Parasite dives into themes of separation and reflection. After uncovering their motives in a key scene, the Ki Taek family heads home down the stairs to their slum, only to find that their home, along with those of their neighbors, has been devastated. Ki Taek tries to salvage what he can, while Ki Woo stares at a family heirloom, an inheritance stone pretty much worthless except for its sentimental value.
Then, there is Ki Jung, who is trying to sit on a toilet seat while holding a toilet overflowing with waste. She grabs a pack of cigarettes off the roof of the house. The snap she hears when she sits down hints at what the bathroom, the internet, and smartphones represent. The early scenes in the film are packed with metaphors, like when Ki Woo and Ki Jung are hunting for their neighbors’ Wi-Fi signals to watch a tutorial on folding pizza wrappers.
The small yet significant things can make a difference if this family learns to enjoy the little moments. However, why do they never consider the consequences? What is the deal with heritage stones? Moreover, what about those cigarettes, Ki Taek’s next scheme, or how the characters guide each other?
For the Ki Taek family, finding a Wi-Fi signal or folding pizza wrappers could lead to big gains. They use every small advantage they can find—socially, figuratively, and in every other way. The film opens with socks hanging from the ceiling, highlighting their low position. For them, peeing in the street is no big deal.
The story emphasizes their journey up and down the stairs and through the lines of class. The social divide between the rich and poor is easily seen as a central theme. Absolutely! Bong Joon-ho is known for deeply probing class struggles and social issues. Just look at Mother and Snowpiercer—he addresses inequality from every angle, horizontal, vertical, or even slightly deviant!
Films about social injustice and Marxism are nothing new, but Parasite shook the world. It brought those themes differently and made them feel interesting and relevant again! The way the movie tackles the themes of separation and reflection gives us a view of the world from different angles—from above, below, and everything in between. It highlights the flaws of the system and makes you think! The story from the top down highlights social segregation, group dynamics, prejudices, propaganda, and status.
Whether through horizontal, vertical, or even diagonal strings, Parasite represents everyday life’s ups and downs. The characters are not just hanging out on a luxury yacht but gauging their worth by wealth. It is not just about being punched in a dead end where status dictates everything; it is about how capitalism keeps going—like a car wheel or tire!
They go in all directions—forward, backward, up, and down. Parasite tackles themes of separation and reflection, using visuals and metaphors as its main tools. However, when discussing the complex interactions between the subconscious and conscious minds, the framing metaphors are not always clearly stated in the text.
In films like The Truman Show, Modern Times, and Metropolis, horror is not just about blood, death, or gruesome class strife; it can also be about sadness disguised as humor. Economic issues can feel like a life-or-death survival game, where the results determine the characters’ consequences. It is not a taboo topic in Asian cinema.
Movies like Shoplifters, Secret Sunshine, A Brighter Summer Day, and The Human Condition all present different portraits of class but are filled with economic struggles.
Asian films have much in common with other films, especially in addressing economic issues. However, Parasite gets to the heart of the matter by bringing up themes of isolation and self-reflection. From the beginning, you can feel the tension of the injustice happening. The film is like a battle of wits in Dong Ik’s house, where the smartest and the not-so-smart people compete against each other.
The Ki Taek family interacts with and frames the Dong Ik family. With characters like English teachers, art teachers, drivers, and housekeepers, Bong Joon-ho sets a tone for genuine human coexistence. Like the relationship between bees and flowers, privacy turns into a surface-level interaction where the bee takes what it wants for selfish purposes. Privacy allows people to join and engage them. It builds a safe space where everyone can unite and disseminate their reflections without worrying about appraisal.
The intent here is to involve. Consequence is about the visuals, sensations, intuitions, fragrances, and motions that form beats. In Parasite, we can feel the stench of the lower class mixed with the pain of those who have faced hard times. That whole “rotten” feeling is often associated with people who are struggling financially. However, it all adds to our understanding of the smells in the film. The basement and the stairwell are reminders of the lower class’s struggles.
The idea that the upper classes do not see is not just a fancy metaphor—it is real. They are often oblivious to the challenges that others face. People often go beyond what they can see without realizing they are stepping on those below them. What does it mean to be inferior or superior if we ignore the visible and abstract components? The metaphor raises concerns about who is an immigrant and who owns the property.
Can we rely on accuracy and metaphor alone to decide who deserves the “most worthy” title? It sounds simple, but it is not very easy. We cannot easily label anyone as right or wrong. There is no clear answer.
Playing with metaphors is relatively easy because artists and critics often have different tastes. There is no right or wrong answer to whether abstract art is a masterpiece or a dud. Take the monkey, for example. Some notice it as a self-portrait or a view, while others see it as a messy picture that wastes endeavor.
Metaphors can be misleading. When we say “committed,” it has, though not as directly. The review of isolation and self-reflection can be a bit cliché because Parasite is all about bringing its end across from start to finish. How the characters view each other is also a big part of its message. Plus, it is about the masks they wear—they play a big part in the story!
How these “characters” act is not much different from how real people act. Our impressions and perceptions of each other can change based on the situation. We can see the differences between people from different socio-economic backgrounds. However, are the differences between class and perspective too wide to accommodate the abilities of all individuals? For example, someone may appear intelligent just by speaking English, even if he or she does not speak English well.
Regardless, how cues are interpreted plays a significant role in changing how people are viewed. In reality, people are mainly afraid of being exposed.
This getting caught worry clouds the line between compassion and tenderness, even if we can often tell who deserves pity. On the flip side, visual and abstract faces can be indefinite. Finally, formations and first images are necessary when people want to connect with others. Agility and zeal cannot be measured by how many citations Bong Joon-ho has won for this movie.
Humans focus on impressions identically. Individuals feel the necessity to fake to fit in with their classes. This dehumanization does not just apply to their contemporaries; it impacts anyone who indirectly strains to decline themselves. It is like humanity gets lost entirely. The chains holding down the lower classes will never break on their own. In the end, even not having a plan is still a plan. The likelihood of making connections often reflects human inequality.
References
- Bong, J. H. (Director). (2019). Parasite [Film]. CJ Entertainment.
- Davis, J. (2020). The Horror of Class: A Review of Parasite. Journal of Social Issues, 76(3), 489-503.
- Eisenhauer, M. (2020). Class Conflict and Capitalism in Parasite: A Marxist Analysis. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 37(4), 331-344.
- Huang, M. (2020). Exploring the Representation of Class in Parasite. Asian Cinema, 31(1), 67-80.
- Kim, B. (2020). The Invisible Class Divide: A Study of Social Stratification in Bong Joon-ho’s Films. Film Criticism, 44(1), 15-28.
- Lee, S. J. (2021). The Duality of Social Mobility: Class and Identity in Parasite. Cultural Studies Review, 27(2), 45-61.
- Nussbaum, M. (2020). The Art of Living: Social Injustice in Contemporary Cinema. Film & Philosophy, 24, 15-28.
- Patterson, J. (2021). Reflecting on Reflection: The Use of Mirrors in Parasite. Film Theory and Analysis, 14(2), 113-126.
- Rhee, S. (2019). The Aesthetics of Poverty: An Analysis of Parasite. Asian Journal of Communication, 29(3), 269-284.
