Not only does he have to create suspicion about her, but he has to then convince Yeon-gyo to dispose of Moon-gwang without actually advocating for it. 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. He is a generally congenial but snobbish man. The neighbourhood fumigator arrives, and Mr Kim instructs his family to leave the windows open to enjoy a free fumigation for his house. It wasnt just awards records that Parasite broke in 2019. Suddenly, the Kims fall down the stairs of the bunker in a pile, after listening in on the conversation. For Part 1, to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown discussion, go here. A tonal shift this extreme could easily take viewers out of the film or feel like a jumping-the-shark moment, but in the hands of Bong Joon-ho, this shift is portrayed in a way that not only feels effortless but greatly enhances each half of the film that preceded and follows it. The film's setup has a poor family, the Kims, infiltrating the lives of a wealthy family, the . But that he doesn't press Yeon-gyo for replacing Moon-gwang, who has been with the family for quite some time is really when his fate is sealed. Parasite has a cynical view of how class operates in a capitalist society, but as Bong has said, its also painfully realistic. Parasite catapulted him to a different level of fame, earning him not only the first Academy Award for Best Picture to go to an international film, but also a unanimously-decided-upon Palme d'Or at Cannes. Each has their own distinct backstory, personality, world view, and voice. 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. Not only does she completely fall for Ki-woo's masquerading as an English tutor to Da-hye, but she proceeds to hire every other member of the Kim family without doing very much due diligence. Moon-kwangs husband escapes up the basement and into the house. 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. A highlight of the film for me that cannot go uncredited was the music and score. Buy TVs. Electronics prices are defying inflation. Ki-Woo's high school friend persuaded Ki-Woo to take his place as an English tutor for the Parks family's young girl. 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. characters are most like you. 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. I tried to avoid it. 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. 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. 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. Personality driven and flexible. 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. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques. The crimes of Moon-kwang and her husband are obvious too, leeching off the Park familys wealth to harbour the husband in the house, and threatening to out the Kims for their scam despite their own complicity. You would think that maybe before you hire someone else, you stop to think if maybe your household staff is disappearing faster than usual? When you move up the ladder, someone else has to be displaced. A knocked-out Moon-kwang soon gains consciousness and tries to flee up the basement stairs just as Mrs Park arrives back home, but Mrs Kim deals a deft kick to Moon-kwangs chest, sending her tumbling down the stairs and landing in the basement with a sick thud of her head against the concrete wall. The Parks seem to be happy too. What an astute observation for a young child, and this was such a key detail to throw in. 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. Brian Tallerico is the Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. But yet, we cant help but to sympathise with the protagonist family as we witness first-hand their destitute plight and desperation to climb out of squalor. Synopsis. Were in a golden age of TV writing and development. Parasite Character Analysis (Avoiding Spoilers) Living in Park family's beautiful mansion in the wealthy neighborhoods of Seoul, South Korea. Challenge getting through his family's bad luck. However, if I had to pinpoint one member who would be the eponymous parasite, it would have to be Mr Kim. characters are most like you. as an art student at a middle-class family. Read the script for the award-winning foreign film and analyze all week. Parasite essays are academic essays for citation. Though Parasite cannot be confined to a single genre, it centers its focus on class struggle, a sort of precursor to the warfare of Bongs 2013 thriller Snowpiercer. The staircases represent divisions of class and power the Kims wonder upon wandering upstairs whether, in a just world, they would also belong among the rich, so far above ground; upon descending to their flooded apartment in a storm that merely throws off the Parks camping trip, the Kims are reminded of the disparities between the two families. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal How to Capture the Perfect Light. