Check out some other amazing movies like Parasite if you like the plot and how it was executed in the film and want to see something unpredictable and well-crafted.
“Parasite” is a perfect example of how Bong Joon-movies ho’s often have more to them than what initially meets the eye. The Kims and the Parks are the main two families in the movie.
Despite having wealth, their lives collide as the Kims sneakily enter the Park home by pretending to be anything from an English tutor to a chauffeur.
These are some movies like Parasite that you should add to your watchlist if you like the plot twists and turns and the deftly woven social commentary.
1. House of Games (1987)
- Director: David Mamet
- Cast: Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna, Mike Nussbaum, Lilia Skala, J.T. Walsh, Willo Hausman, and Karen Kohlhaas
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
David Mamet’s con artist movie, another underrated neo-noir masterpiece, has all the precise good looks of classic Hollywood cinema.
However, it sounds like one of the writer/play directors with its incredibly specific dialogue.
The plot centers on a successful psychiatrist who is intrigued by a bunch of confident men and follows her inclinations into their dark world. It is a straight-talking thrill that is also misleading.
Those enthralled by the parasite’s analysis of the long con strategies should be drawn in immediately by this story.
2. Us (2019)
- Director: Jordan Peele
- Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Jordan Peele’s sequel to the immensely popular “Get Out,” “Us,” which was also released in the same year as “Parasite,” recounts the story of a family being attacked by evil copies of themselves.
The doppelgängers, who go by the name “the tethered,” emerge from the shadows with malicious intentions, especially for the Wilson family, headed by Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o).
There is a special mystery around Adelaide because when she was a little girl, she had a tragic encounter with her mirror image in a house of mirrors.
In “Parasite,” the viewer is aware of the new identities the Kim family adopts; in “Us,” they compete against the Wilsons to learn the real story behind the dishonest doppelgängers.
The concept of those above and those below, or those with and those without, is given a horrific twist in “Us,” as you would expect from a Jordan Peele picture. This is one of the best movies like Parasite.
3. Good Time (2017)
- Director: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
- Cast: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Buddy Duress, Taliah Webster, Barkhad Abdi, and Necro
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Robert Pattinson plays the protagonist. It follows an aspiring bank robber who loses his brother, who has Down syndrome, to the prison system after a failed heist.
So he starts a mission to raise the cash for his bail as soon as humanly feasible and by any means available.
Pattinson’s unrelenting central performance, along with the similarly endless energy from the direction of the movie, means that viewers are not quite sure where Good Time will go next.
It’s not one of the beautiful crime movies like Parasite. Still, it’s similarly clever because of the lengths the lead character will go to to escape yet another impossible circumstance.
4. The Housemaid (1960)
- Director: Kim Ki-young
- Cast: Jin Kyu Kim, Jeung-nyeo Ju, Eun-shim Lee, Aeng-ran Eom, Seon-ae Ko, Sook-Rang Wang, and Seok-je Kang
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
The plot may first appear like a standard cautionary story about a monstrous femme fatale controlling the weak-willed husband of a rising middle-class family.
The movie, however, reveals many of the most profound societal apprehensions experienced at the time by a changing Korea through abrupt story twists.
Fans of movies like Parasite should also pay close attention to Im Sang-2010 Soo’s version of the movie since it treats the middle-class family in the social hierarchy with less sympathy.
5. Wild Tales (2014)
- Director: Damián Szifron
- Cast: Darío Grandinetti, María Marull, Mónica Villa, Diego Starosta, Marcelo Frasca, Lucila Mangone, and María Laura Caccamo
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Millions of viewers have given the Wild Tales movie overwhelmingly good reviews.
They loved the movie since it had a range of genres and was informative, which helped the audience comprehend the extremes of human behavior, particularly in times of stress.
People like this movie since it has a clever narrative and is well-handled throughout. Also, it has discussed other humorous subjects that are comparable to Parasite.
Even though it is an anthology movie, it discusses corruption problems, social classes in modern society, and much more.
Nonetheless, the humor in the movie balances humanity’s darker side. As a result, you can watch the whole movie while still being entertained and either awakened or informed without feeling depressed.
6. The Wailing (2016)
- Director: Na Hong-jin
- Cast: Jun Kunimura, Hwang Jung-min, Kwak Do-won, Woo-hee Chun, Hwan-hee Kim, Jin Heo, and Jang So-Yeon
- IMDb rating: 7.4/10
A police officer in rural Korea begins to look into strange and violent incidents that the majority of the locals in his town blame for the relocation of a new Japanese resident.
In the face of what can only be characterized as brilliant filmmaking, you start to lose contact with reality as the incidents keep happening and various views in the story are presented.
The movie functions at a level “that makes many American movies appear clumsy and uninspired,” according to reviewers.
For this reason, The Wailing is more than simply a real horror movie with a terrific idea; it also has an intriguing narrative that will have you thinking about it long after the movie’s over. This is undoubtedly one of the best movies like Parasite.
7. Sorry to Bother You (2018)
- Director: Boots Riley
- Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Kate Berlant, and Michael X. Sommers
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
One of the seven deadly sins is greed, addressed in the movie Sorry to Bother You.
This movie’s plot is very similar to movies like Parasite. Money and also power are the source of all evil.
As people get used to obtaining the things they desire, they tend to become more greedy.
The movie struck a chord with a lot of people. People also believe that even if the movie occurred in a dystopian parallel world.
Even though many moviegoers praised the plot and the authors’ brilliant screenplay, not everyone liked it due to specific personal preferences.
Many nonetheless found everything about it enjoyable, including the actors, set, storyline, and production.
8. The Handmaiden (2016)
- Director: Park Chan-wook
- Cast: Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-Woong, Moon So-ri, Kim Tae-ri, Yong-nyeo Lee, and Min-chae Yoo
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
The 2016 movie from Oldboy and Stoker director Park Chan-wook, a South Korean auteur, focuses on the dark aspects of what defines humanity: betrayal, violence, and transgression.
The Handmaiden is based on Sarah Waters’ 2002 book Fingersmith, which is about the love between two women and the greedy men in their lives.
The story’s setting is changed from Victorian London to 1930s Korea when a con artist uses an orphaned pickpocket to deceive an elderly Japanese lady.
This elegant psychological thriller dubbed a masterpiece and has drawn parallels to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, is packed with enough sexual tension to make your screen break. You must see this movie if you like movies like parasite.
9. The Chaser (2008)
Director: Na Hong-jin
Cast: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Yeong-hie Seo, Kim Yoo-Jeong, In-gi Jeong, Jung-woo Choi, and Min Kyung-jin
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
This is a suspenseful thriller by director Na Hong-jin. It follows a former detective turned pimp pursues a guy he thinks is kidnapping and trafficking his sex workers while really on the hunt for a cunning serial murderer.
The Chaser’s darkly unexpected race against time and its vile opponent maintain the tension at an all-time high due to the main character’s amorality.
It’s a more consistently violent and gruesome thriller than most recent Korean movies like parasite.
10. Ready or Not (2019)
- Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
- Cast: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell, Melanie Scrofano, and Kristian Bruun
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
After being forced to participate in a peculiar ceremony involving her rich in-laws attempting to find her and murder her in a cruel game of hide-and-seek, Grace’s best day turns into a nightmare.
A delectably dark parody of the madness of the filthy rich, “Ready or Not” dials up the violence, while “Parasite” has fleeting but terrifying moments of it. Grace, a former foster kid, is scared by the family’s wealth but longs to be welcomed by them.
It was easy to detect the similarities between “Ready or Not” and “Parasite,” two major hits from the same year they were released.
11. Memories of Murder (2003)
- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Cast: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Roe-ha Kim, Jae-ho Song, Byun Hee-Bong, Seo-hie Ko, and Tae-ho Ryu
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
One of the many movies that came out before Parasite and that received a lot of positive reviews from audiences all around the world is Memories of Murder.
f course, these two movies are directed by Bong Joon-ho, who never fails to deliver.
A significant bonus and something to brag about this movie are that the Hallyu Wave had not yet swept the world when it was released.
Fans adored this movie because Bong Joon-ho, a well-known South Korean director renowned for creating outstanding movies like Parasite, did a terrific job directing it.
This has received so much attention that it is now ranked in the top 4 most-viewed movies.
It is one of the greatest movies ever since the actors paid authenticity to every role.
In addition, the screenplay writing, directing, cinematography, color grading, and production design are all excellent.
Since the narrative and premise were well-planned, those who like thriller movies enjoyed the movie.
12. Burning (2018)
- Director: Lee Chang-dong
- Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Soo-Kyung, Choi Seung-ho, Moon Sung-Keun, and Min Bok-gi
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10
Burning is not a movie you understand; it is a movie you experience.
It is dark and dreary, more apparent in the movie’s mood than in the events of the short story it is based on.
A young man from a low-income hamlet near the North Korean border meets a girl from his hometown while at work in the country’s capital, Seoul.
She meets an odd friend who is an affluent young man in Seoul, and he begins to fall for her.
