기생충
Country of Origin: South Korea
Primary Audio Language: Korean
Director: Bon Joon-ho
Film Length: 2h 12m
Synopsis: A poor family, the Kims, con their way into becoming the servants of a rich family, the Parks. But their easy life gets complicated when their deception is threatened with exposure.
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Review: An outstanding cinematographic masterpiece that deserves every award it has won, been nominated for, and even more. It is a poignant commentary about the futility of trying to cross the schism between the upper and lower class that is relevant to any capitalistic culture.
What better place to start this journey into the world of foreign films that the most recent winner of the Academy Award’s best picture? I usually don’t go out of my way to watch the Academy Awards, and it’s rare I’ve seen most of the nominees before the show, and usually don’t bother seeking them after either, but after seeing the overwhelming reception to it online, I decided to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did so.
[Minor Spoilers] The story is well-written and easy to follow, all of the characters compelling. The deeper message of the movie absolutely transcends borders, it is easily enjoyable, but some important cultural nuances are easier to miss.
The movie follows the main protagonist, Kim Ki-woo (played by Woo-sij Choi), and his struggling family. They are all out of work and living in relative poverty, struggling to get by. Ki-woo’s friend, Min-Hyuk, comes to visit and brings a gift for him from his grandfather, a scholar’s stone, or suseok, which represents hope and new opportunities in many eastern cultures, and the significance of which is relevant throughout the film, but easy to miss by anyone unfamiliar with it. Min-Hyuk suggests that Ki-woo take over his English tutoring position for the wealthy Park family, which he is able to do through his sister, Ki Jung, forging a University diploma. This begins the Kim family slowly integrating themselves into all of the domestic employee positions of the Park house under various aliases in order to take advantage of the lucrative income opportunity. What starts out as a simple scam quickly escalates and ends in eventual murder and devastation for everyone involved.
In his acceptance speech, director Bong Joon Ho stated, “once you overcome the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” and that could not be more of the case, especially for this film in particular.
Available On: Hulu
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