Movies are a form of entertainment and information. One genre of film that challenges the viewers is Black Comedy.

This style of comedy focuses on taboos like social inequality, class conflict, and wealth gaps. Motion pictures that are inspired by this concept provoke the audiences into deep thought, discomfort, and amusement.

A popular movie in this genre is a Korean film titled “Parasite.” It is a critically acclaimed film that received international box office success.

There are also many movies like Parasite. When you search the web, just input: “movies like parasite Korean” and the listed films below will most likely appear.

Are you ready for your next movie binge? Let’s get started.

1. The People Under the Stairs (1991)

In the South Korean film Parasite, a man is hiding in the household’s secret room. The reason is to avoid being seen by loan sharks. The movie The People Under the Stairs (1991), on the other hand, is about a boy and two robbers. They got trapped in a mansion that they were supposed to ransack. The bizarre adventure includes twists like cannibalistic children, explosions, and accidentally distributing money. The horror comedy film engages in taboos like capitalism, gentrification, and class conflicts.

2. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) 

Keeping some in the basement as a prisoner is eerie. In the psychological horror-thriller, The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), the occurrence is included in the plot. Like the Parasite, anomalies happened in this room. The plot thickens and unfolds that some past mistakes will come to haunt you. In the end, one is pushed to a corner to make difficult choices. The thought of “what is justice?” is explored in the film. Is it morally correct to get even? How does a person choose between the people important to them? Curious about the answer? Watch this movie.

3. Society (1989) 

“The rich have always fed off the poor.” It is a tagline in the movie Society (1989). Like the Parasite, this motion picture shows how poor people are taken advantage of by the wealthy. It revolves around a guy named Bill. He thinks that his family is doing strange practices. Bill decides to investigate after his sister’s ex-boyfriend gives him a recorded tape of his family doing some naughty business. He then discovers that his suspicions are somewhat correct. But the truth he discovered is literally out of this world.

4. Gosford Park (2001) 

Audiences who like nostalgic themes will love the setting of Gosford Park (2001). The plot is about high society people during the 1930s. The film begins with a seemingly harmless social gathering. Until a murder of a nobleman occurred and the intent for the crime is puzzling. As the story unfolds, it turns out the victim has a dark past that finally caught up with him. Like the movie Parasite, this film shows the struggles of those in poverty. They have no choice but to give in to the whims of the upper class.

5. Sorry to Bother You (2018) 

Capitalism is a taboo but still keeps many in a pinch every day. The movie Sorry to Bother You (2018), similar to Parasite, explores the effect of capitalism on people. The protagonist in the story is living a life broken like the Kim family in the South Korean movie. He manages to get a job that pays very well. However, keeping that job placed his morals at risk. He then faces the dilemma, continues enjoying his good fortune, or turns away and stands up for what is right.

6. The Ruling Class (1972) 

Fans of unorthodox movies who loved the Parasite will find The Ruling Class (1972) intriguing. The plot is about an heir to an earldom suffering from schizophrenia. The people around him tried to either get him into an asylum or cure him. However, as the people around the earl tried to meddle, his condition escalated from bad to worst. It leads to a series of disturbing events. It makes the audience think, “What the heck is going on?”

7. Burning (2018) 

Here is another psychological thriller masterpiece from South Korea. Burning (2018) shows the gap between the rich and the poor. In the plot, the wealthy can get away with anything unscathed. However, the poor are left to suffer, which leads them to find justice in their own hands. The story is about a man who wants to become a writer. He falls in love with a childhood acquaintance but loses her to an affluent man. However, the stranger that entered their lives has a sinister plan that will change the course of their fates forever.

8. Panic Room (2002) 

Quest for wealth, secret rooms, and the need to survive. These are the similar things Parasite and Panic Room (2002) have. In the film, the duo of mother and daughter managed to move into a millionaire’s home. This house has a full defense spot called the Panic Room. When a trio of men came to rob the place, the two females sought refuge in the Panic Room. It was a matter of life and death. What can a single mother do to defend her child from three bad guys? A lot never underestimate the power of maternal love.

9. The Good Girls (Las Ninas Bien)(2018) 

When it comes to exploiting wealth, the theme is portrayed in both Parasite and The Good Girls (Las Ninas Bien)(2018). The two films show the reality of how wives are linked to their husband’s stature. It reaches a point that it is the one that defines them. The story revolves around a socialite who tries to keep her social status afloat. But things start to spiral out of control. It becomes clear to the audience that attachment to excessive materialism is hard to sustain. And in the end, when things collapse, recovery is difficult.

10. The Handmaiden (2016) 

Plotting to get rich by taking advantage of the wealthy. It is a similar ploy used in Parasite and The Handmaiden (2016). The story begins with a man who wants to steal the fortune of an heiress. He intends to marry a lady and lock her in an asylum. He hires a maid to help accomplish his plans. However, things swayed in a different direction. It left the man in compromising situations he had never imagined. And his target lady managed to find freedom in the arms of someone else.