This new character is enigmatic in a manner that is too common in South Korea: young people endowed with wealth that no one can explain where it came from and who are challenging to resist.
13. The Fool (2014)
- Director: Yuriy Bykov
- Cast: Artyom Bystrov, Natalya Surkova, Yuriy Tsurilo, Boris Nevzorov, Kirill Polukhin, Aleksandr Korshunov, and Olga Samoshina
- IMDb rating: 8.0/10
In the play by Yuri Bykov, a young plumber is summoned to examine a broken pipe in a rundown flat building.
However, when he arrives, he realizes that the dilapidated building might suddenly fall over its many residents.
The main character’s finding merely helps to show far more significant structural damage inside the morality of his local government.
The Fool is a compelling story about the escalating catastrophes brought on by class inequalities in modern society, much like Parasite.
14. Okja (2017)
- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Cast: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Seo-hyun Ahn, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sheena Kamal, Michael Mitton, and Colm Hill
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Netflix handed director Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer) a $50 million budget, and he used it to create a very simple movie.
Okja relates the story of an experiment with “super pigs” that distribute genetically altered pigs to famous farmers worldwide.
A farmer’s granddaughter in Korea develops a particular bond with one of these extraordinary pigs (Okja).
Jacob Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton play the company that experimented, and when they want their pig back, they find an ally in Jay, the leader of an animal rescue organization.
While this is a simple movie, it is nevertheless enjoyable and full of topics and performances from a top-notch cast that will get you thinking.
15. May (2002)
- Director: Lucky McKee
- Cast: Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, Anna Faris, James Duval, Nichole Hiltz, Kevin Gage, and Merle Kennedy
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
Due to its plot, which also deals with various psychological issues, particularly those of a social outcast, the movie May is interesting, entertaining, and disturbing all at once.
While some viewers may find the movie’s pace sluggish, it is still worth seeing, particularly when it eventually reaches its finale.
Also, May is a wonderful movie because of how well the music and cinematography work together.
This movie makes viewers more open-minded and curious about the reality that there are lonely people with mental problems who have strange passions.
Many viewers also praise the movie and think it is one of the best movies like parasite ever made, with the performers portraying their roles convincingly and truthfully.
16. Panic Room (2002)
- Director: David Fincher
- Cast: Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker, Dwight Yoakam, Jared Leto, Patrick Bauchau, and Ann Magnuson
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
As the movie’s title suggests, the Panic Room is where the characters would go to any lengths to get whatever is within; hence, there is a little excitement and panic. As a result of the movie’s excellence, many viewers genuinely enjoyed it.
Directors and producers rarely succeed in maintaining a suspenseful plot and tense turn of events from the opening credits, which grab the audience’s attention through the end.
Nevertheless, some scenes are rather violent, so unless the parents are okay with some violence, they should see the movie with their children.
Also, the audience received the plot and cinematography well, so the movie deserved to be nominated for and win a few movie prizes from different awarding events.
17. Snowpiercer (2013)
- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Cast: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, Song Kang-ho, John Hurt, Octavia Spencer
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
It seems reasonable to start with the biography of “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho when considering movies like Parasite.
His 2013 movie, “Snowpiercer,” is set in a dystopian future where attempts to stop global warming have caused a new ice age.
The last humans, who reside on the movie’s titular train, live in a miniature version of this society, in which the rich and powerful dominate and the poor are excluded.
“Snowpiercer” is extremely similar to “Parasite,” concentrating on the poorest members of society as they revolt against the privileged yet have a considerably different perspective.
Curtis Everett (Chris Evans), in command of the assault, encourages the passengers in the back of the train to revolt as they push their way to the front.
While Bong was involved in a conflict with infamous producer Harvey Weinstein, who insisted that the movie’s last 25 minutes be reduced, the movie encountered its challenges.
Finally, the director’s original version was made public, but at the expense of the movie getting much less exposure.
Despite this setback, Bong could complete his movie and, more importantly, maintain his integrity.
18. Shoplifters (2018)
- Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
- Cast: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kirin Kiki, Mayu Matsuoka, Jyo Kairi, Miyu Sasaki, and Sôsuke Ikematsu
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
The kids play a key role in a Tokyo family’s shoplifting operation to help them live.
These scenes of the real theft routine are just as suspenseful as any scam that the Kim family pull off, even though Hirozaku Kore-Palme eda’s d’Or-winning movie is far more of an emotional drama than a crime thriller like Parasite.
Shoplifters is a heartbreaking study of the idea of family that has evolved in the face of modern indifference.
It conceals a third-act secret that is just as satisfyingly surprising as a parasite’s.
