By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor 

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR “PARASITE”

Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” has taken the box office by storm. The comedy-thriller premiered at the Cannes film festival in 2019, whereupon it received the Palme d’Or, the first South Korean film to do so. Upon its release in Korea at the end of May, Parasite was met with critical acclaim, going on to receive over 180 awards, including four Oscars. 

Parasite follows the story of the Kim family, who are destitute and live in a basement apartment in the slums of an unnamed Korean city (the movie was filmed around Seoul and in Jeonju). The Kim family father Ki-taek, mother Chung-sook, daughter Ki-jung and son Ki-woo hold temporary jobs as pizza box holders and struggle to make ends meet. One day, Ki-woo’s friend offers him a job as an English tutor for the exorbitantly wealthy Park family, who live in a lavish modern house and drive nice cars. 

Soon, Ki-woo helps the rest of his family infiltrate the Park family, with Ki-jung posing as an art therapist, Ki-taek working as the family chauffeur, and Chung-sook taking up the position of housekeeper. They revel in the glory of the Park family’s riches until they discover a secret that will tear the two families apart, and see innocent blood spilled. 

“Parasite” is a joy to watch. The stark contrasts drawn between the two families are evident in subtle symbolism, such as a scene where Chung-sook hastily prepares instant noodles for the Park family’s eccentric son Da-song, and tops it with high-grade sirloin beef, presumably to illustrate the sheer wealth gap in the movie. The film builds tension through the orchestra-focused soundtrack, with the sharp resonance of violins builds as the heat rises. On the surface, Parasite is an innocent enough comedy, but under its shiny surface lies a dark and malicious interior. 

The climax of the movie, where the Kim family discovers someone living under the house, signals a sudden shift in the movie’s tone, and the switch is so sudden it easily catches you off guard. You simply can’t prepare yourself for the sheer speed that the climax happens in. Many subtle, yet significant details lie hidden beneath the surface, commanding the watcher’s absolute focus. It is certainly a film intended for higher levels of thinking, and without such high attention, the watcher can quickly become lost in the metaphorical hurricane that is this movie. 

“Parasite” is a surefire win for anyone who wants to get deeply invested in a complex spiderweb-like plot with rich characters and gorgeous cinematography. This movie is a blast and is well-deserving of its innumerable accolades. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars