Frankie Pangilinan. Image: Instagram/@frankiepangilinan
Musician Frankie Pangilinan responded to criticism from an internet troll who compared her family to the rich Korean characters in the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite”.
Frankie, the daughter of prominent actress Sharon Cuneta and Senator Francis Pangilinan, commended the film for its success during the Oscars last Sunday (Monday in Manila) in Hollywood, United States, where it won four major awards, including Best Picture.
The dark comedy thriller, directed by Academy Award winner Bong Joon-ho, shows an impoverished family scheming to all get employed a wealthy family in South Korea. The film tackles inequalities between social classes, including poverty and privilege.
One Twitter user questioned Frankie on her retweeted post from the Academy, stating: “[Coming] from you? [Kung] tutuusin kung may comparison, yung pamilya na mayaman sa [‘Parasite’] parang kayo din ng pamilya mo. [So] ano punto?”
(If you think about, if there were a comparison, the family in “Parasite” is like your family, so what’s your point?)
The user even threatened to “stab” her father, as a reference to a scene in the movie. The Megastar’s daughter responded to the troll with dark humor, explaining that she has no control over who her parents are.
“[Bold] of u to assume [I] wouldn’t stab myself first in this crippling guilt over something [I] had no control over and cannot change tho,” she said.
bold of u to assume i wouldn’t stab myself first in this crippling guilt over something i had no control over and cannot change tho https://t.co/cGgOFtBdT4
— kakie 🇵🇸 (@kakiep83) February 12, 2020
In a series of follow-up replies, Frankie said that she was her own person, “apart from the privilege.” Frankie also promised that she is trying her best “not to be a waste of advantages” that she was born into. The musician also talked about the “guilt” it gives her every day.
“[I] don’t know how to apologize for that. [But] sorry anyway,” Frankie said.
look
the guilt eats away at me everyday and i cant do anything about it rn but i do know it’s pushing me and i promise i’m working hard and doing my best to make myself not be a waste of the advantages i was born into. i don’t know how to apologize for that. but sorry anyway.— kakie 🇵🇸 (@kakiep83) February 12, 2020
She also acknowledged the irony of enjoying a film about a poor family struggling to get by in life by feeding into a rich family’s ignorance.
“[T]here might be a strange irony in me loving and appreciating [‘Parasite’] and I get that but the truth is [I’d] much rather be aware of it than turn a blind and ignorant eye,” she stated.
to some of u there might be a strange irony in me loving and appreciating parasite and i get that but the truth is id much rather be aware of it than turn a blind and ignorant eye.
also please remember i’m my own person, apart from the privilege, however moulded by it.
— kakie 🇵🇸 (@kakiep83) February 12, 2020
Lastly, Frankie admitted the Twitter user’s comment “hurt” her. She ended her thread saying that even if “the system sucks and [I’m] a part of it however unintentionally,” she still wants to do something about it.
She wrote, “[I’m] so fkin sorry from the bottom of my heart that [I] can’t fix it. but [I] promise to do my part as soon as [I’m] able.” NVG
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