The SPECTRUM

Volume 31

The SPECTRUM

The SPECTRUM

Parasite

Parasite

Parasite, a disturbing, layered, mixed genre masterpiece, has hit American theatres. South Korean filmmaker, Bong Joon-Ho, paints the picture of a wealth class war describing the struggle of the poor and the ignorance of the rich.

In Parasite, a recent critically acclaimed foreign film, Joon-Ho delivers an astounding story about the struggles of class and hardship. This remarkable movie has been enthusiastically embraced by critics, receiving a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, took home a Golden Globe for the best foreign-language film, and received a total of seven Oscar nominations being the first foreign film to be nominated for the best picture.

The film exposes every aspect of destitution in a riveting manner. Parasite has a fascinating take on a topic that constantly needs addressing.

Ki-Woo and his family reside in the surrounding area of the Korean city Jeonjul. They live in an impoverished area inside a semi basement house. Ki-Woo receives a temporary tutoring job from his friend. The student he is tutoring is a member of the wealthy Park family and lives in a large, modern house.

During the entire movie, the contrast between poverty and wealth is incredibly apparent. Ki-Woo’s plan, however, is to provide jobs for his entire family in the household. He starts by convincing the gullible mother that an art tutor is necessary for the son and gradually brings the whole family into professions at the house using ingenious tactics. The Kim’s take on the roles of the housekeeper, art and math tutor, and chauffeur.

Joon-Ho zooms in on how the Kim family manages to take advantage of the ignorance of the rich while exploiting the free resources around them to get ahead. The film begins with them opening up the windows while the neighborhood is being fumigated so they can use it for extermination. They also use wifi from a coffee shop and use Da-hye’s job to employ the rest of their family. This family is composed of con-artists who skirt the difficulties of being poor and instead figure out various methods to make a living and a lifestyle for themselves . In order to do so, they manipulate the rich by exploiting their credulousness. The movie balances a comedic tone with also a very blunt and truthful look on what poverty really means and how far the struggle has pushed the Kim family. All in all, Parasite is a must-see and a serious contender for best picture at the Oscars 2020.

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