thing where sons are favored over daughters. She’s clearly looking for attention through her “trysts” with her tutors. I hesitate to fault the parents for not noticing her being groomed by two men because that shifts blame away from this fucking pieces of shit. She’s neglected and overlooked but because her base needs are met, the pain she’s going through is ignored.

I avoided parasite twitter to not see spoilers, but I saw the “hysteria” around Ram-don. Is sirloin expensive in SK? Could it be that the kind of steak doesn’t translate well in English? I get what it’s supposed to symbolize, but I can’t draw up too much rage at adding $10 steak to ramen.

The Park family crime is ignorance. They are shielded from the dark realities of the world by their money. When Ki-taek drives Mrs. Park around to prepare for the party, the stark reality of how different their experiences are is heartbreaking. The Parks don’t know what happened, the rain was just a nice bookend to the night. They don’t think about what a torrential rain can do to those that literally live below them. It’s like a snow day. Part of me is happy because I love the sight of snow and it often meant no school, but I think about the homeless people who are stuck outside in freezing temperatures. I can’t fault the Parks, but I understand Ki-taek’s frustration.

Class struggle(s)

Our three families represent the complexities of social classes and their struggles. Choong-sook said it best, the rich can afford to be nice because they have money. The Kims aren’t nice, but that’s the point. Their lives suck. When you’re siphoning wifi, folding pizza boxes, and watching drunkards piss outside your window, you’re not going to be super generous. We see that when they fight with Moon-gwang and her husband.

Moon-gwang and Guen-se are in similar circumstances, arguably worse since he has to hide from loan sharks. (I have questions around SK’s banking system. Loan sharks act like mafia and the Parks are paying their staff in cash and not via bank account). The Kims think they’re on the lowest rung and here are people even lower. Choong-sook tries to have them arrested to keep this newfound life of theirs. It’s selfish, they’re only focused on benefitting themselves. Still, the next day most of the Kims try to aid them. Too late, admittedly.

It says a lot that the Mr. and Mrs. Park expect Ki-taek to let “Jessica” and their other staff die to focus on saving their son. On one hand, I understand that the Parks were focused on saving their kid, like any decent parents, and that they didn’t know their staff was related. On the other hand, maybe have a little more concern for the people being attacked? I can’t fault Ki-taek for wanting to save his child too. Like I stated previously, the Parks, and by proxy the rich, struggle from ignorance. I’m not saying there aren’t rich people who actively revel in ruining others lives for their benefit, but some are just living. Am I really going to fault Mr. Park for living a comfortable life? No.

I like the imagery of the lower class characters having their issues downstairs. The Kims live below street level. Moon-gwang and Guen-se live in a bunker. They are situated even lower than the Kims. The Parks live uphill and upstairs, safely tucked away from the brutal realities of the world.

So what’s the point?

I’m not an economist, capitalist, communist, socialist, anarchist, etc because these theories hurt my brain. Money is fucking fake and people die due to greed.

This movie is sad. I felt for all the families in this movie. There are no good guys or bad guys, just people. People trying to live their lives. For me, this is the point. The Parks aren’t going to solve poverty. Ki-woo probably won’t get the money to free his dad. Moon-gwang and her husband are dead.

This movie critiques everyone. If the Kims had worked with Moon-gwang, they’d (might) still be living a cushy life. Mr. Park and Ki-jung wouldn’t be dead. Hell, they might’ve even gone home in time to close their window and hold down the toilet. The Parks' ignorance led to them getting conned and acquiring squatters. These are individuals in a fucked up system that propagates their mentalities.

Yes, I know this film is anti capitalist. I just hate economics.

Rating:

7.5/10

Jessica; Only child; Illinois; Chicago