‘Parasite’ by Bong Joon-Ho

By Leila Hicarte

Bong Joon-Ho is a famous director in South Korea known for his wonderful cinematography and mass hits Snowpiercer and The Host. With his history of accomplishments, it’s not surprising to see Parasite rise to the international center stage as it won various awards and nominations. Still, I admit that I went to watch the movie with no expectations since I had no idea what it was about and before I knew it, I was into a wild, wild ride.

Parasite’s (2019) Movie Poster, Directed by Bong Joon-ho Source: CJ Entertainment

The story is so intricately written in such way that it’s fictional and yet real. It’s almost disturbing to see reality in a movie when I’m so used to the superhero action movies or cheesy romcoms. The movie highlighted the difference in the societal classes and the gap between the poor and the rich. Not a single moment of the movie left me bored and it was exhilarating. The first act is lighthearted and amusing while the second act was grim and dark. Nevertheless, both kept me occupied and curious. I especially appreciate the clever and sly ways of the Kims as they wove themselves into the lives of the gullible and naïve Parks. Anyhow, things were happening every moment and shots were wisely used to portray the sequence of events properly. Kudos to Bong Joon-Ho for keeping every moment well spent.

The Kim Family: son Ki-woo, father Ki-taek, mother Chung-sook, and daughter Ki-jung

Source: Neon and CJ E&M

My favorite part of the movie is probably the charm of its realism. It doesn’t portray the rich as the evil or the poor as the victims like other movies do. They portray them as humans just like you and me who make mistakes. By the end of the movie, you’re left questioning yourself. Who is the real parasite? The rich who gain everything while they sit comfortably under the protection of their privileges while the poor kill themselves in a struggle to live or the poor who rely on the rich to supply their needs and always want the easy way out? Parasite deserved every recognition it got, from the character development to the plot. The effort placed on it was clear and the makers should be proud as it bore fruit into a movie that displayed life the best as I have seen in a screen.