Parasite Plot

I had to look it up to see what all the fuss is about after Parasite won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best International Film. After reading the plot summary, it just doesn't sound like a film I'd want to see. And, like you, the sub-titles would be annoying for me. I'll pass... even when it comes out on cable.

Parasite Plot:

The Kim family, father Ki-taek, mother Chung-sook, daughter Ki-jeong, and son Ki-woo, lives in a small semi-basement apartment. They have low-paying temporary jobs and struggle to make ends meet. One day while eating dinner, the family is visited by Min-hyuk, a close friend of Ki-Woo's. Min-hyuk, who is preparing to study abroad, gifts the family a scholar's rock, which is meant to promise wealth to whoever possesses it. After dinner, Ki-woo and Min-hyuk go out for a drink. During their outing, Min-hyuk suggests to Ki-woo that he should take over his job as a tutor to the wealthy Park family's daughter, Da-hye. Min-hyuk tells Ki-Woo that he does not trust any of his other friends from university to tutor her while he's away. Ki-woo agrees to interview for the tutoring job, but Min-hyuk tells him that Da-hye's mother will only hire someone in university, so he must pose as a university student.

The family of four soon begin to infiltrate the home of the Parks by posing as unrelated but sophisticated and skilled workers to the family. Ki-woo tutors and begins a romance with Da-hye. Ki-jeong poses as a renowned art therapist, who agrees to counsel the Parks' restless young son, Da-song. Ki-jeong hides her underwear in the back seat of Mr Park's car, forcing Mr Park to fire the driver when he deduces that he was having sex in the car. Ki-taek, a former valet, is hired as his new driver. Finally, Chung-sook takes over as the Parks' housekeeper after the other Kims exploit the long-time housekeeper's severe peach allergy and convince Mrs. Park that she has tuberculosis. When the Parks leave home to go on a camping trip for Da-song's birthday, the Kim family revel in the luxuries of the mansion.

While the Parks are out, Moon-gwang, the former housekeeper, comes back to the mansion. She reveals a hidden entrance to a secret bunker underneath the house, where her husband, Geun-sae, has been living in the basement bunker for over four years to hide from loan sharks. Chaos ensues as Moon-gwang finds out the truth about the Kim family, and she threatens to tell the Parks if they do not, in turn, keep her secret.

Due to inclement weather, the Parks return home early from their camping trip, leaving the Kim family to clean up any traces of living in their home, while a physical brawl breaks out between Moon-gwang, Geun-sae, and the Kims. A mortally injured Moon-gwang and Geun-sae are dragged down the basement and locked up. After Chung-sook serves her dinner, Mrs. Park reveals to her that Da-song had a traumatic experience years ago when he witnessed a 'ghost' - Geun-sae - emerging from the basement, and that the family has celebrated Da-song's birthday outside their house since. As the remaining Kims hide under a coffee table, Ki-taek overhears Mr. Park complaining to his wife about Ki-taek's smell.

When the Kims return home they find it completely flooded due to the raging storm and end up having to sleep in a gymnasium with other people affected by the flood. The next day, Mrs. Park decides to host a lavish party for Da-song's birthday. She invites Ki-jeong and Ki-woo, while employees, Ki-taek and Chung-sook are required to attend. Ki-woo heads down to the bunker with the scholar's rock, planning to offer it as an apology gift. He finds Moon-gwang dead, but is attacked by Geun-sae, who escapes the basement and bludgeons him with the rock. Seeking to avenge Moon-gwang's death, he takes a kitchen knife and stabs Ki-jeong in the chest in front of the horrified guests. Chaos ensues as Da-song suffers a seizure upon seeing Geun-sae and a struggle breaks out between Geun-sae and Chung-sook until she impales him with a skewer. In the chaos, Ki-taek, upset at Mr. Park's repeated insults and his reaction to Geun-sae's smell, takes a knife and fatally stabs Mr. Park before fleeing the scene.

Weeks later, Ki-woo has survived the attack and wakes up from his coma. He and Chung-sook are put on probation for fraud, while Ki-jeong has died from her injury and Ki-taek, who is wanted for Mr. Park's murder, has gone missing. Ki-woo continues to scope out the Parks' home, which has now been sold to a German family, and sees a message in Morse code from the flickering lights. It is from Ki-taek, who is now living in the bunker. Ki-woo writes a letter to his father, vowing that he will one day earn enough money to purchase the house, free his father, and reunite as a family together.

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