기생충 The Ideological Motivation of Satire in Parasite (2019)
Designed & written by Amani Alshaya
Contents 4 Introduction 10 Genre Theory 12 Representation and Stereotype Theories 18 Binary Opposition Theory 40 The Carnivalesque 44 Conclusion 46 Bibliography
The literary genre, Carnivalesque, coined by Russian philosopher and literary scholar, Mikhail Bakhtin (1895-1975), derives from medieval and Renaissance carnival traditions. Like satire, it upends serious issues with aggressive humour to elicit critical thinking (Bakhtin, 1984b). This mode of writing is used in the film sub-genre of satire called Black Comedy, coined by French theorist Andre Breton, where issues are portrayed similarly through hybridisation of comedy and tragedy (Breton, 1940). Black comedy, also known as dark humour, is evident in various narrative formats, such as books, plays, and films. This essay will analyse a film as a case study to investigate and understand the ideological motivation behind the use of satiric tone and dark humour based on the carnival. It will focus on themes and theories of representation, stereotypes, and binary oppositions featured in the film by conducting a Roland Barthes semiotic analysis.
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Although satire and black comedy meet and diverge in some respects, they essentially provide an unsympathetic view on taboo subjects, such as poverty, social inequalities, and murder while simultaneously implementing elements of the carnival for shock value. To describe the essence of the carnival, Bakhtin states
while leading to profound social change (Sobchack, 1996). Unlike traditional happy endings of a comedy, black comedy endings are inevitably tragic. As for satire, it has existed as early as literature has, therefore it has developed many complexities as a literary genre over the years. One of the most common types of satire is Menippean. It aims to provoke a truth by creating unexpected crises and turning points. It features characters with contradictory behaviour, it implements sharp contrasts of the sublime and the grotesque, and certainly, its comic element is present in the form of black humour (Bakhtin, 1984a). Unlike other film genres like film noir, Dancyger and Rush (2013) note that satire ‘does not need complex characters, but they do need elaborate plots.
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In Stories, John Berger (2000) explains how narratives rely on the viewer to make connections between actions, attributes, and reactions. Similarly, in a carnivalesque, satire or black comedy,
The carnivalesque is common in numerous South Korean films such as that of director Bong Joon-ho’s, Snowpiercer (2013), Okja (2017), and Parasite (2019), which are all narratives about capitalism. Bong’s work reflects his anxieties on global and local issues, such as the wide income gap. He states, ‘My films generally seem to have three components: fear, anxiety, and a kekeke (ha-ha) sense of humour’ (Bong, 2019).
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Bong Joon-ho’s Academy Award winning film, Parasite (2019), blatantly criticises class conflict, specifically South Korea’s income gap. It brings an ingenious perspective on Western society’s dominant ideology of capitalism as an anticapitalist narrative by depicting two families as parasitic: the impoverished Kim family infiltrates the home of the wealthy Park family, who in return leeches off the poor family’s labour. In short, the film revolves around two families and one by one unveils deceitful schemes of the Kim family to con their way into the Parks’ lives and palatial home by working as their English tutor, art therapist, chauffeur, and housekeeper. The unfolding of the Kims’ plan is portrayed with humour, cleverness, and confidence, while moral consequences of the plan are left unnoticed (Parasite, 2019). It highlights how capitalist ideology obscures structural inequalities of its system as their plan is an embodiment of one of capitalism’s core ideas: to gain success and earn money you must diligently carry out a plan. Whereas the wealthy family never speak of a plan. This film lays out the hypocrisy of capitalism by juxtaposing the poor and dishonest with the wealthy and gullible (Parasite, 2019).
