The Handmaiden
| The Handmaiden | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Hangul | |
| Revised Romanization | Agassi |
| Directed by | Park Chan-wook |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Based on |
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Cho Young-wuk |
| Cinematography | Chung Chung-hoon |
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Production
companies |
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| Distributed by | CJ Entertainment |
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Release date
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| Country | South Korea |
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| Budget | ₩10 billion ($8.8 million) (estimate) |
| Box office | $36.2 million |
The Handmaiden (Hangul: 아가씨; RR: Agassi; lit. "Lady") is a 2016 South Korean erotic psychological thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo and Cho Jin-woong. It is inspired from the novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters, with the setting changed from Victorian era Britain to Korea under Japanese colonial rule.
The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. It was released in South Korea on 1 June 2016, and received critical acclaim.
In Japanese-occupied Korea, a conman operating under the sobriquet of "Count Fujiwara" hires a pickpocket named Sook-Hee from a family of con artists to become the maid of the mysterious Japanese heiress Lady Hideko, whom Fujiwara plans to marry and to commit to an asylum in order to steal her inheritance. Sook-Hee, taking on the name "Tamako", enters Hideko's household, which is controlled by her authoritarian Uncle Kouzuki. Hideko is haunted by the suicide of her aunt, and claims to hear her voice at night. As Sook-Hee and Hideko spend more time together, they appear to get along well, Hideko allowing Sook-Hee to wear her dresses and jewelry. Hideko is also anxious about marrying Fujiwara, her feelings for him not very strong, but Sook-Hee makes passionate love to her, promising her the same pleasures with her new husband. Sook-Hee begins expressing reluctance about following through with the plan, unhappy over the feigned attraction Fujiwara has for Hideko. Hideko herself feels that she cannot go through with the marriage, but Sook-Hee insists she do so, causing Hideko to slap her and run away in frustration. Kouzuki leaves on business for a week, reminding Hideko to "not forget about the basement." Hideko and Fujiwara elope soon afterward and consummate their marriage, as indicated by a small blood stain on Hideko's sheets the following morning. After cashing out Hideko's inheritance, Sook-Hee, Hideko, and Fujiwara travel to the asylum, but Sook-Hee is taken away by the staff, having been told that she is in fact Hideko. After being left with one piece of jewelry by Hideko, Sook-Hee curses them as she is carried away.
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