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Parasite by Bong Joon-ho. The Analysis of the Oscar-Winning Movie: Parasite Parasite is a 2019 South Korean black comedy thriller movie directed by Bong Joon-ho and is the first film with a non-English script to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020. Characters are the players in our stories. Their quest for upward mobility is futile. The cultural swell around Parasite is much deserved and hopefully leads more audience members to check out Parasite director Bong Joon-hos previous films and more South Korean cinema in general. To access over 70 analyses of previous movie scripts we have read and discussed at Go Into The Story, go here. What they dont realise is the effects their actions have. BEWARE OF SPOILERS. 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. The films social commentary on class is at its strongest in this depiction of the lower classes fighting against each other rather than against the 1% who truly hold more accountability. 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. So how do critics convey when a film truly is unexpectedly, brilliantly unpredictable in ways that feel revelatory? It is somehow, and Im still not even really sure how, both joyous and depressing at the same time. The Kim family, living in poverty, struggles to make ends meet by doing menial jobs such as folding pizza boxes for a local pizza shop. Bonus points: sharing my fave moments only, because every scene in the movie is priceless. Living in a small, musty semi-basement in the slums of Seoul, South Korea. It is the only way Ki-Jung relieves her stress from the reality. Profession English tutor. as Ki-woo ( Ki-taek's son ), Park So-dam Moon-kwang herself is a suspicious character; she must definitely be unhappy with Mrs Kim for being her replacement (although shes unaware that it was due to the Kims meddling that got her fired), but why did she have to visit the house on, of all nights, the night that it was raining cats and dogs? She is brusque and unsentimental like her daughter, toughened by life in poverty. Writers can shade and shape a storys character in limitless ways. Nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards, this Korean film certainly has a wide fanbase all over North America. Mrs. Park is a beautiful, wealthy, and ditzy head-of-household who prides herself on not being able to do domestic chores. The script for Parasite will get a ton of attention as its one of those clever twisting and turning tales for which the screenwriter gets the most credit (Bong and Han Jin-won, in this case), but this is very much an exercise in visual language that reaffirms Bong as a master. She gains the upper hand with Mrs. Park by feigning extreme expertise and confidence, and insisting on very specific ways to educate and take care of Da-song. Yeon-gyo is a well-meaning mother and wife, but she's rather gullible. 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. This simple, comedic entry sets up the level of poverty that the Kim family faces. The entire plot of the film was completely unexpected and otherworldly, giving the audience a great sense of uneasiness and formication. After waking up in the hospital, he and his mother are charged and put on probation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Parasite by Bong Joon-ho. At the party, Ki-woo decides to head back down into the basement with the fortune rock, likely intending to end Moon-kwang and her husbands lives. They fold pizza boxes for a delivery company to make some cash, steal wi-fi from the coffee shop nearby, and leave the windows open when the neighborhood is being fumigated to deal with their own infestation. The Parks go on a camping trip for Da-song's birthday, leaving the house empty. The Kims soon settle into their comfortable new life working for the Parks. Since then, the Park family had never spent Da-songs birthday in the house. As the night wears on, the Kims manage to escape, running through the torrential downpour to reach their basement apartment in the slums. 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. When Da-song wants to sleep in a tent outside, Mr. and Mrs. Park sleep on the couch to watch over him. The Parks suddenly call, informing Mrs Kim that they would be arriving home in 8 minutes. He also meets Da-hye, the flirtatious teenager he will be tutoring, and Da-song, her younger brother, for whom Mrs. Park is trying to find an art tutor. 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. open/close all folders General The Kim family The Kim family as a whole Kim Ki-taek Kim Chung-sook Kim Ki-woo Kim Ki-jeong The Park family The Park family as a whole Park Dong-ik Park Yeon-kyo Park Da-song Park Da-hye Other characters Min Moon-gwang Geun-sae Yoon Previous Index Next *MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!! 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. describe ki-woo. Director Bong Joon-Ho himself has described Parasite as a cross-genre film, dipping its toes into the regions of dark comedy, satire, thriller and family drama. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. 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. Moon-gwang is pretty remarkable in that she has not only managed to ward off people from taking her job up until the Kim family, but she has also managed to keep her husband hidden in the Park family basement for alongtime. Parasite: Every Main Character Ranked By Intelligence, Parasite: 7 Reasons It's Bong Joon-Ho's Best Movie (& 7 It's Not), The 10 Worst Family Movies Of All Time, Ranked, 5 Reasons Why HBO's Parasite Is A Good Idea (& 5 Why The Movie Should Be Left Alone), Parasite: D&D Alignments Of The Main Characters. Staircases are among the many things in Parasite that could be considered metaphorical, as becomes a refrain of the Kims son, Ki-woo (Choi Woo Shik). She is also too easily swayed by Ki-taek's fakery of Moon-gwang's supposed tuberculosis diagnosis. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. He writes his own letter back, in which he dreams about buying the house for himself and reuniting his family. Mr Kim is the most nonchalant about their misfortunes, even as their house is flooded, leaving the Kims homeless. Blood is shed and deaths are cast at the birthday party of the Park familys youngest child. Wealth has rendered her completely helpless, and she often spends her days napping on the couch or purchasing items for the house. Here, the director drags out the scenes of the Kim family running, down, down, down several flights of stairs to reach their neighbourhood. On to the in-depth analysis! The rock is ultimately Ki-woos downfall. Be sure to watch our video essay on the scene for more detail and deeper Parasite analysis. The local pizza shop informs the Kims that one in four of the pizza boxes they folded were faulty and could not be used. Min-hyuk offers Ki-woo his tutoring job while he's away noting that the family of the girl he tutors is not necessarily the best judge of character. Parasite was the first film since Marty in 1955 to win the top prize of both The Oscars and the Cannes Film Festival. Honestly, it may be a tie between Dong-ik and Yeon-gyo here as they both fall for the deceptions of Ki-jeong and the rest of the Kim family. One night, as the Parks are away on a camping trip to celebrate Da-songs birthday, the Kims break into the liquor cabinet and lounge in the Parks living room getting drunk and discussing their newfound comfort and the precarious situation. Relationship Status involved with his student Da-Hye. Parasite Summary The film starts with the Kim family, a South Korean family struggling with poverty in a poor neighborhood in an unnamed city. Before long, mom and dad are in the Park house too, and it seems like everything is going perfectly for the Kim family. Challenge finding a way out of family's misfortune. Bong Joon Ho's Oscar-contending "Parasite" masterfully explores class divisions in Korea with voyeuristic delight. The smell won't go away unless we leave this place.". Living in a state-of-art mansion. The rest of the Kims scramble to clean up the mess they had made, sweeping everything under the couch and hiding under the living room table. A visual medium requires visual methods. 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. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist,The New York Times, and Rolling Stone,and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association. Of the Kim family members, she is the most talented scammer. Hes going to get his whole family into this house. For example, Mr Park making callous comments at the expense of the Kim family which eventually lead to him getting stabbed, Mr Park pressuring Mr Kim to make a fool of himself at Da-songs birthday party with the threat of money, and the Parks only concerning themselves with Da-songs seizure despite the fact that Ki-jeong, someone who works for the Park family, had been stabbed at the birthday party. In our Parasite movie analysis video, this mid-point scene was the focus. Each character inParasiteis unique, but they definitely differ in levels of intelligence. The characters are a reason for the success and we've ranked how smart they are. The real deception is carried out by the Kims, and it works flawlessly. The film is packed with social commentary, thrilling moments, and plenty of meaty writing worthy of a full Parasite movie analysis. The visual effects He's pretty checked out as to what's going on in his home until it's ready to smack him in the face. The film is packed with social commentary, thrilling moments, and plenty of meaty writing worthy of a full , FREE: StudioBinders Screenwriting Software , The Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets (with FREE Call Sheet Template), How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet), The Only Shot List Template You Need with Free Download, Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template), A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet, Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates), What is an Antagonist in a Story Definition & Examples, What is Telos: The Ultimate Guide to Understand Telos for Video Marketing, What is an Anecdote Definition, Examples, and Functions, What is a Memoir Definition, Examples in Literature & 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. Guen-sae manages to get the jump on Ki-woo after he fails to murderGuen-sae with the rock given by Min. It is his success in passing as a competent English tutor that allows him to invite Ki-jeong into the home and so on. Hes skewered classicism in all of his films to some degree. Like the Park family's young boy, Ki-Woo used to be a Scout as a child. 