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기생충 기생충 기생충 기생충
Not only is black comedy a hybrid genre that blends absurdity and realism, but Parasite itself is also a multi-genre. Steve Neale’s Genre Theory expresses the need for differentiation between narratives of the same genre to maintain the economy of the genre (Neale, 2005). If producers generate clones of each other, audiences will eventually lose interest in the genre altogether. Black comedy has various sub genres such as drama, thriller, and action. The first half of Parasite follows expected conventions of black comedy and then unexpectedly shifts to a thriller where the plot escalates absurdly. The characters, themes and locations remain the same, but the social satire and class conflicts deepen with thrilling consequences (Parasite, 2019). If the multi-style were absent from the film then it would not have lured the audience’s attention to the social issues being discussed.
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Representation and Stereotype Theories
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To understand ideological motivations behind the use of satire, an analysis of representation and stereotypes in the film is necessary. Stuart Hall’s (1997) representation theory unveils that stereotypes are generated because of limited representations the hegemonic elites depict, especially in the media, to fix a preferred meaning in society. This is significant in relation to Parasite because as Bong states ‘Korea, on the surface, seems like a very rich and glamourous country with K-pop, high-speed internet and IT technology, but the relative wealth between rich and poor is widening’ (Bong, 2020). As a result, this narrows the world’s perception on the seriousness of South Korea’s income gap, which is more polarised than ever as we live in a world where capitalism dominates our values. Criticism against the society of consumption would not have been tolerated in the past. However, through the cinematic masterpiece, Parasite’s shift of perspective successfully received positive responses locally and globally. This shows society accepting to face its problems rather than turning a blind eye to what is happening in their country. As Nicholas Mirzoeff (1998) states, ‘seeing is a great deal more than believing these days’. Therefore, Bong utilises negative stereotypes of the lower-class and the upper-class to visually highlight their hidden reality.
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According to Tessa Perkin’s (1997) stereotype theory, stereotyping has elements of truth as it is often based on reality, to a certain extent, but gets manipulated for the purpose of entertainment. The central motif of Parasite is deception and is also part of the stereotype that the poor are dishonourable by portraying them as deceptive criminals. This is depicted through the Kim family’s determination and devious plan to acquire a better living situation. It begins when the son of the Kim family, Ki-woo, gets offered a tutoring job for a wealthy family, the Parks. However, this tutoring job can only be acquired through pretence since Ki-woo does not hold any qualifications. The series of schemes performed for the Park family to unknowingly hire the entire Kim family expresses how the class system is characterised by lying, exploitation, opportunism, and deception (Parasite, 2019).
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Another stereotype is that the poor are unhygienic which is highlighted numerous times throughout the film by their smell, emphasising it as an emblem of social status. Unlike the sultry representations of smell in other movies, Parasite provokes more raw emotions such as anger and discomfort that highlights divisions existing in our society. It also demonstrates how physically close the Kims were in invading the Parks’ lives that they were able to smell their distinct scent. Despite being an invisible element in the film, Bong made it indispensable. It is disrespectful to speak about someone’s smell; however, the Parks openly do so. This is a critique on class issues as it shows the lack of basic respect the wealthy have towards the poor. Mr. Park comments on their servant’s smell as a stench of poverty stating, ‘there is this unique smell that subway commuters have—’ (Parasite, 2019). However, the pivotal moment occurs when the Parks’ son observes that their new chauffeur and housekeeper ‘smell exactly the same’ (Parasite, 2019). Here the smell silently threatens to expose the Kims’ identity and secrets despite their efforts to move out of poverty. Smell is an intrinsic quality that cannot be simply dismissed like a superficial comment on social status. It escalates the film’s tension and suspense which Bong uses as an action code to foreshadow upcoming tragedies (Barthes, 1997).
