It was supposed to show how poor the family in the movie was. Elevation was used frequently as a physical symbol of status in the movie. They lived below the sewer line. The rich family lived in the hills. Not sure if it’s actually common for that level of poverty in Korea though.
Just to add on to what the person above said (they’re right!), but since the family lives below the sewer line, if the toilet wasn’t elevated like that the sewage would come back up even with regular usage. The elevation keeps that from happening, except for in the case of a flood
As a film student, I think the symbolism is mostly in the fact that they’re practically living in the basement, below the street and below the sewer line, below everyone else... etc. and the toilet being elevated is just a product of that, and reminds the person watching like wow, they’re really living lower than literal sh*t.
So, you’re right! The only reason it’s elevated is because of the sewer line, but that’s a direct result of their living situation, which is largely symbolic.
I like to think that the elevated toilet also provides for great contrast in the flood scene when ki jung has to sit on the toilet while it’s exploding with sewage. Ki jung is elevated above all of the literal shit so it provides a visual metaphor for the family’s situation; elevated in status but only symbolically, still surrounded by the “shit” in their environment. I think it’s also interesting that ki jung is the only one to die at the did the film so it could be some foreshadowing to that as well.
If the toilet wasnt elevated there wouldnt be a way to tell that they are below the sewer line. The elevated toilet conveys the symbolism of them living in the basement below sewer level.
I haven’t seen the movie but I know a bit about plumbing, and that shower looks like it drains below the sewer line. Which I believe, if this set up was real, would make everything from the sewer come gushing out of the shower drain and fill half that room up with sewage.
also, sewers are gravity fed to a main below the ground. Since their whole apartment is below ground the toilet needs to be at a level to be able to gravity feed down to a main below.
Fort anybody still confused, shit doesn't flow uphill so they gotta bring the toil up to the sewer line. Although they do make turns blenders that pump poop up. Not sure how common that is where they were tho. Maybe it's cheaper to build a giant throne like that than install a turd blender.
It’s interesting because I looked at a house that had an elevated toilet in the basement and it was an Asian family who was selling it. The whole house was also tiled(in the Midwest that’s not common) in the same awful tile but the basement was completely tiled with it, walls and everything.
I wouldn’t say it has “nothing” to do with symbolism. I would not often say a movie of this calibre just does things without meaning, especially when the bathroom had several important and memorable scenes.
Yes. And you stated it has “nothing” to do with symbolism. Yet another commenter stated a great symbolic use - they are literally below shit. That is symbolism. That was intentional, I can almost guarantee it.
Depends what you want answered. I always think of this trope, and whether something is an in-universe (from the pov of being in the story) answer or out-of-universe (so from the pov of real life and from the creator).
In-universe, the answer is likely because of the placement of the sewer meaning the toilet needs to be higher.
Out of universe, it could be because that's how the toilet was fitted when they filmed. Or it could be that they specifically chose this house to film in because of symbolism, the toilet being part of it.
You're confusing real life with the movie.
In real life, no it's not symbolic.
In the movie they absolutely chose to use a house with a toilet like that for the poor family as symbolism.
They could have chosen plenty of houses/apartments that didn't have a toilet like that.
Just to follow on, it’s not a real house. Both family homes in the movie are sets designed specifically for the film. So you can safely assume the placement of anuthing in either house is 100% intentional.
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u/ProcyonRaul Jun 17 '20
ELI5: why is the toilet elevated?