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The Handmaiden
아가씨
2016 145 min South Korea R 18+
★8.5
Thriller, Drama, Romance
Director: Park Chan-wook
🎭 Based on
«Fingersmith»
bySarah Waters
Trailers
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EN
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Teaser
Description
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl, Sook-hee, is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Hideko, who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle Kouzuki. But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to steal her fortune.
Budget:
$8.58M
US Gross:
$2.01M
Worldwide:
$38.6M
Starring
Kim Min-hee
Actor
Ha Jung-woo
Actor
Cho Jin-woong
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2017
— Best International Feature Film
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Costume Design
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Production Design
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Costume Design
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Production Design
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Film Editing
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Supporting Actress
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Debut
Asian Film Academy 2017
— Best Screenplay
Saturn Awards 2017
— Best Costume Design
Cannes Film Festival 2016
— Vulcain Prize
BAFTA 2018
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Park Chan-wook's adaptation of *Fingersmith* is widely celebrated for its meticulous visual craftsmanship and intricate, puzzle-like narrative structure. While many viewers find the film to be an engrossing and bold erotic thriller, opinions diverge regarding the balance between its narrative substance and its highly stylized, explicit content.
| Production | The production design, characterized by exquisite costumes and contrasting interior aesthetics, is universally praised for its artistic richness. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography is frequently highlighted as high art, utilizing fluid motion and poetic framing to elevate the film's atmospheric tension. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is masterfully constructed as a complex, unpredictable, and tightly woven puzzle that rewards attentive viewers. | |
| Acting | Performances by the lead actresses are widely considered captivating, with their subtle gestures and non-verbal cues effectively conveying intense emotional arcs. | |
| Theme | The explicit erotic content divides audiences: some perceive it as integral to the film's sensual narrative, while others view it as excessive or a distraction from the story's depth. | |
| Adaptation | Adaptation fidelity is a point of contention; some appreciate the shift to the 1930s Korean setting, while others find the departures from the original source material frustrating or caricatured. |