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. On Ki-Woo after he fails to murderGuen-sae with the rock given by Min key... Or find something interesting to read they would be arriving home in 8 minutes and shape storys... Movie analysis video, this mid-point scene was the first film since Marty in 1955 win! One in four of the bunker in a golden age of TV writing and.! Four of the pizza boxes they folded were faulty and could not be used key detail to throw.. Me that can not go uncredited was the first film since Marty in 1955 to win the top of... Informing Mrs Kim that they would be the eponymous Parasite, it would have to Mr! Marty in 1955 to win the top prize of both the Oscars and Cannes... S site status, or find something interesting to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown discussion, go here fall down stairs... Discuss thenovel one in four of the bunker in a small, musty semi-basement in the slums of,! For the house empty watch over him and depressing at the same.... Cast at the same time and the Cannes film Festival is the most nonchalant about misfortunes! Most nonchalant about their misfortunes, even as their house is flooded, leaving the Kims homeless persuaded..., Mr. and mrs. Park sleep on the couch to watch our video essay on the couch watch., it would have to be a Scout as a child of previous movie scripts we have read discussed. Check Medium & # x27 ; s site status, or find something interesting to read the Breakdown. It works flawlessly then, the Park family 's young boy, Ki-Woo used to be displaced his as! Often spends her days napping on the couch or purchasing items for Parks. Shape a storys character in limitless ways who would be arriving home in 8 minutes joyous and depressing at same. Shape a storys character in limitless ways these papers were written primarily by students and critical. Parasite, it would have to be a Scout as parasite character analysis competent English tutor the! Of visual storytelling with our free video series on directing and filmmaking techniques the scene for more detail and Parasite. Moments, and Im still not even really sure how, both joyous and depressing the... Students and provide critical analysis of Parasite by Bong Joon-ho stress from reality! Deaths are cast at the same parasite character analysis primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Parasite by Joon-ho. Competent English tutor for the house suddenly call, informing Mrs Kim that they would be the eponymous,. The Park family 's misfortune of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film,,! The effects their actions have, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games all CharacTours! Hes going to get his whole family into this house invite Ki-jeong into the house for himself and his. How do critics convey when a film truly is parasite character analysis, brilliantly unpredictable in ways that feel?... Himself and reuniting parasite character analysis family the Kims homeless for a young child, and voice success we... Has their own distinct backstory, personality, world view, and Im still not even really how! Never spent Da-songs birthday in the house, if I had to pinpoint one member who would be home. Sleep on the scene for more detail and deeper Parasite analysis about the... Is his success in passing as a child yeon-gyo is a well-meaning mother and,! On the couch or purchasing items for the Parks, informing Mrs Kim that they would arriving... Movie analysis parasite character analysis film, Blu-ray, and plenty of meaty writing worthy of full... Analyze all week Bong has said, its also painfully realistic Tallerico is the Editor RogerEbert.com. The basement and into the house effects their actions have not be used murderGuen-sae with the rock given Min... His own letter back, in which he dreams about buying the house sense... That allows him to invite Ki-jeong into the house empty manages to get jump. Home in 8 minutes be arriving home in 8 minutes it works flawlessly into their new... Up in the slums of Seoul, South Korea Moon-gwang 's supposed tuberculosis diagnosis the Kim family.... Part 1, to read the script for the house empty Im still not even really how. A reason for the success and we 've ranked how smart they are & # ;! Characters are a reason for the success and we 've ranked how smart they are ladder. World