Parasite (HBO)

About Parasite (HBO)

"Parasite" is a South Korean black comedy thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho and released in 2019. The story revolves around the poor Kim family who scheme to become employed by the wealthy Park family by infiltrating their household and posing as unrelated, highly qualified individuals.

Making / Production

The film was produced by Kwak Sin-ae and Moon Yang-kwon, and co-produced by Bong Joon-ho himself. The screenplay was also written by Bong and Han Jin-won. "Parasite" was shot entirely in South Korea, with a set built to replicate a rich family's modern house and a poor family's semi-basement apartment.

Actors

• Song Kang-ho: Played Kim Ki-taek, the family patriarch. He artfully depicted a desperate man willing to do anything for his family.
• Choi Woo-shik: Played Ki-woo, the son who first infiltrates the Park household. His performance brilliantly straddles the line between deception and vulnerability.
• Park So-dam: Played Ki-jung, the daughter who becomes the Park family's art tutor. She marvelously embodies the confident con artist.
• Jang Hye-jin: Played Choong-Sook, the mother of the Kim family. Her character showcases resilience and desperation with great believability.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film makes excellent use of visual symbols, from the semi-basement home that represents the Kims' social status, to the stone scholar's rock that signifies wealth and material desire.
• "Parasite" is Bong Joon-ho's first film to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It was also the first South Korean film to do so.

Awards

"Parasite" has won numerous awards, including four Oscars - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. This marked the first time a South Korean film won the Palme d'Or and the first film in a language other than English to win the Best Picture Oscar.

Quotes

• "You know what kind of plan never fails? No plan. No plan at all." - Kim Ki-taek
• "If I had all this, would I still be me?" - Kim Ki-woo

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by Jung Jae-il, who previously worked with director Bong Joon-ho on his film "Okja".
• The haunting piano theme "The Belt of Faith" underscores many pivotal moments in the film.
• The song "Jessica, Only Child, Illinois, Chicago" became widely popular after being featured in a memorable scene in the film.