The Handmaiden (2016) - Movies Like Parasite | Filmiway
Why This Class War Film Matters
The Handmaiden deconstructs colonial class hierarchies through seduction and deception, where wealth determines power—until women reclaim their agency.
The Handmaiden
The Experience
1930s Korea under Japanese occupation. Con man Count Fujiwara hires pickpocket Sook-hee to pose as a handmaiden to wealthy heiress Lady Hideko. Park Chan-wook's erotic psychological thriller is a lavish, three-act con game where every character is playing every other character.
Cast & Crew
Director: Park Chan-wook
Starring: Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo
Production Details
Budget: $8.8 million
Box Office: $37.8 million
Content Advisory
Contains: Mature Content
📊INTENSITY GRAPHIntensity GraphShows plot intensity
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.
🧬CINEMATIC DNAGenre DNA BreakdownVisual representation of the movie's
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.
Genre DNA Distribution
- Thriller: 40%
- Romance: 35%
- Drama: 25%
Movie Intensity Arc
- Minute 20: Arrival (35/100 Intensity)
- Minute 50: Seduction (60/100 Intensity)
- Minute 90: Betrayal (75/100 Intensity)
- Minute 120: Twist (85/100 Intensity)
- Minute 140: Escape (70/100 Intensity)
Community Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions About The HandmaidenFAQ About The Handmaiden
Common questions about The Handmaiden and its exploration of class warfare and social inequality.
How does the three-part structure change the story?
The film uses a 'Rashomon-style' narrative where the same events are replayed from different perspectives. Part 1 sets up the con, Part 2 reveals the secret alliance between the women that completely reframes the previous scenes, and Part 3 delivers the final retribution. It turns a story of victimization into one of masterful empowerment.
What is the significance of the Japanese/Korean language switch?
The language switching is a tool of power and colonial submission. Characters switch to Japanese (the occupier's language) to assert authority or hide truth, while Korean is used for intimacy. Sook-hee destroying the Japanese library symbolizes the destruction of the colonial patriarchal authority that imprisoned Hideko.
Is the relationship between the women genuine or a con?
While it starts as a mutual con—Sook-hee planning to institutionalize Hideko, and Hideko planning to use Sook-hee as a scapegoat—it evolves into genuine love. Their romance becomes the ultimate rebellion against the men who view them merely as objects to be collected, sold, or married for fortune.
Why is the octopus imagery significant?
The octopus is a reference to the famous Japanese erotic print 'The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife,' symbolizing the Uncle's perverse, objectifying fantasy. By keeping the octopus in a tank, the film highlights how he collects 'exotic' things—books, porn, and women—trapping them in a dead, stagnant environment.
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Curated by Filmiway Editorial Team
Expert analysis of class warfare cinema