Movie Lesson 2: Parasite (2019)

Just by looking at the cover.... don't you think it's a horror movie? Then I search through the details of the movie: found out that it is under the category of comedy, horror. So i decided to give it a try! (since it is the Restricted Movement Order).

PARASITE is a roller-coaster ride with twist after twist and it won our hearts not just by being entertaining, but a shocking reflection of class disparity and helplessness of the lower class society.

Here's what I found out after watching the movie. Alert: Spoilers Ahead!

1. Learn to Earn Money through the Right Way 君子爱财，取之有道

The poor family, the Kim's, con their way into becoming servants of a rich family, the Parks. The male character in the movie (Ki Woo) forged his university certificate to get the job as an English home tutor for Da-hye (the rich man's daughter). Afterwards, he fooled the rich family to hire his sister(art therapist), father(driver), then mother (as housekeeper).

We must always stay down to earth, work whatever that fits our qualification. Even we can forge the university certificates, we can't forge our knowledge and skills. Work, save money, and buy a house like the rich man! (Or just marry a rich man if you have two "headlight").

2. Don't Marry Your Student!

Ki Woo (the English tutor) felt in love with Da-hye! Like... Whaaaat?! In order to get out of his poor family condition, Ki Woo doesn't think twice to kiss Da-hye when she confessed to him. Where's his dignity btw? does he think of their future?

Students will remain as our students. We must remember our role as a teacher is only to teach; not to marry our student (🙄). A note to teachers: don't be a pedophile! Know your duty and limits!

3. "Parasite" can be any one of us

Just like the people in the movie cover are eye-covered, because they could be any one of us. Some argued that "Capitalism turns us all into parasites." That's true: the working class and the rich are actually interdependent: the working class "leech" on the company to get a living; the rich employers "leech" on the workforce to help them earn money to pay for their luxury lifestyles.

As director himself said:

"Because the story is about the poor family infiltrating and creeping into the rich house, it seems very obvious that Parasite refers to the poor family, and I think that's why the marketing team was a little hesitant. But if you look at it the other way, the rich family they're also parasites in terms of labor. They can't even wash dishes, they can't drive themselves, so they leech off the poor family's labor. So both are parasites (to one another)."

4. Is Success Truly Organic, or is it Mostly due to the Circumstances of One's Brith?

Ki-woo's sister (Ki-Jeong) is very talented in drawing but the talent is often neglected due to it's poor family condition. Meanwhile, the rich man's son who is talented in drawing is likely destined for a career in the art world, regardless, cushioned by the wealth and influence of his parents.

5. The Make-up of the society -Irony Behind Ki-woo's Laughters

Looking into Ki-woo's monologue after head injury, he laughed at the detective's and doctor's word: mentioning that neither the doctor or detective look suited to their positions. This ironically portrays the absurdity of society, the myth of the meritocracy, have been laid bare to Ki-woo; perhaps everyone is faking it, to a certain extent, just as he and his family once did.

Forbes author(Dani Di Placido in What is "Parasite" Really About) put it that way: I think these scenes highlight something that many of us feel, that the world is filled with people (especially those that hold powerful positions of authority), that simply aren't "qualified" for their role.

6. Do You Know What Kind of Plan Never Fails? (food for thoughts)
Ki-woo asked his father about the plan of settling the "basement people" He said he had no plan at all. Because