20 Things You Didn't Know About Parasite

A portmanteau of ramen and udon, Ram-don is the fictional name given to the famed Korean dish jjapaguri. Bong Joon Ho and subtitle translator Darcy Piquet changed the meal’s name after they discovered that an English equivalent did not exist. Therefore, they opted for a combination of names that are more recognizable to non-Korean audiences.

Usually, such a meal would be a throwaway detail in most features but the Parasite script is not one to waste any inclusion in the overall story. The bowl of noodles is then topped off with hanwoo steak, a pricey form of sirloin steak only found in Korea.

The addition of the expensive beef highlights the socio-economic disparity between the two families as well as how a common dish can be turned into something inaccessible for many individuals in South Korea.