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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a movie or literary work.

Structural Inequality and Class Differences 

Parasite revolves around the daily consequences of structural inequality. Bong Joon Ho places his characters in physical spaces that directly reflect their place in the social hierarchy, making class differences a constant, visible presence. The Kim family lives in a semi-basement apartment where they endure weak light and bad ventilation, and suffer through cramped, insect-infested conditions. The Parks, by contrast, live in an architect-designed open-plan hilltop mansion. These environments reflect more than just the income differences between these families. They determine how each family interacts with everything from the space they occupy to the air they breathe. For example, because the Kims’ apartment is below ground, it’s very vulnerable to the weather. When it rains, the apartment fills with water and sometimes even sewage, and the air is stifling and unpleasant. Meanwhile, the Parks enjoy natural light and fresh air in their suburban palace.   

Throughout the movie, Bong highlights the rigidity of these class divisions by drawing repeated attention to them. The divisions are maintained even when individuals interact pleasantly across class lines. The Parks are not outwardly cruel, but their actions are all guided by a desire to remain largely insulated from anyone outside their social class. They enjoy and expect the labor of their driver, housekeeper, and tutor, but believe that they should be invisible and silent while performing their jobs. The film suggests that even subtle details reinforce class boundaries. Mr. Park, for instance, repeatedly comments on Ki-taek’s “smell,” comparing it to a dishrag or the air on the subway—a place Mr. Park never goes, thanks to his driver. These remarks reveal how deeply ingrained his sense of separation from the poor really is.  

The secret bunker beneath the Park house reveals that the separation between the wealthy and the poor is far less secure than it appears. Hidden within the expenesive home is a cramped, windowless space where an impoverished man, Geun-sae, has lived undetected for years. His existence undermines the Parks’ illusion of safety and distance from the struggles of the lower class. The bunker becomes a powerful symbol of how poverty is buried beneath the surface of affluence. When Ki-taek ultimately takes refuge in that same space, it reinforces the idea that even those who get close to wealth can never truly escape the systems that oppress them. Instead of rising above, he ends up pushed even further underground—trapped and invisible, just like Geun-sae. 

Personal and Professional Performances 

Much of Parasite revolves around the idea that people put on performances in order to succeed or even to survive. When Ki-woo fakes his university enrollment to tutor Da-hye, he steps into the role of “Kevin,” a confident and well-spoken young academic. As part of the Kim family’s plan to infiltrate the Park house, his sister takes on the name “Jessica,” pretending to be an art therapist. Their parents follow suit, posing as a chauffeur and experienced housekeeper even though they don’t perform these jobs in real life. The entire scheme succeeds, not because the Parks are stupid, but because they don’t bother to probe beneath the surface. “Kevin” and “Jessica” easily adopt upper-class mannerisms, and Chung-sook and Ki-taek are convincingly respectful and obedient—they appear to be everything the Parks need, so they don’t even ask for references before hiring them.  

The Kims’ performances aren’t limited to their professional duties; they also play roles in their relationships with the Parks. Ki-taek smiles politely as Mr. Park makes casually discriminatory remarks. Chung-sook cleans up after the Park family, accepting every inconvenience and indignity as part of the job. Pretending to tolerate the Parks’ behavior allows the Kims’ access to their money and status, but as the story unfolds, the strain of constant performance begins to show. Ki-taek’s mask starts to crack when he sees how easily Mr. Park dismisses him; he pretends to be a happily subservient driver, but his very real resentment simmers beneath the surface. The longer the Kims maintain the facade of pleasantness, the harder it becomes to do so. 

Geun-sae also performs from his place in the basement bunker. During the day, he pretends he doesn’t exist; at night, he worships Mr. Park like a god, thanking him for “feeding” him. Mr. Park, of course, has no idea Geun-sae is there, and would certainly throw him out immediately if he discovered him. To survive, Geun-sae has given up both visibility and dignity. These sacrifices keep him alive, but they also erode his grip on reality, eventually leading to a violent outburst. Parasite suggests that the longer someone is forced to perform a role, the more destructive the outcome when that role collapses. 

The Idealization of Wealth 

Parasite repeatedly challenges the problematic belief that wealth is connected to intelligence or morality. The Park family appears polished and polite, but the movie steadily reveals that their kindness and success are dependent on their being shielded from the hardships endured by the lower class. They do not act maliciously, but they do view themselves as naturally deserving of the expensive, luxurious lifestyle they enjoy. Their daily routines rely on people like the Kims, but they never acknowledge their employees as equals. For example, Mr. Park speaks politely to Ki-taek but privately refers to his “smell” as being offensive. Even their young son Da-song seems able to identify that the Kims and the Parks are different, saying that all of the Parks’ servants “smell the same.” 

The Kims initially view the Parks as people with a lifestyle they aspire to. Ki-woo even daydreams about becoming a Park by marrying the Parks’ daughter Da-hye and inheriting their home; he sees the Parks’ wealth as being a potential reward for his cleverness. Even Ki-taek, though he’s skeptical of the scheme, seems reasonably happy to perform his new role as the Parks’ driver. For a time, the Kim family commits to the idea that if they put on a convincing performance, they may be able to improve their own social status. 

However, the fantasy quickly begins to unravel. The movie uses the Parks’ disillusionment to dismantle the myth that wealth makes people better, or that wealthy people are inherently superior to ordinary ones. The Parks are not overtly cruel, but they are careless and entitled. They cannot imagine how others live, and they don’t have any interest in finding out. Their perception of the world depends on the idea that material things can (and do) reflect personal worthiness. By the end of the film, Bong shows this to be a sham; although wealth protects the Parks, it also blinds them to what’s really happening in their own home. The bloody fight that Geun-sae starts at the garden party exposes just how fragile their world is; one violent man can shake their security to its foundations. Parasite argues that seeing the rich as being inherently superior is a mistake, and that doing so has consequences. 

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