The Handmaiden
2016 | 145 min | Thriller, Drama, Romance
Why it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (96%), audiences adore it (8.2/10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Have you seen it?
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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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85 on Metacritic
- AudiencesVery strong
8.2/10 from 5K viewers
- AwardsWeak
1 win, 0 other nominations — won CST Award of the Technical Artist
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$39 million worldwide on a $9 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
684K Wikipedia readers in the past year
Where to watch in US
Amazon Prime VideoRent or buy: Fandango At Home
Trailer
Cast & crew
Directed by Park Chan-wook
- Kim Min-heeLady Hideko
- Kim Tae-riSook-hee
- Ha Jung-wooCount Fujiwara
- Cho Jin-woongUncle Kouzuki
- Kim Hae-sookMs. Sasaki
- Moon So-riHideko's Aunt
- Lee Yong-nyeoBok-soon
- Kwak Eun-jinKkeut-dan
- Lee Dong-hwiGoo-gai
- Jo Eun-hyungYoung Hideko