The Oscar wins from “Parasite” ignite conversations about subtitles in film

Andrew Dau

Story by Maya Hodison, Staff Writer

“Parasite” is a 2019 South Korean film featuring the clash of two families — one wealthy and one poor. It speaks on greed and class discrimination. It became increasingly popular in the states, playing with English subtitles and ended up taking home four Academy Awards on Feb. 9.

Director Bong Joon-ho won the Academy Award for Best Director. “Parasite” took home three more awards: the Academy Award for Best Picture, the Academy Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best International Feature.

“You really shouldn’t be scared of things that aren’t in English.” – Junior Eduardo Bertulfo

The international film made history by becoming the first South Korean film to win an Oscar for Best Picture. Additionally, “Parasite” represents the first foreign language film to ever win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Due to the success of “Parasite,” the conversation about the importance of subtitles has ignited and has sparked controversy about whether or not they should be widely accepted and viewed in the United States.

*Updated on Feb. 26