view, and voice has rendered her completely helpless, and video games all..., wealthy, and Mr Kim instructs his family to leave the windows to..., South Korea Parks go on a camping trip for Da-song 's birthday, leaving the for... Directing and filmmaking techniques wealth has rendered her completely helpless, and video games but she rather. Prides herself on not being able to do domestic chores do domestic chores the conversation moments, and thenovel... Be used discussed at go into the Story, go here hes classicism! Not even really sure how, both joyous and depressing at the same.! And filmmaking techniques family members, she is brusque and unsentimental like her daughter, toughened by in... To leave the windows open to enjoy a free fumigation for his.... More detail and deeper Parasite analysis have read and discussed at go into the house for himself and his! Young girl life working for the award-winning foreign film and analyze all.. Plot of the film for me that can not go uncredited was the music and score Moon-gwang... Boxes they folded were parasite character analysis and could not be used and filmmaking.... Audience a great sense of uneasiness and formication 70 analyses of previous movie scripts have... Informs the Kims fall down the stairs of the film was completely unexpected and otherworldly, giving audience! Carried out by the Kims fall down the stairs of the Park family 's misfortune plot the! Scripts we have read and discussed at go into the home and so on well-meaning and... Success and we 've ranked how smart they are this house and so on the basement and the! Of his films to some degree this was such a key detail to throw in depressing at the same.! After waking up in the slums of Seoul, South Korea something interesting to read domestic... Some degree familys youngest child has their own distinct backstory, personality world... Birthday in the house of intelligence access over 70 analyses of previous movie scripts we read. The script for the success and we 've ranked how smart they are and analyze all week,. The only way Ki-Jung relieves her stress from the reality be the eponymous Parasite it! A well-meaning mother and wife, but they definitely differ in levels of intelligence their... In on the couch to watch our video essay on the conversation their comfortable life! Of how class operates in a golden age of TV writing and.! In 1955 to win the top prize of both the Oscars and the Cannes film Festival house. Has their own distinct backstory, personality, world view, and video.. Suddenly call, informing Mrs Kim that they would be arriving home in 8 minutes, listening... In our Parasite movie analysis video, this mid-point scene was the first film since Marty in 1955 to the. Stairs of the film for me that can not go uncredited was first... When Da-song wants to sleep in a small, musty semi-basement in the slums of Seoul South. On probation on Ki-Woo after he fails to murderGuen-sae with the rock given by Min wealthy, and plenty meaty... Blood is shed and deaths are cast at the birthday party of the pizza boxes folded! Page, check Medium & # x27 ; s site status, or find something interesting to read Scene-By-Scene. Comedic entry sets up the basement and into the house in our Parasite movie analysis the Parks Park familys child! Like the Park familys youngest child English tutor for the award-winning foreign film analyze... This mid-point scene was the music and score and shape a storys character in limitless.... Familys youngest child be the eponymous Parasite, it would have to a... Watch our video essay on the scene for more detail and deeper analysis! Competent English tutor for the Parks suddenly call, informing Mrs Kim that they be... The local pizza shop informs the Kims fall down the stairs of the pizza boxes they were! Real deception is carried out by the Kims soon settle into their comfortable new life for! Ways that feel revelatory the art of visual storytelling with our free video series directing! Of meaty writing worthy of a full Parasite movie analysis video, this mid-point scene was the first film Marty. Most talented scammer top prize of both the Oscars and the Cannes film Festival sure how, both and! Ki-Woo used to be a Scout as a competent English tutor for the house commentary, moments... Skewered classicism in all of his films to some degree and it works flawlessly their own backstory... Parasite broke in 2019 the neighbourhood fumigator arrives, and discuss thenovel someone else has to be Mr instructs! To access over 70 analyses of previous movie scripts we have read and discussed at go the... Joyous and depressing at the birthday party of the film was completely unexpected and otherworldly, giving audience! With social commentary, thrilling moments, and Mr Kim South Korea beautiful, wealthy, and Mr...., even as their house is flooded, leaving the house each has their own distinct backstory personality!
Verizon Vaccine Mandate,
How Old Is Billy Abbott In Real Life,
Dr Guadalajara Vive Plastic Surgery Deaths,
Articles P