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Lastly, the stereotype that the poor are disorderly is not only portrayed by the interior of their basement home but is also reinforced in the scene where the Kims get drunk and clutter the Parks’ home while they were away. Ironically, this stereotype can also be cast onto the rich. The mother of the Park family is first introduced to the audience asleep outside while the housekeeper struggles to wake her up. This suggests drug use which implies that she is unsatisfied with her daily life; a feeling stereotypically associated with the poor more than the rich. Although the rich couple theorise their chauffeur behaves promiscuously and accuses him of drug use, ironically, they themselves later fantasise about the very thing they were condemning. This highlights how the rich are not any different from the poor. They have a negative attitude towards poor people and believe they are different from them because they are deeply self-absorbed in their wealth. This is one of many instances in Parasite that emphasises wealthy people’s display of ignorance (Parasite, 2019).
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Levi Strauss’ binary opposition theory is essentially the basis of the film’s plot due to the abundance of scenes that implement this theory. In this theory Strauss states, ‘representations are intentionally placed in binary opposition to ensure the dominant culture is maintained and the minority representations is seen as subordinate and marginalized’ (Dundes, 1997). These juxtapositions create meaning which is evident in Parasite as it highlights the income gap issue by comparing the vastly different social positions and lives of the Kim and Park family. Its purpose is to create conflict while adding an element of entertainment to the narrative (Dundes, 1997).
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계단
The contrasting social status of these families is portrayed through ascending and descending visuals implemented by the composition
and movement of the camerawork. It is also aided by the tangible element of stairs. Semantic codes refer to the hidden meaning of certain elements and stairs act as a significant visual metaphor of the rise and decline in social class whenever a char-
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acter walks up or down a set of stairs (Barthes, 1997). They also act as a transition between two worlds: the poor and the rich. In Parasite, the characters are shown basking in the moment of highness when they first approach the Parks’ home. However, this is contrasted when they later travel down long flights of stairs in the rain to eventually find their basement home drowned in water (Parasite, 2019). The distance reflects the wide income gap between the upper and lower class.
Another example of the opposition between the lower-class and upperclass is through the symbolic code of their homes (Barthes, 1997).
Bong distinctly depicts the extremes of the Kims’ and Parks’ living conditions through windows, levels, and neighbourhoods. 21
The Kims occupy a semi-basement home where their front facing window offers a partial view of the ordinary world.
창돸
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창문 In contrast, the Parks’ mansion on a hill allows the family the luxury of privacy, a quality the semi-basement home lack. Their windows acquire a much wider frame, bringing in plenty of sunlight which creates a peaceful environment.
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Additionally, clean lines of the Parks’ neighbourhood are juxtaposed with...
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...the chaotic power lines in the Kims’ neighbourhood (Parasite, 2019).
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The clear distinction of the line between the Parks’ comfortable life and the Kims’ struggling life is also reiterated frequently when
Mr. Park ironically states, 26
As a symbolic code, the architectural hierarchy of both homes, especially the Parks’ residence, also reflects the widening income gap in South Korea (Barthes, 1997). The Kims’ semi-basement home structurally reflects two worlds they are stuck between, the haves and the have-nots. While the hierarchy of the Parks’ residence embodies core elements of capitalist ideology. The previous housekeeper of the Parks, Moon-gwang, has had her husband secretly live off the Parks in their basement for many years like a parasite. 28
Meanwhile, the Parks obliviously live their carefree life on the second floor and in-between is where the Parks and Kims interact. It clearly presents social hierarchical divisions in the order of the wealthiest, the less fortunate, and the miserably poor. The ex-housekeeper, her husband, and the Kims getting into multiple conflicts in the basement is very symbolic of the class tensions present beneath the calm exterior of South Korean society (Parasite, 2019).
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ei
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As ign i l ac k
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or of the Kim fact t s’ h an o e s ifc c s , c the ia F gr i ea sW t e w ee n er b th e ll v e and p o o ch r i r
Interestingly, Wi-Fi, which was once used as a tool to help the son of the Kim family get hired by the Parks, transitions to a weapon used against them. This occurs when Moon-gwang attempts to blackmail the Kim family once she discovers their false pretences by threatening to send a video of them together as a family to the Parks. A comedic relief occurs when Moon-gwang describes the send button as ‘a North Korean rocket’ (Parasite, 2019).
