What is Parasite?

Everything you need to know about award season’s buzziest foreign film.

Parasite, out in limited US release Oct. 11, is one of the most anticipated films of 2019 for Oscar fans, but it’s a movie worth your attention regardless of your typical interest in the foreign film category.

Here’s everything you need to know — no spoilers — on Bong Joon-Ho’s most recent.

What is Parasite?

Parasite is a two-hour-and-11-minute Korean movie that is both a black comedy and a full-on thriller movie featuring class warfare and a lot of anxiety.

It follows two families: The Kims, who live in what could charitably be described as a hovel. The son, Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) scams his way into a job as an English tutor for the rich Park family, and soon scams the rest of his relations into jobs at the mansion too. Everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not and a serious of revelations and twists (festival reviewers have honored Bong’s request to not spoil the film’s second half) escalates and complicates the stakes.

What is the buzz?

Oscars, baby.

Since it premiered at Cannes Film Festival, where Bong was the first Korean director to win the Palme d’Or, reviews have been pure gold, hailing it a masterpiece, nerve-wracking and a “tender shiv of a movie.” Expectations are extremely high that Parasite could pick up a Best International Film Oscar nomination, maybe even outright Best Picture and Best Director noms.

If that happens, Parasite would be the first Korean film nominated for an Oscar, despite the country’s prolific and profoundly impactful cinematic output.

Awards aside, though, Parasite brings very topical subject matter to the table as well. Specifically, class warfare. In a recent Vulture profile, Bong described all his stories as about capitalism — “before it’s a massive, sociological term, capitalism is just our lives” — and Parasite really leans into the dread, anxiety and gallows humor that permeates pop culture today.

Is it good?

Yes.

Is it scary?

Maybe not scary, but every single one of your nerves will be shot. Also it gets a wee bit violent.

Why do I know the name Bong Joon-Ho?

Mmm, probably Snowpiercer or Okja, depending on your taste. The former being the Chris Evans dystopian train thriller also starring Tilda Swinton and the latter being the Netflix super pig adventure also starring Tilda Swinton. (And a buckwild Jake Gyllenhaal.)

He’s a phenomenal director best known for his use of high drama, dread and (frequently dark and violent) humor. As E. Alex Jung put it the aforementioned Vulture profile (which you should really read in full), “his films are rooted in genre conventions like action and horror that eventually give way to crushing realism” and “center on underdogs fighting against authoritarian forces.” As Alissa Wilkinson put it in her review, “his films always pair heart-stopping and imaginative terror with humor and a healthy dose of raging at inequality.”

Those who enjoy Korean film are a) probably skipping this section and b) no doubt familiar with The Host, the breakout blockbuster that made Bong a household name in South Korea, as well as Memories of Murder and Mother.

Most importantly, he’s the icon who called the Oscars “local.” He’s not wrong!

When can I see Parasite?

Friday! Maybe. The film is in limited release on Oct. 11, with hopefully a wide release to follow.

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