The Handmaiden

A closer look at the story

In 1930s Korea, under Japanese occupation, young Sook-hee is taken on as a maid to Lady Hideko, a Japanese heiress who lives on a vast country estate. Hideko lives completely cut off from the outside world, in the shadow of her overbearing Uncle Kouzuki. But the new maid harbours a big secret: Sook-hee is really a pickpocket, hired by a con man who passes himself off as a Japanese count. His plan is simple: seduce Hideko and seize her fortune. Sook-hee's job is to steer her mistress towards making that happen. Yet as the maid's feelings for the seemingly unsuspecting Hideko grow deeper, things take a very unexpected turn. Directed by Park Chan-wook and adapted from Sarah Waters's novel, the 145-minute 2016 film stars Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Ha Jung-woo in a thriller and romantic drama.