Parasite

**Act Like You Own the Place.**

Parasite is a 2019 film from South Korea. It won best picture and best foreign film at the 2020 Academy Awards and was nominated for many others such as best production design.

## Parasite

### Writer

Bong Joon-Ho & Han Jin-Wo (Won Best Original Screenplay)

### Editor

Yang Jin-mo (Nominated for Best Film Editing)

## Plot

The Kim family – father Ki-taek, mother Chung-sook, daughter Ki-jung and son Ki-woo – live in a small semi-basement apartment (*banjiha*), have low-paying temporary jobs as pizza box folders, and struggle to make ends meet. University student Min-hyuk, a friend of Ki-woo's, gives the family a scholar's rock meant to promise wealth. Leaving to study abroad, he suggests that Ki-woo take over his job as an English tutor for the wealthy Park family. Ki-woo poses as a university student and is hired; Mrs Park decides they will call him "Kevin.".

The Kim family infiltrates the lives of the Parks by recommending each other's services, posing as unrelated and highly qualified workers. Ki-woo tutors and begins a romance with the Parks' daughter, Da-hye. Ki-jung poses as "Jessica", an art therapist to the Parks' young son, Da-song. Ki-jung frames Mr Park's chauffeur as having had sex in the car, and Ki-taek is hired to replace him. Finally, Chung-sook takes over as the Parks' housekeeper after the Kims exploit the severe peach allergy of the long-time housekeeper, Moon-gwang, and convince Mrs Park that she has tuberculosis.

When the Parks leave on a camping trip, the Kims revel in the luxuries of the Park residence. Moon-gwang returns, telling Chung-sook she has left something in the house's basement, and reveals the hidden entrance to an underground bunker created by the house's architect and previous owner. Moon-gwang's husband, Geun-sae, has been secretly living underneath the home for years, hiding from loan sharks. Chung-sook refuses Moon-gwang's pleas to help Geun-sae remain in the bunker, but Moon-gwang discovers the truth about the Kim family and gains the upper hand.

A severe rainstorm brings the Parks home early, and the Kims scramble to clean up the home, while a brawl breaks out between Moon-gwang, Geun-sae, and the Kims. The Kims trap Geun-sae and a mortally wounded Moon-gwang in the bunker, and Ki-taek sees Geun-sae sending a fruitless message in Morse code using the home's lights. Mrs Park reveals to Chung-sook that Da-song had a seizure-inducing traumatic experience years ago when he saw a "ghost" – actually Geun-sae emerging from the basement. The Kims escape the Parks' house unseen, but not before hearing Mr Park comment that Ki-taek, despite being a good employee, smells bad. Returning home to find their apartment completely flooded by the storm, the Kims are forced to sleep in a gymnasium with other displaced people.

The next day, Mrs Park hosts a house party for Da-song's birthday, with the Kim family in attendance. Ki-woo enters the bunker with the scholar's rock to face Geun-sae. Finding Moon-gwang dead, he is attacked by Geun-sae, who bludgeons him with the rock and escapes. Seeking to avenge Moon-gwang, Geun-sae stabs Ki-jung with a kitchen knife in front of the horrified guests. Da-song suffers another seizure upon seeing Geun-sae, and a struggle breaks out until Chung-sook kills Geun-sae with a skewer. While Ki-taek tends to Ki-jung, Mr Park orders him to drive Da-song to the hospital. In the chaos, Ki-taek, upon seeing Mr Park's disgusted reaction to Geun-sae's smell, takes the knife and kills Mr. Park before fleeing the scene.

Weeks later, Ki-woo wakes up after brain surgery. He and Chung-sook are convicted of fraud and put on probation. Ki-jung has died from her injury and Ki-taek, wanted for Mr Park's murder, has vanished. Geun-sae's motives for the attack are a mystery to the public. Ki-woo watches the Parks' home, which has been sold to a German family unaware of its history, and sees a message in Morse code from the flickering lights. It is from Ki-taek, who escaped into the bunker and now survives by scavenging from the new homeowners. Still living in the banjiha with his mother, Ki-woo writes a letter to Ki-taek, vowing to earn enough money to one day purchase the house and free his father.

## Cast

* Song Kang-ho as Kim Ki-taek (김기택; '**Gim Gitaek'**), father of the Kim family
* Choi Woo-shik as Kim Ki-woo (Kevin; 김기우; '**Gim Giu'**), son of the Kim family
* Park So-dam as Kim Ki-jung (Jessica; 김기정; '**Gim Gijeong'**), daughter of the Kim family
* Jang Hye-jin as Park Chung-sook (박충숙; '**Bak Chungsuk'**), mother of the Kim family
* Lee Sun-kyun as Park Dong-ik (Nathan; 박동익; '**Bak Dongik'**), father of the Park family
* Cho Yeo-jeong as Choi Yeon-gyo (최연교; '**Choe Yeongyo'**), mother of the Park family
* Jung Ji-so as Park Da-hye (박다혜; '**Bak Dahye'**), daughter of the Park family
* Jung Hyeon-jun as Park Da-song (박다송; '**Bak Dasong'**), son of the Park family
* Lee Jung-eun as Gook Moon-gwang (국문광; '**Guk Mungwang'**), the housekeeper
* Park Myung-hoon as Oh Geun-sae (오근세; '**O Geunse'**), Moon-gwang's husband
* Park Geun-rok as Kim Ki-taek's predecessor as Park Dong-ik's chauffeur, who is only mentioned with his family name Yoon (윤; '**Yun'**)
* Park Seo-joon as Min-hyuk (민혁; '**Minhyeok'**), Ki-woo's friend (cameo appearance)

## Critic Consensus

An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes, *Parasite* finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft.