Parasite 2019

Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho, is a South Korean black comedy thriller film released in 2019. The screenplay was co-written by Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won, who also co-produced the film. The cast includes Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin, Park Myung-hoon, and Lee Jung-eun. The story revolves around a poor family’s scheme to infiltrate a wealthy family’s household by posing as unrelated, highly qualified individuals.

Bong later adapted it into a 15-page film draft, which was further divided into three different drafts by Han. Bong drew inspiration from the 1960 Korean film The Housemaid and the Christine and Léa Papin incident in the 1930s. Filming took place from May to September 2018, with cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, film editor Yang Jin-mo, and composer Jung Jae-il contributing to the project.

Parasite premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival on May 21, where it made history as the first Korean film to win the prestigious Palme d’Or. It was subsequently released in South Korea by CJ Entertainment on May 30 and received critical acclaim for Bong’s direction and screenplay, as well as its editing and production design. Despite its modest budget of $15.5 million, the film grossed over $263 million worldwide.

Parasite, acclaimed for its remarkable achievements, secured the top honors at the 92nd Academy Awards by winning four prestigious Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. This remarkable feat made it the first non-English-language film to ever receive the coveted Academy Award for Best Picture. Additionally, Parasite holds the distinction of being the first South Korean film to be recognized by the Academy Awards. Furthermore, it is one of only three films in history to have achieved the remarkable feat of winning both the Palme d’Or and the Academy Award for Best Picture, a feat that had not been accomplished in over six decades. The film also garnered accolades such as the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, making it the first non-English-language film to win the latter. Parasite’s excellence has been widely acknowledged, with many considering it among the finest films of the 2010s, the 21st century, and of all time. Furthermore, a television series based on the film is currently in the early stages of development.

Cast

Song Kang-ho plays the role of Kim Ki-taek, the father of the Kim family, who is hired as Park Dong-ik’s chauffeur. Lee Sun-kyun portrays Park Dong-ik, the father of the Park family. Cho Yeo-jeong takes on the character of Choi Yeon-gyo, the mother of the Park family. Choi Woo-shik plays Kim Ki-woo, the son of the Kims, who is hired as Da-hye’s English tutor. Park So-dam portrays Kim Ki-jung, the daughter of the Kims, who is hired as Da-song’s art therapist. Jang Hye-jin plays Chung-sook, the mother of the Kim family, who is hired as the Parks’ housekeeper. Lee Jung-eun portrays Gook Moon-gwang, the Parks’ housekeeper, who also worked for the house’s architect and previous owner. Park Myung-hoon plays Oh Geun-sae, Moon-gwang’s husband. Jung Ji-so portrays Park Da-hye, the daughter of the Parks. Jung Hyeon-jun plays Park Da-song, the son of the Parks. Park Keun-rok plays Yoon, Park Dong-ik’s chauffeur. Park Seo-joon appears as Min-hyuk, Ki-woo’s friend. Jung Yi-seo plays a pizza parlour owner.