

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.
TMDB
8.2/10
4,561 votes
IMDb
Not rated yet
View on IMDb
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $8.6M
- Box office
- $38.6M
- Language
- Japanese
- jealousy
- based on novel or book
- library
- pickpocket
- eroticism
- con man
- swindler
- lesbian relationship
- mansion
- lust
- lgbt
- noblewoman
Top billed cast

















Behind the camera
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
Gallery












Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereFantastic Fest22 Sept 2016
- Theatrical (limited)R21 Oct 2016
United KingdomGB
- Theatrical1814 Apr 2017
- Physical18Blu-ray Special Edition (Theatrical + Extended Versions)7 Aug 2017
AustraliaAU
- PremiereR 18+Sydney Film Festival18 Jun 2016
- PremiereR 18+Melbourne International Film Festival5 Aug 2016
- TheatricalR 18+13 Oct 2016
CanadaCA
- PremiereToronto International Film Festival10 Sept 2016
BelgiumBE
- Theatrical (limited)181 Jun 2016
BrazilBR
- Theatrical1812 Jan 2017
CzechiaCZ
- PremiereKarlovy Vary International Film Festival3 Jul 2016
DenmarkDK
- Theatrical1512 Apr 2017
EstoniaEE
- Theatrical19 Aug 2016
FinlandFI
- TheatricalK-1619 May 2017
FranceFR
- PremiereCannes Film Festival14 May 2016
- Theatrical122 Nov 2016
- Digital / OTT12Arte.tv13 May 2019
- TV16Ciné+ Festival 1 Oct 2026
GermanyDE
- Theatrical165 Jan 2017
Frequently asked questions
The Handmaiden was released on 1 June 2016.
Audience reviews
3- R8/10
Reno
8/10/2017
**In the circle of romance, deceive and defraud.** Those who are into the world cinema, particularly the Korean, knows Park Chan-wook very well. But if you don't, then you must. His films are definitely for the grown ups. Like everybody else, my admiration for his work has started a decade ago with the film 'Oldboy'. He had tried his luck in Hollywood with 'Stoker'. Despite a good entertainer, it was criticised. I…
- C7/10
CinemaSerf
1/5/2023
Talk about the best laid plans! This is a cracking, sexy, thriller set in Korea during the Japanese occupation of the 1930s. It centres around the charming, butter-wouldn't-melt "Sook-Hee" (Tae Ri Kim) who takes a job attending the wealthy "Lady Hideko" (Kim Min-hee). She lives on a grand estate with her cantankerous uncle "Kouzuki" (Cho Jin-woong) and is frankly rather low maintenance for her new maid. Pretty quickl…
- A9/10
Alunauwie
9/23/2025
The Handmaiden, adapted from Sarah Waters' Fingersmith, masterfully transposes the 19th-century London setting to 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea, creating a rich and visually stunning historical backdrop. Told in three intricately woven chapters, the film unfolds with gripping suspense, emotional depth, and narrative twists that keep viewers fully engaged. With award-winning cinematography, meticulous artistic directi…
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