Do Some Vancouver Houses Remind You of the Oscar-Winning Film Parasite?

Parasite, the best-picture winner at the 2020 Academy Awards, has some connections to Vancouver. The film’s director and co-writer, Bong Joon-ho, reportedly came up with the ending while in thecity, and one of its stars, Choi Woo-shik, lived in Coquitlam and went to SFU. 

Now there’s one more link—the Instagram account @parasitevancouver, which posts photos of Vancouver houses arguably reminiscent of the massive mansion in the film.  

“Since the pandemic, I’ve been going on walks daily with my partner and roommate,” says the account holder, a Vancouver resident who asked to remain unidentified. “I was noticing more and more of these houses we all didn’t like—midcentury modern, architectural, very sharp 90-degree angles that sort of stick out. And I started calling them Parasite houses because they reminded me of the house from the movie.” 

The idea to start the account was initially a joke, but it soon turned into reality—@parasitevancouver has gained more than 450 followers since it was launched a week ago.

Its creator, an artist who has no background in architecture, has been taken aback by all the interest: “I’m surprised people have latched onto it this quickly. I originally just started following a bunch of friends, but now there’s people following it that I don’t know, and sending me pictures of houses and stuff like that.

“I think it’s interesting. The connection with the movie has inspired people to think more critically about this type of architecture that pops up in neighbourhoods.”

Surprisingly to anyone who’s viewed the account, the images (besides a few submitted to it, possibly) aren’t from West Point Grey or Shaughnessy—they’re from the founder’s east side neighbourhood.

Parasite obviously deals with issues of class, and the account’s holder seems concerned with some of the same themes.

“Over the past few years, I’ve noticed these houses popping up out of nowhere. And these are houses that are across the street from my 100-year-old rental house. They have Teslas and luxury SUVs in the driveway and stuff. They want to be seen, and that’s why I made the Instagram account, so people know that I see them and other people can see them.”