As Oscar Sunday approaches, “Parasite” seems to be gaining traction as a legitimate best-picture threat. It’s already considered a slam dunk to take home best foreign-language film. And now it’s looking like a three-horse race among it, “1917” and “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” for the top prize.

This week, our Oscars Preview Series continues with a conversation about how “Parasite” explores questions of wealth and class – and how those topics make the film accessible to moviegoers around the world. Breaking it all down is economist C.Y. Choi, who worked for the Bank of Korea before moving to the United States and ultimately becoming an economics professor at UT-Arlington. Be sure to check out our previous Oscar previews on “1917” and “Marriage Story.”

C.Y. Choi on …

… the movie’s global appeal:

“The gap between rich and poor I believe has widened over the years – not only in Korea but around the world. This is quite a universal phenomenon, and that’s why the movie I think is appealing to global fans.”

… on how “Parasite” illustrates what economists refer to as “skill bias”:

“I think the director has intentionally set it up this way. Mr. Park – the head of the rich family – is the CEO of an IT company. His skills and knowledge and education cannot be easily replaced by others.  While Mr. Kim – his only skill in the movie is driving, which can easily be replaced by others, as the previous driver was replaced by him.