Capitalism as Religion Unfolded Through the Symbolic Spaces of Bong Joon-ho’s Film ‘Parasite’ in Comparison with His ‘Snowpiercer’
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The capitalist situations portrayed in Bong Joon-ho’s film ‘Parasite’ can be associated with the three religious characteristics of capitalism presented by philosopher Benjamin. Considering the controversy over the cinematic representation’s relationship with the reality, in particular the representation of poverty in ‘Parasite’, this essay abstains from viewing the film as pure reflection of the reality but focuses on its symbolic portrayals of the symptoms of religious capitalism that are discovered in reality. According to Benjamin’s short writing ‘Capitalism as Religion’(1921), capitalism is like a cultic religion, first, as everything has meaning only in relation to the “cult” including worships of high market values. Second, the “cult” is concretized by “the permanent duration”, or our internalization of thinking and lifestyle based only on market values. Third, capitalism produces and spreads “guilt” or indebtedness; the poor feel guilty or indebted since they failed to make money and literally fell into debt. Such characteristics of capitalism are unfolded in ‘Parasite’, a black comedy thriller about class conflicts, through the vertical structure of three symbolic spaces: the shady semi-basement; the mansion on a high hill full of blessing sunlight; and its dark underground bunker, which looks like a dungeon for a sinner. In particular, the movie’s pessimistic ending and Benjamin’s apocalyptic vision share the fear of no escape from the “iron cage”-like capitalist religion. On the other hand, another of Bong’s films, ‘Snowpiercer’(2013), tells the story of an escape. Effectively using spatial symbolism like ‘Parasite’, the sci-fi action portrays class struggle through a horizontal, one-directional, forward movement of rebels from the wretched tail compartment to the luxurious front sections. Unlike in ‘Parasite’, in ‘Snowpiercer’ there exists ‘the outside’ and a character who is prepared to reach it. In this aspect, the film is also distinguished from its original graphic novel of the same title. The two films of Bong supplement each other in upgrading our insight into the symptoms of capitalism as religion in reality and the related discourses.
Abstract
The capitalist situations portrayed in Bong Joon-ho’s film ‘Parasite’ can be associated with the three religious characteristics of capitalism presented by philosopher Benjamin. Considering the controversy over the cinematic representation’s relationship with the reality, in particular the representation of poverty in ‘Parasite’, this essay abstains from viewing the film as pure reflection of the reality but focuses on its symbolic portrayals of the symptoms of religious capitalism that are discovered in reality. According to Benjamin’s short writing ‘Capitalism as Religion’(1921), capitalism is like a cultic religion, first, as everything has meaning only in relation to the “cult” including worships of high market values. Second, the “cult” is concretized by “the permanent duration”, or our internalization of thinking and lifestyle based only on market values. Third, capitalism produces and spreads “guilt” or indebtedness; the poor feel guilty or indebted since they failed to make money and literally fell into debt. Such characteristics of capitalism are unfolded in ‘Parasite’, a black comedy thriller about class conflicts, through the vertical structure of three symbolic spaces: the shady semi-basement; the mansion on a high hill full of blessing sunlight; and its dark underground bunker, which looks like a dungeon for a sinner. In particular, the movie’s pessimistic ending and Benjamin’s apocalyptic vision share the fear of no escape from the “iron cage”-like capitalist religion. On the other hand, another of Bong’s films, ‘Snowpiercer’(2013), tells the story of an escape. Effectively using spatial symbolism like ‘Parasite’, the sci-fi action portrays class struggle through a horizontal, one-directional, forward movement of rebels from the wretched tail compartment to the luxurious front sections. Unlike in ‘Parasite’, in ‘Snowpiercer’ there exists ‘the outside’ and a character who is prepared to reach it. In this aspect, the film is also distinguished from its original graphic novel of the same title. The two films of Bong supplement each other in upgrading our insight into the symptoms of capitalism as religion in reality and the related discourses.
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