Burning (2018) - Movies Like Parasite | Filmiway
Why This Class War Film Matters
Burning is class resentment as slow-burn psychological horror. The wealthy can destroy people and disappear, while the poor can only watch and spiral into obsession.
Burning
The Experience
Deliveryman Jongsu reconnects with childhood neighbor Haemi. She returns with Ben, a wealthy enigmatic playboy. When Haemi mysteriously vanishes, Jongsu becomes consumed by suspicion and class resentment. Lee Chang-dong's slow-burn mystery explores class inequality as psychological torment.
Cast & Crew
Director: Lee Chang-dong
Starring: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo
Production Details
Budget: $5.5 million
Box Office: $7.1 million
Content Advisory
Contains: Mature Content
📊INTENSITY GRAPHIntensity GraphShows plot intensity
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.
🧬CINEMATIC DNAGenre DNA BreakdownVisual representation of the movie's
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.
Genre DNA Distribution
- Mystery: 50%
- Drama: 35%
- Thriller: 15%
Movie Intensity Arc
- Minute 20: Reunion (25/100 Intensity)
- Minute 50: Jealousy (40/100 Intensity)
- Minute 90: Greenhouse (60/100 Intensity)
- Minute 120: Obsession (75/100 Intensity)
- Minute 145: Burning (85/100 Intensity)
Community Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions About BurningFAQ About Burning
Common questions about Burning and its exploration of class warfare and social inequality.
Did Ben actually kill Haemi?
The film deliberately never confirms it, but the clues (the watch, the cat, the 'burning greenhouses' metaphor) strongly imply he is a serial killer who targets lonely, 'useless' women. However, the brilliance of the film lies in the ambiguity—it could all be Jong-su's class-fueled paranoia projecting evil onto a wealthy rival.
What does the 'burning greenhouses' metaphor mean?
Ben claims he burns abandoned greenhouses because they are 'dirty and useless.' This is likely a chilling metaphor for murdering marginalized women whom society won't miss. It highlights the terrifying callousness of the ultra-rich who view the poor as expendable clutter to be removed for their own amusement.
Why is the 'Great Hunger' dance scene so famous?
Haemi's topless dance at twilight to Miles Davis is the film's emotional peak. It represents her desperate search for the 'Great Hunger' (meaning of life) versus the 'Little Hunger' (physical survival). It is a moment of pure, tragic freedom before she disappears into the void of a society that doesn't value her.
What is the significance of the final scene?
Jong-su stripping naked after the murder is a primal act of shedding his social identity. Throughout the film, he is constrained by poverty and politeness. The violent finale is his only way to reclaim agency in a world where men like Ben hold all the power. It is an act of class warfare turned literal.
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Curated by Filmiway Editorial Team
Expert analysis of class warfare cinema