By Connor Liu and Animesh Joshi This February, we saw Parasite earn a record four Academy Awards at the 2020 Oscars, including Best Picture, Directing, International Feature Film, and Writing. Director Bong Joon Ho’s masterpiece marked a pivotal moment in Asian representation in Hollywood and the Western film industry, with Parasite becoming both the first South Korean film to be nominated for International Feature Film and the first non-English language film to earn the award for Best Picture in Oscar history. After decades of media invisibility, Parasite’s moment in the spotlight truly carries the potential to change the narrative surrounding API culture in the film industry. A History of API in the Film Industry The traditionally poor representation of API culture in popular media was rooted in the Model Minority Myth, the stereotyped belief that all Asians were not only successful and working, but also timid and submissive. This generalization quickly characterized Asians as the exception--some otherized, unattainable minority group not representative of America at large. Thus, the story of the API individual paradoxically became both a valuable tool to pit minority groups against one another and devalued their presence as a force in Western media. This becomes quite clear once one deep dives into media portrayal of API individuals. Parts meant for API community members often get taken by white actors. Scarlet Johansson’s 2017 role in Ghost in the Shell brought this issue to the fore via social media interactions. Johansson was chosen for a film--an adaptation of Japanese manga--playing the role of what should have been an Asian actress. Critics called it a whitewashing of the plot and a type of yellowface--replacing Asian actors with white ones in an effort to gain more popular appeal. But the tradition of yellowface certainly didn’t start with Johansson. White actors portraying Asians and/or Asian-Americans with exaggerated features, makeup, accents, etc. has been a staple in Hollywood since the 1900s. Well known actors like Marlon Brando and John Wayne have even participated. In fact, exotic/ “other” portrayals of Asians became invaluable for Hollywood in securing profits. Just look at Apu from the Simpsons--a brown cartoon voiced by a white man in the most stereotypical accent. Yet “Americans” find him hilarious and a core part of the show’s comedy. Even after moving away from yellow/brownface, the roles Asian-Americans do manage to get generally reinforce the model minority myth: shy, smart Indian physics whiz; quiet, intelligent Chinese doctor; computer science prodigy. The list goes on and on. And when it’s not the myth, the roles aren’t too great either: Pakistani terrorist, kung fu master, exotic woman, etc. As a result, API individuals generally see themselves in singular roles that promote a singular image of themselves, not thinking of themselves as witty like Chandler, a player like Joey, or quirky like Phoebe. This image internalization often produces negative effects--with API’s thinking they only have a couple of options to choose from when it comes to the rest of their lives. A Changing NarrativeHowever, thankfully, media representation has been shifting in the last couple of years. More and more shows highlight Asian-American and Pacific Islander actors in a variety of diverse roles. Whether it be Simu Liu’s entrance into the Marvel Universe or Crazy Rich Asians’s all Asian cast, the nature of representation has slowly started to change. Even outside of Hollywood, the political landscape is also changing. This year, three API candidates ran for the presidency: Andrew Yang, Kamala Harris, and Tulsi Gabbard. From this, it is clear, the representation surrounding Asian-American and Pacific Islanders is moving away from the model minority myth and other harmful stereotypes. Although Parasite definitely isn’t a culmination of this trend, it does represent a significant accomplishment. As a result, we thought we’d do a quick film analysis and touch on some of the more impactful themes. Parasite: A Neo-Colonial UnderstandingAt first glance, Parasite is a story of bitter class-conflict. It tells the tale of the Kims, an impoverished family from Seoul’s semi-basement dwellings, who engineer a systematic takeover of the Parks’ luxurious way of life (and, of course, their hilltop real estate). Viewers are quick to feel sympathy for the Kim’s forsaken position, laugh at Park’s seeming ignorance (albeit well-intentioned), and recognize Bong Joon Ho’s critique of global capitalism. Most viewers fail to see beyond this--content with a story of the rich and the poor. However, by reexamining recurring motifs (i.e. the desirability of English proficiency, increasing militarization, appropriation of Indigenous culture), Bong’s allegory of class conflict quickly becomes an illuminating depiction of neocolonialism and imperialism--further contextualizing his original critique of capitalism.
Recognizing the United States’ historical imperialism of South Korea is key to understanding Bong’s numerous references to neo-colonial influences throughout the film. One evident manifestation is Bong’s characterization of English as a language of capital--a product of US colonization and a tool now used to control class within South Korea’s contemporary economy. Da-Song’s seeming fascination with indigeonous culture is another clear reference to colonization in America--a reminder of how foreign culture became a source of amusement. Even more, understanding the United States’s predominant role in the Korean War provides insight to the duality between the Kim’s underground semi-basement dwellings and the Park’s military bunker basement. These structures were built to similarly withstand a North Korean occupation; but, upon watching the nighttime deluge, viewers come to understand how the city redirects flooding to poorer neighborhoods, further compounding the overwhelming sense of neocolonial capitalism in the film. Parasite’s historical moment in the spotlight was truly monumental for API representation in Western media. But, among all the Oscars and acclaim, we wanted to remind viewers of the depth to Bong’s ingenious film--a story rooted in neoclassicism and imperialism that transcends its traditional characterization as one of class conflict.
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February 2023
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