‘I Thought It Really Resembled Reality.’ Oscar Winner Parasite Shines Light on South Korean Basement Apartments

(SEOUL, South Korea) — Kim Da-hye, a 29-year-old South Korean, said that moving into a semi-basement apartment was her least-preferred option when she was looking for a new place to live.

But after a rigorous search and a close examination of her finances, she was forced to settle for a “banjiha,” the Korean word for a cramped basement flat.

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho‘s Oscar-winning film Parasite has brought banjiha dwellers like Kim to worldwide attention, thanks to its depiction of two families — one living in a semi-basement apartment and the other in an airy mansion — and the differences in their social status.

In 2015, around 1.9% of South Koreans lived in semi-basement apartments, according to data from Statistics Korea. It’s an affordable choice for urban dwellers in Seoul, one of the most expensive cities in Asia. The apartments, which are often cramped and sometimes squalid, generally cost between $210 and $500 a month with a hefty deposit.

Ahn Young-joon—APKim Da-hye in her semi-basement apartment in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 15, 2020. For many South Koreans, the image of a cramped basement apartment portrayed in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite” rings true, bringing differences in their social status to worldwide attention.

Kim, who moved into her $211-a-month banjiha apartment after leaving her job to take care of her mother, is no fan of her current accommodations, which flood during the rainy season. “During one summer, I left the house with the window open,” she said. “When I came back, there was water all over and the walls were wet.”

She says that when she dries her laundry, “the walls get damp and my laundry smells.”

Prior to moving in, she was very concerned about the apartment’s toilet, which sits much higher than the floor in order to prevent flooding. “My bathroom has stairs just like that place,” Kim said, referring to the basement toilet in the film that spews out filthy sludge during a flood that destroys the house.

“I could slip while climbing the stairs,” Kim said, laughing and pointing at the two steep steps leading to the square bathroom. She joked that she doesn’t attempt to go to the bathroom when she’s drunk.

Since the apartment is half underground, it is difficult for sunlight to seep through the window, causing the walls to mold.

“It’s easy to see inside from outside and vice versa,” Kim said, adding that her window also invites dust from cars and motorcycles on the street.

Ahn Young-joon—APKim Da-hye in her semi-basement apartment in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 15, 2020.

She said she has mixed feelings about the film despite sharing her name — Da-hye — with the daughter of the affluent family.

“At the start of the movie when an image flashed of a drunkard who was peeing on the street, I didn’t find it funny,” she said. “I felt a bit bitter because (the movie) had moments I could totally relate to. I had mixed feelings because it didn’t feel like someone else’s story.”

“I thought it really resembled reality,” Kim said. “[The father in the movie] wanted to climb higher but ended up going lower than where he was before. That’s similar to how I feel about my future.”

‘I Thought It Really Resembled Reality.’ Oscar Winner Parasite Shines Light on South Korean Basement Apartments

(SEOUL, South Korea) — Kim Da-hye, a 29-year-old South Korean, said that moving into a semi-basement apartment was her least-preferred option when she was looking for a new place to live.

But after a rigorous search and a close examination of her finances, she was forced to settle for a “banjiha,” the Korean word for a cramped basement flat.

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho‘s Oscar-winning film Parasite has brought banjiha dwellers like Kim to worldwide attention, thanks to its depiction of two families — one living in a semi-basement apartment and the other in an airy mansion — and the differences in their social status.

In 2015, around 1.9% of South Koreans lived in semi-basement apartments, according to data from Statistics Korea. It’s an affordable choice for urban dwellers in Seoul, one of the most expensive cities in Asia. The apartments, which are often cramped and sometimes squalid, generally cost between $210 and $500 a month with a hefty deposit.

Ahn Young-joon—APKim Da-hye in her semi-basement apartment in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 15, 2020. For many South Koreans, the image of a cramped basement apartment portrayed in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite” rings true, bringing differences in their social status to worldwide attention.

Kim, who moved into her $211-a-month banjiha apartment after leaving her job to take care of her mother, is no fan of her current accommodations, which flood during the rainy season. “During one summer, I left the house with the window open,” she said. “When I came back, there was water all over and the walls were wet.”

She says that when she dries her laundry, “the walls get damp and my laundry smells.”

Prior to moving in, she was very concerned about the apartment’s toilet, which sits much higher than the floor in order to prevent flooding. “My bathroom has stairs just like that place,” Kim said, referring to the basement toilet in the film that spews out filthy sludge during a flood that destroys the house.

“I could slip while climbing the stairs,” Kim said, laughing and pointing at the two steep steps leading to the square bathroom. She joked that she doesn’t attempt to go to the bathroom when she’s drunk.

Since the apartment is half underground, it is difficult for sunlight to seep through the window, causing the walls to mold.

“It’s easy to see inside from outside and vice versa,” Kim said, adding that her window also invites dust from cars and motorcycles on the street.

Ahn Young-joon—APKim Da-hye in her semi-basement apartment in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 15, 2020.

She said she has mixed feelings about the film despite sharing her name — Da-hye — with the daughter of the affluent family.

“At the start of the movie when an image flashed of a drunkard who was peeing on the street, I didn’t find it funny,” she said. “I felt a bit bitter because (the movie) had moments I could totally relate to. I had mixed feelings because it didn’t feel like someone else’s story.”

“I thought it really resembled reality,” Kim said. “[The father in the movie] wanted to climb higher but ended up going lower than where he was before. That’s similar to how I feel about my future.”

Bong Joon Ho Statue and Museum Proposed in South Korea After ‘Parasite’ Oscar Wins

Who’s ready to kneel at the statue of Bong Joon Ho? The New York Times reports that conservative political candidates in the South Korean city of Daegu have proposed to build a museum and statue to Bong following his history-making Oscar wins for “Parasite” at the 92nd Academy Awards. People are also lobbying for Daegu to rename streets in honor of the South Korean filmmaker, whose additional credits include “Memories of Murder,” “The Host,” and “Mother.” Bong was born in Daegu in 1969 and lived there before his family moved to Seoul while he was in elementary school.

The proposal to erect a Bong Joon Ho statue is somewhat of a change of pace for conservatives and their relationship with the filmmaker. According to the Times, South Korea’s right-wing leaders have been highly critical of Bong’s films throughout his career. Conservative presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye even called out Bong’s “Memories of Murder” and “The Host” for spreading “anti-American” and “left-wing messages.” These films were also criticized for showing “government incompetence.” Not even Bong’s adored “Parasite” converted critics into fans after it won the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the first time a South Korean film took home top honors at the prestigious film festival. The Times reports that conservative politicians slammed “Parasite” as a “commie flick” not worth watching.

The Oscars has reportedly shifted Bong’s image into a more favorable light among the right there. “Parasite” won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. These are the first Oscars ever awarded to a South Korean feature film in the Academy Awards’ 92-year history. Park Yong-chan, a spokesman for South Korea’s far-right Liberty Korea Party, told the Times in a statement: “‘Parasite’ has written new history. This is a monumental achievement that spread the power of South Korean movies and culture around the world.”

While the Bong statue and museum is just a proposal for now, one thing that is definitely happening following the “Parasite” Oscar wins is Bong joining The Criterion Collection. Criterion has announced “Memories of Murder” and “Parasite” are set to join its library later this year.