11. Burn After Reading (2008) 

Black Comedy is a genre Parasite has adhered to, like the movie Burn After Reading (2008). The star-studded cast Hollywood film features the struggles of a retired government agent. The people around him sought to take advantage of him. The culprit’s plans fail one after another. It leads to many bloody encounters and loss of life. As the story ends with an open ending. It allows the audience to think about how things should have ended.

12. Kind Hearts and Coronets(1949)

Deception, revenge, and class conflicts is a theme explored in Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), the same as Parasite. The British nobility-inspired film revolves around a man who was born to an aristocrat mother and commoner father. They lived a happy life until the patriarch’s demise, and the protagonist began to learn about his noble lineage. After his mother’s passing, the lead devises a plan to make it back to the aristocracy. Using his employment, a similar strategy by the Kims in Parasite, he accomplished his plan. Of course, the road to it was full of bloodshed. Will he get away with it? Watch to find out.

13. Train to Busan (2016) 

The direst situations bring out the true nature of people. It is the theme shown in Parasite and Train to Busan (2016). The action thriller’s story begins with an infection that turns people into mindless zombies. The only place left that is safe is Busan. A group of survivors, including a father and daughter, board a train to the haven. Together they work their way to survive and experienced friendship, betrayal, loss, and sacrifice. This box office hit received international acclaim and has become a favorite of many movie fans. 

14. Memories of Murder (2003) 

Memories of Murder (2003) is a thriller that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats like Parasite. The story begins with a dilemma of multiple rapes and murders of women. The setting is in the 1980s, when equipment for DNA identification is scarce in South Korea. The protagonist, a detective, takes pride in the technique of finding suspects with eye contact. He goes through a lot of trouble to find the culprit to no avail. The film ends with the lead visiting the scene of the crime. He receives information that a strange man comes there to reflect. Is he the killer? It is up to the audience to decide.

15. Ready or Not (2019) 

Every family has secrets. Like the Kims in Parasite, the Le Domases have their dysfunctional secret. The wealthy family practices a strange ritual. It is especially intended for new members of the clan. The female protagonist is caught by surprise. The simple visit turns into a macabre cat and mouse chase for survival. If you are into action-thriller movies, this will not disappoint.

16. Shoplifters (2018) 

This Japanese movie is about a family that lives in poverty. To survive, they resolve to steal by shoplifting. The film tackles the taboo of poverty in first-world countries. It shows how people are led to do wrong due to circumstances. The family’s bonds are shaken when they get caught for their offenses. Will they keep sticking together or go their separate ways? This compelling drama explores how familial love can help a person survive the cruelties of life.

17. The Servant (1963) 

The gap between social classes is a theme in the movie The Servant (1963). The protagonist, due to his wealthy upbringing, becomes dependent on his manservant. Unknown to him, his trusted employee is plotting his demise. Caught in a web of lies and deception, he crashes into a spiral beyond redemption. The film makes the viewers ask why the protagonist made his choices. It is thought-provoking like Parasite.

18. The Imposter (2012) 

If Parasite got you on the edge of your seat, the thrilling documentary The Imposter (2012) does the same. It is about a man who claims to be a member of the Barclay family. Despite having a different appearance from the rest of the family, the imposter effectively fools everyone. The film makes the viewers think if they should sympathize with the villain or not. Similar to Parasite, can people doing wrong justify their actions to be forgiven?

19. Mother (2009) 

Mother (2009) is a compelling drama of maternal love, poverty, and conscience. The story revolves around a woman who has a mentally challenged son. The two live in poverty. Due to her son’s condition, he is often a subject of ridicule. A crime takes place, and the mentally ill son is suspected and possibly will go to jail. This film talks about taboos such as prejudice towards the weak, as they are often used as scapegoats. Like the movie Parasite, audiences are made to think about how they view and evaluate things.

20. The Housemaid (1960) 

This domestic horror film explores the vulnerability of man. The desires of the flesh can overcome a good man when in distress. The Housemaid (1960) has many thought-provoking moments that will make your heart beat faster. This masterpiece is one of the inspirations for creating the South Korean blockbuster Parasite.

21. The Rules of the Game (1939)

Even if things are sometimes unfair, there are rules that the whole world follows. This is the theme of the French film The Rules of the Game (1939). The movie revolves around the love affairs shrouded with infidelity, unrequited love, and mistaken identity. All the plot twists keep the viewers guessing, like in the black comedy thriller Parasite. In the end, people cannot escape the rules of the game.

22. Snowpiercer (2013)

The movie Snowpiercer (2013) is an earlier masterpiece by filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho. He is the brilliant mind behind the blockbuster Parasite. This movie is about humans surviving extinction. To preserve life, people seek refuge in the self-sustaining train, the Snowpiercer. The residents are divided into social classes. The inequality leads the lower class to revolt. They raced towards the upper-class cars seeking a better life for all.