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수석
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Another metaphor that begins as a good omen but later becomes harmful is the scholar’s stone. German philosopher, Martin Heidegger, argues that because our gaze renders objects into meaningless instruments, it misses out on significance and meaning within those objects (Richardson, 2012). When the Kims begin their new journey climbing the social ladder by working for the Parks, this rock is seen as a symbol of ‘luck and money’ (Parasite, 2019). However, it acquires an ironic and darkly comical meaning when it gets used as a weapon against them and symbolises their hopes getting destroyed by reality (Parasite, 2019).
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Less obvious elements in Parasite
the Parks’ basement.
further portray
Morse-code messages were communicated
distinction between social classes.
through blinking lights
specifically morse-code messages,
such as language,
that Moon-gwang’s husband
sent from
It was a language only understandable
by those who live
beneath the ground,
the lower class.
the Park family
Remaining unintelligible to
further represented how the voices of despair from the poor are merely unfathomable
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to the rich (Parasite, 2019).
짜파구리
An odd but significant element further emphasising contrast in wealth gap between the two families is the ‘Jjapaguri’ (Parasite, 2019). This cultural code combines two types of instant noodles with an added ingredient of expensive premium Korean beef (Barthes, 1997). The rich wife not allowing her son to solely eat cheap noodles portrays how wealthy the Parks are. Later, the wife is shown eating this dish alone which contrasts with the poor family who always eat their meals together. This signifies how close-knit the poor family are due to their limited living space (Parasite, 2019). It can also add to idea that the rich are not content with their lives as wealth does not make an individual immune to misery. 35
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Lastly, discussion of money within the Kim and Park family illustrates their financial situations. When the Park family hire an English tutor, they are concerned with the qualities and expertise of the individual rather than the cost. In contrast, the Kim family speak about money frequently that it becomes a part of their daily discussions with each other as it is the core factor of their plan. A scene highlighting money as their primary concern is when the Kims receive a complaint from the pizza shop regarding their unsatisfactory work of folding pizza boxes. They become more fixated on their compensation getting reduced rather than their poor performance (Parasite, 2019).
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부자 [buja] rich
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가난한 [gananhan] poor
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41 Bakhtin’s theory on the carnival and carnivalesque is suggestive for understanding the functions of characters in post-crisis Korean films like Parasite. A motif trending across contemporary Korean films and Bong’s films is comical violence, presented in a carnivalesque manner to balance out the seriousness of topics discussed. The carnivalesque is described as ‘the world upside-down’, referring to when the norm is reversed. Bakhtin viewed the carnivalesque as a medium of self-expression for the suppressed and controlled working class which is how Parasite sheds light on South Korea’s income gap: through juxtaposition of morbid and comical elements (Sobchack, 1996). In the carnival, usual social hierarchies are upended, such as clowns becoming crowned as kings (Connelly, 2003). In Parasite this notion is prevalent as the Kims strategize to deceive the Parks for their own benefit while the Parks remain gullible (Parasite, 2019). This is usually portrayed as the opposite.
42 Just like the carnival does, Bong is a master at juxtaposing two ends of spectrum to generate a strong emotional response. In the second half of Parasite, the escalation of events has an ominously humorous tone as it begins with an innocent birthday party for the Parks’ young son and ends with numerous murders (Parasite, 2019). Using outrageous elements of the carnivalesque in these scenes “does not seek to escape but to confront” the issues at hand which opens dialogue (Malbert and Hyman, 2000). This hectic 10-minute sequence where the Kims’ plan and hopes gets destroyed is a symbolic reference to how difficult manipulating and escaping the capitalist system is for the lower-class. The insignificance of the poor is further emphasised when Mr. Park worries for his son who has merely fainted instead of the daughter of the Kim family who has been violently stabbed (Parasite, 2019). His choice to focus on the least significant problem over providing support to the poor speaks loudly on the upper-class’ disregard of issues pervading the lower-class. This ignorance is also evident in the media who offer false or no depiction at all of what class imbalance really looks like. It is through the madness of the carnival that allows post-crisis Korean cinema to expose and take a critical look at the shocking social reality that would not have been comprehensible otherwise (Li, 2009). Parasite has resonated with and developed emotional reactions from audiences globally because economic injustice is just as prevalent in the rest of the world as it is in Korea.
