Over the last many years, I’ve grown deeply fond of South Korean cinema. Determined to burn some vacation time, I booked a ticket with a plan to visit some of the more dramatic filming locations in the country. What I saw blew my mind.

Nestled deep in the heart of Seoul, I stopped for lunch at a street vendor. While chewing on some bossam, I struck up conversation with a local gentleman about my trip. Hearing I was a fan of Bong Joon Ho’s work, he perked up and emphatically described his involvement in the shooting of Parasite. Turns out, he was hired by location scouts to find a home for the Kim family. He was the one to find the basement and he offered to take me by.

I took him up on his offer and after paying for his lunch, off we went. It wasn’t far. A 10 minute walk from the BBQ stand took us to the corner where Ki-woo and Min-hyuk grab a snack and come up with the tutor scheme. There were no socks hanging in the basement windowss, but the spot was absolutely recognizable. I was chuffed, to say the least.

Taking it upon himself to further the experience, my guide knocked on the door of the apartment and negotiated a short tour. So there I was, looking at the most famous toilet in the last decade of cinematic history.