A Deep Dive Into Parasite

Parasite swept award shows and theaters with such a force that still remains in the air whenever it is spoken about.  It has raved on for months since its debut and it doesn’t look like we will ever forget about this film.  Personally, among many other foreign and American thrillers, Parasite has been at the top of my favorites list and it doesn’t look like it will get pushed down any time soon.  Foreign films have such a unique style when tackling different genres, especially thrillers and dramas.  This unique style can stem from cultural diversities, traditions, environmental background, and many more. 

Some of you reading might be aware of the law of attraction and manifestations.  For those who don’t fully understand: the law of attraction is the belief that your positive thoughts have a strong enough magnet to the universe that you draw towards you what you think, this goes for negative thoughts as well.  Manifestations are a way of properly putting your thoughts together in order to shift your pull in the universe which in turn will have you become the embodiment of your thoughts.  For your manifestations to come to fruition, you must believe and know that you already have what you are asking for and that you are very grateful to the universe for what you have.  The definition of manifesting can be different for many people because of the experiences we have, how we navigate through our lives, and how our souls respond to the different manifestation techniques.  

Now, what does Parasite have to do with the law of attraction and manifestations? Well I will be speaking about that shortly but first I want to set the scene:

There are many aspects of Parasite that make it so addictive to talk about but what I think frequently comes up is its ending. At the moment, you’re still trying to process everything that has happened: the infiltration of the Park family’s home, the secret semi-basement in the Park family’s home, and the killing of Ki Jung (daughter) and Dong Ik (Park family’s father).  But the ending personally for me is very enticing.  Bong Joon Ho gives us two endings that could potentially become one, it’s up to the audience to decide what they believe could actually happen.  A lot of my friends and family say they don’t believe Ki Woo could have the potential to get out of the circumstances he’s in but the alternate ending is something nice for them to think about.  I believe Ki Woo could become the owner of the house and finally reconnect with his father purely because I like to believe in the underdog.  Throughout the film,  Ki Woo has shown his resilience, passion, and commitment to get what he wants.  It’s understandable that not many people like the way the Kim family manipulated their way into the Park family’s home.  But a lot of systems in societies around the world are built to keep certain people in their place while others can freely thrive off of their backs.  This doesn’t give the Kim family an excuse for what they did but sometimes in life, you have to do what is necessary to survive the world you were born into.  

Now back to the frustrating but pleasing ending to Parasite.  People often wonder what the purpose of the written letter to Ki Taek (Ki Woo’s father) was for.  We never got to see him receive it or see how he could receive it.  He’s living in a semi-basement with no windows and risks his life every time he comes above ground for food.  Therefore, how is he supposed to know his son will return to him so that they may be reunited.  In the letter, Ki Woo describes his plan, the infamous motif mentioned casually throughout the film.  His plan is to earn a lot of money to buy the house so that his dad may come out freely.  The language he uses in the letter is very important.  How he phrases his sentences and how much belief he has in his words is very vital for what I’m about to bring up.  

Now, this is where my theory of the law of attraction and manifestation comes into play.  I don’t believe this could’ve been Bong Joon Ho’s plan for the ending of the movie, but I think this theory is still interesting to talk about.  In Ki Woo’s letter he specifically states “Dad today I made a plan…I’m going to earn money…When I have money, I’ll buy that house…On the day we move in, Mom and I will be in the yard…All you’ll need to do is walk up the stairs.”  In this part of the letter, Ki Woo specifically sets out what will be happening in the future and his plan.  Along with the scene shown of Ki Woo later visiting the house for a tour and of him and his mother in the yard, this not only helps paint a picture for the viewer but helps Ki Woo visualize his future and what he is writing.  Visualizing what you are manifesting is very important for your subconscious to understand that you can picture this future and help convince yourself of already having what is being asked for.  With this, everything in Ki Woo’s life is falling into place easily because of how he is visualizing his future in detail.  Along with visualizing comes the importance of the vocabulary being used in the letter.  Typically in writing down your manifestations, it is advised that you write in the first person and believe every sentence being written down.  I don’t think it would be difficult for Ki Woo to see this future as attainable.  He is a character who is strong and resilient and will go to any lengths to get close to the future he dreams of.  Although the perspective of the letter isn’t always accurate, this is why I believe that this could’ve been accidental on Bong Joon Ho’s side.  Maybe he didn’t mean for it to seem like Ki Woo was manifesting, or maybe he did and it could be a translation issue.  Either way, it’s very interesting how close this is.  I’m even more convinced by this theory because of the money rock Ki Woo receives.  He always kept the rock by his side, even more at the end of the film.  In the end, KI Woo is finally figuring out his future and taking his life into his own hands.