A Question About Parasite

I’m late to the party, but I finally saw Parasite.

It was an incredible movie. And I’m fine with leaving it at that, but it felt like there was some messaging within it that I missed because I’m not fully aware of what’s going on socially in South Korea.

I understand that Parasite mostly addressed classism, how well-off the rich are versus the lengths the impoverished will go to even taste the high life. But in its execution, for most of the film I never quite got who the true bad guys are. Obviously, the Ki-taek family tricking and manipulating their way into the wealthy Park family’s home (and what came later) is awful. But for much of Parasite, I was torn trying to decide who I was rooting for.

Despite their Park parents’ overall snobbish nature, they didn’t deserve any of what came to them. And understanding that the economic system in South Korea essentially forced the Ki-taeks into poverty, they’re still awful people to me by the end of the flick.

So after all the laughter and overwhelming ickiness I felt subsided, I wondered: What’s Parasite’s call to action? The Parks family wasn’t evil. They were just negligent, horribly oblivious/aloof and more. So I didn’t leave feeling like Oh, look at how the rich people treat folk beneath them! They should know better. And though I spent moments in the film feeling quite sad for them, the poor Ki-taek foursome ruined all chances for me to side their way.

I loved Parasite for its layers, humor, twists and overall entertainment value. But was there a lesson?