The Handmaiden

This article is about the 2016 South Korean film. For the servant, see handmaiden. For other uses, see The Handmaid.

The Handmaiden
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
Revised RomanizationAgassi
Directed byPark Chan-wook
Written by
Based onFingersmith
by Sarah Waters
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyChung Chung-hoon
Edited by
Music byJo Yeong-wook
Production
companies
  • Moho Film
  • Yong Film
Distributed byCJ Entertainment
Release dates
Running time
144 minutes (theatrical cut)[1]
168 minutes (extended cut)
CountrySouth Korea
Languages
  • Korean
  • Japanese
Budget
Box officeUS$38.6 million[3][4]

The Handmaiden (Korean: 아가씨; RR: Agassi; lit. '"Lady"') is a 2016 South Korean historical psychological thriller film directed, co-written and co-produced by Park Chan-Wook and starring Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo and Cho Jin-woong. It is inspired by the 2002 novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters, with the setting changed from Victorian era Britain to Korea under Japanese colonial rule.

The Handmaiden was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. It was released in South Korea on 1 June 2016 to widespread critical acclaim and grossed over US$38 million worldwide. At the 71st British Academy Film Awards, the film won the category of Best Film Not in the English Language.

  1. ^ Dargis, Manohla (20 October 2016). "Review: 'The Handmaiden' Explores Confinement in Rich, Erotic Textures". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Box office / business for Ah-ga-ssi". IMDb.com. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. ^ "A Ga ssi (2016)". The Numbers. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  4. ^ "The Handmaiden (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 16 March 2020.