Recently, South Korea has been recognized by the entire world for its value through various media, but most significantly, through the film. Parasite, directed by the South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho has won in 4 different categories in the Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Original Screenplay. Of course, the entire peninsula rejoiced at this news. But the real questions still remain; What does it really mean? Why is it so important? What kind of message is it trying to convey to us, the audience?
You might have heard the phrase, “Oscars is so white.” Well, it’s true. In the past, the Awards were mostly given to American films and in turn, diversity was hard to find. Sure, there have been many precedences where movies featuring people of color and different ethnicities were nominated and won some of the highest awards. But this is the very first time that a foreign-language film has won a Best Picture. The fact that Parasite has been given such attention and love is enough of an indication of what society has been waiting to see happen. A change. An appreciation for what had to be missed due to the long-standing practice of labeling individuals based on the way they look, not the way they think or feel. As Bong Joon-Ho said in his speech at the Golden Globes, once people can overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, they are introduced to so many more amazing films.
However, if we take out the words “South Korean film” and instead focus on “Parasite”, there is much more to say about the current state of our world. Essentially, the movie focuses on two very different families and the gap between the rich and the poor. While the story is deeply Korean, filled with unique traditions and practices, it still managed to attract millions of viewers from all across the world. This tells us just how universally relatable and relevant the theme is; economic inequality is one of the biggest issues faced by every nation, and the movie doesn’t shy away from being explicit and honest about what it looks like in real life.
Although every second I’ve spent in the movie theater was worth the time and more, there is a scene that I particularly appreciated. It’s when the Kim family discovers that the husband of the house’s previous housekeeper has been living in the underground bunker. The two of them plead the Kim family to not reveal the secret to the Park family, but as soon as the couple find out that they have deceived the Park family to enjoy their richness, they become the ones in power. From there, the power dynamics change every second, based on who has the phone in their hands. The way people find every bit of reason to position themselves above someone else, and how quickly their attitude and behavior changes to survive the brutality of those in power is simply scary. But what’s scarier than the scene itself is that it happens all the time, everywhere around us.
People obtain and abuse their authority because society lets them. So many of us complain and criticize the “chosen few” and yet deep down, we all know that we would do similar things if we were in their shoes. Today, individuals are tightly connected to each other through complicated bonds of money and class, and things often get ugly. But the fact that they exist in reality, and that it’s an issue faced globally, is not going anywhere.
Some viewers might say that Parasite is too graphic and over-dramatic. Well, perhaps it was meant to be that way. Facing the world and of its problems as they are can be extremely unsettling and uncomfortable. But without feeling a little uncomfortable, changes are impossible. In the end, the movie opens up a floor for deeper discussions about the steps that need to be taken to resolve the current situation. Because no matter how great this movie may be, it’s just the beginning of something better.
Works Cited
“기생충 (영화).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Mar. 2020, ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/기생충_(영화).
Adams, Thelma. “South Korea's 'Parasite' Crashes the Subtitles Barrier.” Variety, 3 Feb. 2020, variety.com/2020/film/awards/south-koreas-parasite-crashes-the-subtitles-barrier-1203488979/.