This story contains huge spoilers for the movie Parasite.
Parasite was one of the most talked about films of 2019 -- a rare feat for a foreign language film, especially in a year of huge franchise releases. And much of the praise leveled on the scathing dark satire, by critics and fans alike, has been how masterfully it handles a huge plot twist in the middle of the film. Now, Parasite’s editor has shared that the near-flawless sequence has one continuity error -- but he left it in the movie on purpose.
Bong Joon Ho’s latest film follows two Korean families as their lives become intertwined. The differences in the families’ economic situation are the focal point of how Parasite unfolds, as the destitute Kims slowly con their way into the affluent Parks’ home by pretending to be experienced as tutors, a chauffeur, and a housekeeper. And it seems like the Kims are going to get away with their scam, until the Parks’ previous housekeeper returns to their house and reveals that, out of her own economic desperation, she’s been hiding her ailing husband in the home's hidden basement.
The moments leading up to this pivotal plot twist are, ironically, among the funniest in Parasite, as a drunken Kim family lounge around the Parks’ house while they are away camping. In an interview with Variety, the film’s editor, Jinmo Yang discussed how he and Bong Joon Ho planned the whole sequence for maximum effect. But he did reveal that there was one moment leading up to the housekeeper’s return that wasn’t in the storyboards:
If you watch the film again, closely, prior to that, you’ll see the Kim family is having their house party. Ki-jung is eating jerky and she figures out it’s for the puppy and freezes. We go from a closeup shot to a wide shot of the family. Then you hear the doorbell. If you watch that moment again, you’ll see a small continuity error, where she goes from eating the jerky and holding it in her left hand to her right hand. We left that in there for the fans to spot. However, no one seems to have picked up on that yet.
Well, now we’ll be on the lookout. And this is a fun easter egg for fans who are still discovering Parasite, thanks to the word of mouth buzz it’s received the last few months. As last year’s highest grossing foreign film, it’s still continuing to gain attention as we head into award season. And it could be the first Korean film to be nominated for an Academy Award. Given Jinmo Yang’s incredible attention to detail, there’s a case to be made that it should be a contender for the Best Editing Oscar, too.
