How the Movie ‘Parasite’ Confronts Native Stereotypes
Although director Bong Joon-ho wants to expose naivete toward Native American history, the representation is unevenly handled
Editor’s Note: This piece contains movie spoilers.
Everyone is talking about Parasite. For weeks, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances who know I’m into movies would excitedly ask, “Have you seen Parasite?” then give a disappointed sigh when I answered with a polite, “No.” It wasn’t until a few pals asked how I felt about the use of Native American imagery that the film really caught my interest. The first time this occurred, I paused. I hadn’t seen any trailers or read any reviews so I had no clue what Parasite was even about but I definitely wouldn’t have guessed that there would be any mention of Native Americans in a South Korean thriller.
Now that I’ve seen it, I get the hype. Parasite’s plot focuses on two families, the Parks and the Kims: The former is extremely rich while the latter is overwhelmingly poor. The Park family is gullible yet wealthy, making them susceptible to the unfortunate Kim family’s clever scheme to take over their lifestyle. The Parks are not only ignorant to hardship but they detest it, complaining about everyday tools utilized by the working class, such as public…
