Webpage of an article studying spatial narrative in the film “Parasite”

This paper examines the spatial narrative structure in the South Korean movie “Parasite” by analyzing the physical spaces of three families. It delves into the harsh struggle of the lower class and their complex relationship with the upper class, shedding light on the deeper issues within society. The analysis compares living spaces across different social strata, emphasizing the film’s criticism of the severe wealth disparity in South Korea and its aim to draw attention to the plight of the lower class.

It first analyzes the unfold of the film narration in and between the luxurious house, semi-basement, and basement, as the three are within the same house, but depicted as separate worlds through the use of mise-en-scene and cinematography, presenting clearly vertical triple spaces. These three distinct spaces serve as both the cause and effect of the conflicts of different social classes presented in the film. While put into different spaces, the characters are placed in different hierarchy stages, causing conflicts that originate from envy and chase for wealth. Vertical triple spaces also serve as effects because it is a reflection of the reality and how poor people live in a depraved and hopeless parasite world compared to the wealthy. 

The article then introduces the concept of annular spatial narrative of slopes in the film, pointing out the symbolic meaning of slope and stairs as well as how it shapes the changes of plot and lays foundation for conflict. The low and high positioned space differences exposed the families into the situation of awakening desire to revolt, shifting the plot from “the original so-called harmonious and co-existential parasitic relation” to “aggressively antagonistic”. When the brothers flee from the family, the constantly sinking spatial alterations reveal how the family gradually falls from their illusionary peak to hopelessness. The ending of the movie corresponds to the opening of the movie when Ki-woo and Ki-taek walked out of the semi-basement and into the air-raid shelter, forming a complete closed loop of narrative. The annular space links up single narratives into a chain of circular narrative, revealing the inner connections between the different characters and social class conflicts.

It then talks about the implied offscreen space through the presentation of on-screen triple spaces: the unfocused spiritual space. The desire for elevation of space from basement to semi-basement and to the upper house reflects the tragic nature of collective unawareness of the underclass, that their illusory dream could not withstand the weight of harsh reality. This is also presented at the ending of the film, when a montage shows Ki-woo finds a good job, becomes a decent man who has enough money to buy the house and releases his father from the basement, getting his family reunited. But as the video below analyzes using the way the director calls a “surefire kill shot”, which the final shot displays the family back into the basement and the Park’s house is replaced by another rich family, that nothing has changed on their social class besides their losses of family members, indicating Kin family’s dream of class crossing is forever out of reach.