Parasite - Characters & Cast

His primary motivation is to provide for his family and regain a sense of purpose and dignity. He wants to escape the perpetual cycle of poverty and failure, but his attempts are ultimately futile against an indifferent system.

Ki-taek begins as a seemingly lazy but resourceful patriarch with a sliver of pride. As he infiltrates the Park house, his dignity is slowly eroded by casual slights and humiliations. His arc is a tragic descent from hopeful schemer to a man crushed by systemic oppression, culminating in a spontaneous act of violent rage that seals his fate as a permanent resident of the societal basement.

He is motivated by a desire to rise above his station, not just for money but for social acceptance and a future with Da-hye. He believes in the plan and the possibility of a different life.

Ki-woo is the catalyst for the family's scheme, initially driven by ambition and a belief that he can forge his way into a better life. He is more idealistic than his family. His journey is one of disillusionment; after suffering a traumatic brain injury, he is left with a heartbreaking and impossible fantasy of success, representing the death of the dream of social mobility.

His motivation is to maintain his family's perfect, orderly, and luxurious lifestyle. He values boundaries ('crossing the line') and expects subservience, all while maintaining a facade of being a fair and modern employer.

Mr. Park doesn't have a significant arc; he is a static character representing the insulated, polite-but-prejudiced upper class. He is not overtly malicious, but his casual cruelty and subconscious revulsion towards the lower class (symbolized by 'the smell') reveal the deep-seated nature of classism. His character remains unchanged until his sudden, violent death.

Motivated by pragmatism and a desire for immediate material gain, she is less of a dreamer than her brother. She excels at the con and enjoys the performance, driven by a sharp intelligence and a need to survive.

Ki-jung is the most cynical, adaptable, and skilled member of the Kim family. She masters her role as 'Jessica' with effortless confidence. Her arc is tragically cut short. Her shocking death during the garden party signifies the brutal and indiscriminate consequences of the class war, destroying the most capable member of the Kim family and extinguishing their brightest spark of hope.