The Handmaiden
“You're the one being tricked.”
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.
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Your review
Cast
56 people
Kim Min-hee
Lady Hideko
Known for
No Tears for the Dead
On the Beach at Night Alone
Kim Tae-ri
Nam Sook-hee / Tamako
Known for
Twenty Five Twenty One
Space Sweepers
Ha Jung-woo
Count Fujiwara
Known for
Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds
The Chaser
Cho Jin-woong
Uncle Kouzuki
Known for
Signal
A Hard Day
Kim Hae-sook
Ms. Sasaki
Known for
My Demon
Pinocchio
Moon So-ri
Hideko's Aunt
Known for
When Life Gives You Tangerines
Hellbound
Lee Yong-nyeo
Bok-soon
Known for
Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area
The Guest
Kwak Eun-jin
Kkeut-dan
Known for
Seoul Vibe
Lee Dong-hwi
Goo-gai
Known for
Reply 1988
Glitch
Jo Eun-hyung
Young Hideko
Known for
A Day
The Divine Fury
Rina Takagi
Hideko's Mother
Known for
GO
Han Ha-na
Junko
No other roles listed
Park Chan-wook Director · Chung Seo-kyung Writer Sarah Waters Author
Worldwide gross $39M · Budget $8.6M · United States release October 21, 2016
Box office
Budget
$8,575,000
Worldwide gross
$38,600,000
Gross vs. budget
4.5×
Production
Moho Film
Production
Yong Film
Production
CJ Entertainment
Production
Amazon MGM Studios
Studio
CJ ENM Films & Television
Production
South Korea
Produced in
Languages
Original title
아가씨
Original language
Korean
Spoken on screen
Japanese · Korean
Release dates
France · May 14, 2016
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
South Korea · June 1, 2016
Theatrical
United States · October 21, 2016
Limited theatrical
United States
September 22, 2016 · Premiere · Fantastic Fest
Australia
June 18, 2016 · Premiere · Sydney Film Festival
August 5, 2016 · Premiere · Melbourne International Film Festival
October 13, 2016 · Theatrical
Belgium
June 1, 2016 · Limited theatrical
Brazil
January 12, 2017 · Theatrical
Canada
September 10, 2016 · Premiere · Toronto International Film Festival
Czechia
July 3, 2016 · Premiere · Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Denmark
April 12, 2017 · Theatrical
Estonia
August 19, 2016 · Theatrical
Finland
May 19, 2017 · Theatrical
France
November 2, 2016 · Theatrical
May 13, 2019 · Digital · Arte.tv
October 1, 2026 · TV · Ciné+ Festival
Germany
January 5, 2017 · Theatrical
Greece
October 13, 2016 · Theatrical
Hong Kong SAR China
June 30, 2016 · Theatrical
August 1, 2024 · Theatrical · re-release（Director's Cut 167min version）
Indonesia
December 6, 2024 · Premiere · Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival
Ireland
April 14, 2017 · Theatrical
Israel
July 8, 2016 · Premiere · Jerusalem Film Festival
Italy
July 8, 2016 · Theatrical
Japan
March 3, 2017 · Theatrical
Netherlands
February 2, 2017 · Theatrical
June 2, 2017 · Physical · DVD
New Zealand
July 15, 2016 · Premiere · New Zealand International Film Festival
Philippines
September 30, 2017 · Digital · Netflix
Poland
July 22, 2016 · Premiere · New Horizons Film Festival
November 4, 2016 · Theatrical
June 16, 2017 · Physical
Portugal
March 30, 2017 · Theatrical · Apresentado no Cannes Film Festival
Russia
August 25, 2016 · Theatrical
Serbia
February 25, 2017 · Premiere · Belgrade Film Festival
Singapore
July 7, 2016 · Theatrical · 4 min. removed
Slovakia
November 10, 2016 · Theatrical
South Korea
July 27, 2016 · Digital
August 17, 2016 · Digital · Extended Cut
May 18, 2017 · Physical · DVD
July 26, 2018 · Physical · Blu-ray
Spain
December 2, 2016 · Theatrical · ICAA 196416
Sweden
January 27, 2017 · Theatrical
Switzerland
July 9, 2016 · Premiere · Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
Taiwan
June 24, 2016 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
April 14, 2017 · Theatrical
August 7, 2017 · Physical · Blu-ray Special Edition (Theatrical + Extended Versions)
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Some details come from TheTVDB.