The Architecture of Inequality: On Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite'

The Nugget

Bong Joon-ho’s 'Parasite' uses architecture as a powerful symbol of social hierarchy, highlighting the precariousness of the working class versus the illusion of stability in wealth. The contrasting homes of the Kims and Parks reflect their societal positions and the fragility of their existence.

Make it stick

🏠 The Kims live in a semi-basement apartment, symbolizing their precarious situation and constant struggle for stability.
🌆 The Parks’ home represents illusionary stability, architected for wealth but hiding dark secrets beneath its polished surface.
💔 The film illustrates class tensions, with chaos lurking in seemingly perfect environments, emphasizing that inequality cannot be ignored or suppressed forever.
🌐 The Kim family’s lifestyle mirrors the “gig economy,” reflecting a life of instability and ceaseless hustle for survival.

Bong Joon-ho explains that the Kims’ semi-basement apartment reflects their psyche, embodying both hope and fear.
The apartment is depicted with a sense of improvisation, conveying that the family’s living situation is just as unstable as their economic status.

The Kim family's chaotic living space contrasts sharply with the meticulously designed home of the Park family.
The Parks’ house, designed by a renowned architect, illustrates planned stability and luxury, while the Kims' home signifies struggle and unpredictability.

The film reveals that no matter how organized or aesthetically pleasing a space may appear, hidden truths often reveal deeper issues surrounding class and inequality.
The shocking ending demonstrates that as long as inequality persists, societal cracks are inevitable, suggesting a brewing violence beneath the calm surfaces of wealth.

“Architecture isn’t silent, it speaks.”
“It really reflects the psyche of the Kim family... a mixture of hope and fear.”
“Periods of work alternate with periods of unemployment... living in conditions of total instability.”
“Secrets lurk even in spaces that appear meticulously logical in their design.”
“If inequality persists, and workers continue to be unable to take control of their lives, something is eventually going to crack.”

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.