43 Bakhtin’s notion of carnival is divided into a few categories. Firstly, in the carnival people who are usually separated can interact with each other (Lachmann, 1988). In Parasite this begins with the series of deceptive schemes to get the entire Kim family into the Parks’ home. Usually, it is difficult for people without degrees to find any work, therefore they had to utilise false qualifications to acquire a decent paying job. Upon entering the Parks’ home, the lower-class family began to have numerous close interactions with the upper-class family that would otherwise not have occurred if it were not for their deceptive schemes (Parasite, 2019). Secondly, any unacceptable behaviour becomes permitted in the carnival (Lachmann, 1988). For instance, when Mr. Park triggers a deep resentment in the father of the Kim family, he stabs him. Murder of a wealthy man by the poor is not something to be expected and is rather outrageous. The knife used to murder Mr. Park travelled across all social classes as it began in the hands of Moon-gwang’s husband who kills the Kims’ daughter and ends in the chest of Mr. Park. As well, he lays deceased on the lawn right next to the dead bodies of the lower-class (Parasite, 2019). The significance of this scene portrays whether rich or poor, all are equal in death. Lastly, in the carnival connections are formed between anything that is usually separated (Lachmann, 1988). This is evident when Kim Ki-woo, the English tutor, pursues a relationship with his student, the daughter of the Park family (Parasite, 2019).
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To conclude, Parasite’s global success is evidence that satirical genres succeed in initiating discussions by exposing and ridiculing serious topics that are either falsely portrayed or not represented at all in the media. Bong Joon-ho’s carnivalesque approach of inverting social issues provides a unique and necessary perspective to emphasise severity of the matter in hopes of promoting critical thinking and social change. Minority representations in the media remain marginalised, but films provide a platform to share a new perspective from the accepted norm. Typical Hollywood narratives contain less irony and emotions are rather expressed directly and intensely. Therefore, Parasite may have potentially inspired a more impactful, yet still entertaining, way to incite social change.
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Li, J. (2009) ‘Clowns, crimes, and capital: popular crime-comedies in post-crisis Korea’, Film International, 7(2), pp. 29. Available at: http:// ezproxy.uwl.ac.uk/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy. uwl.ac.uk/scholarly-journals/clowns-crimes-capital-popular-crimecomedies-post/docview/219962597/se-2?accountid=14769 (Accessed: 22 November 2020). Malbert, R. and Hyman, T. (2000) Carnivalesque. London: Hayward Gallery. Mirzoeff, N. (2002) The Visual Culture Reader. London: Routledge. pp. 3-8. Neale, S. (2005) Genre and Hollywood. London: Routhledge. Okja (2017) Directed by Bong Joon-ho. [Feature film]. South Korea: Next Entertainment World. Parasite (2019) Directed by Bong Joon-ho. [Feature film]. United States: Neon. Perkins, T. (1997) ‘Rethinking Stereotypes’, in O’Sullivan, T. The Media Studies Reader. London: Arnold. Richardson, J. (2012) Heidegger. New York: Routledge. Snowpiercer (2013) Directed by Bong Joon-ho [Feature film]. United States: The Weinstein Company. Sobchack, T. (1996) ‘Bakhtin’s “Carnivalesque” in 1950s British comedy’, Journal of Popular Film & Television, 23(4), pp. 179. Available at: https://wwwproquest-com.ezproxy.uwl.ac.uk/docview/821047149?accountid=14769 (Accessed: 22 November 2020).
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