The Handmaiden
Directed by Park Chan-wook
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. From TMDB
192 reactions from 4 sources (Bluesky, Mastodon, TMDB reviews, Lemmy) · newest Oct 12, 2026 · last updated Oct 13, 2026 · How this works
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| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky * | 39 | 0 | 48 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TMDB reviews * | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
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Critics, per Wikipedia
The Handmaiden received critical acclaim and was featured on numerous critics' top ten lists. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 96%, based on 226 reviews, and an average score of 8.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Handmaiden uses a Victorian crime novel as the loose inspiration for another visually sumptuous and absorbingly idiosyncratic outing from director Park Chan-wook." On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 85 out of 100, based on 40 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". The Economist described the film as a masterpiece. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian ranked it four out of five stars and described it as "a hugely entertaining…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 192 · most liked firstkind of funny to me that people try to point to The Handmaiden as a male gazey film on the level of blue is the warmest colour when the entire point of the film is the struggle to subvert the pornorgaphic spectacle placed upon the lesbian body (you can argue whether the execution here was
positive · AI labelView post →Revenant Not a movie, but this South Korean horror show starring Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden) where she plays a girl who's been possessed and reluctantly teams up with a folklore professor to try and uncover the mystery behind the entity possessing her. Written by Kindgom/Signal writer Kim Eun-hee
neutral · AI labelView post →Not a movie recommendation for tonight, but a TV series; Revenant. Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden) plays a girl possessed by an evil spirit, and teams up with a folklore professor to figure out what exactly is possessing her and how to cleanse it in this South Korean thriller from writer Kim Eun-hee.
neutral · AI labelView post →Sure, why not. I'll do a fun little meme challenge, as a treat: twenty movies that have greatly influenced you. #1: The Handmaiden (2016) I'm a sucker for cons, I'm a sucker lesbians, I'm a sucker for stories that cleverly lie to you until the exact right moment.
positive · AI labelView post →if you’re watching a Korean movie with “maid” in the title, you’re immediately cooking. The Housemaid, The Maid, The Handmaiden. nonstop bangers.
neutral · AI labelView post →random movie suggestion of the weekend The Handmaiden (no not the red hood one), is a pretty powerful Korean feminist movie that is dealing with Japanese imperialism, and if your LGBT, some pretty powerful Sapphic moments.
positive · AI labelView post →Four 📽 Faves: South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. Happy Birthday, 8/23/63. Despite recent controversy with Writer's Guild, he has directed some bangers! 03 Oldboy 05 Lady Vengeance 09 Thirst 16 The Handmaiden Recent films DECISION TO LEAVE (22) & NO OTHER CHOICE (25) also rock. #filmsky 🎥
neutral · AI labelView post →The reason Gen Z doesn’t like sex in film and TV is that they have never seen The Handmaiden
positive · AI labelView post →Park Chan-wook (with scenes from his film "The Handmaiden") - BOTD
neutral · AI labelView post →Four 📽 Faves: South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. Happy Birthday, 8/23/63. Despite recent controversy with Writer's Guild, he has directed some bangers! 03 Oldboy 05 Lady Vengeance 09 Thirst 16 The Handmaiden #filmsky 🎥
neutral · AI labelView post →Rewatched Park Chan-Wook's No Other Choice, and it reinforced my first impressions: 1. It's probably his best film. 2. It's some of the most meticulously constructed cinema you'll ever see. Everything has narrative and thematic purpose. 3. I'll probably never "like" it as much as The Handmaiden.
positive · AI labelView post →NEW EPISODE We've deemed November to be Lesbian Crime Month, and we're starting off with THE HANDMAIDEN. The gayest movie ever made? No, but it might've prefaced a decade of lesbians in culture which 🙌. Listen wherever you get podcasts or 👇 totalmassacre.libsyn.com/the-handmaiden
neutral · AI labelView post →Saw the Utena movie at the theater. But also, watched "The Handmaiden" at home before that. Holy shit, what a thematically appropriate double feature, and I didn't even do it on purpose. The theme of today is "I love when lesbians win"
positive · AI labelView post →Sarah Waters (with scenes from the Park Chan-Wook film "The Handmaiden", inspired by the Waters novel "Fingersmith") - BOTD
neutral · AI labelView post →#nw The Handmaiden (2016) 🎬🖤 #filmsky #moviesky
neutral · AI labelView post →IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE HANDMAIDEN THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO WATCH IT NOW!!!!! THIS MOVIE IS FUCKING PEAK!!!!!!
positive · AI labelView post →5 faves and 5 tags Tea: Jasmine Green Musical Genre: Afropop Animal: Horses Color: Pink Movie: The Handmaiden @dahliadomme.bsky.social @lvnadahlia.bsky.social @dahliasnow.bsky.social @serveselah.bsky.social @theaverycarter.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →I love Stoker and The Handmaiden so I will do whatever is necessary to see this movie www.pajiba.com/film_reviews...
positive · AI labelView post →Late Movie is The Handmaiden (2016). archive.org/details/img-...
neutral · AI labelView post →Omg the DP for THE RUNNING MAN is Chung-hoon Chung. He was Park Chan-wook’s cinematographer on OLDBOY, THE HANDMAIDEN, and LADY VENGEANCE. If I don’t throw up upon meeting him, I’m at least going to cry. OLDBOY is my all time favorite movie and its visual mastery is a large part of that
neutral · AI labelView post →#MovieMadness 26: The movie with the greatest plot twist This movie is all twist. It's 100% twists. It's an octopus of twists. An orgy of twists. A fingersmith of twists. The Handmaiden [아가씨] (PARK Chan-wook, 2016) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
positive · AI labelView post →erin, your cinephile friend from online, recommends, for pride, in terms of film: the stylish sapphic kink of "The Duke of Burgundy", the twisting narrative of park chan-wook's brilliant "The Handmaiden", perhaps cory yuen's extremely y2k extremely 2002 lesbian action flick "So Close"
positive · AI labelView post →A nice coup for the Cannes Film Festival. After frequent Croisette appearances with OLDBOY, THE HANDMAIDEN and DECISION TO LEAVE, among others, Park Chan-wook will be the first Korean director to serve as president of the official competition jury at the 79th edition in May.
neutral · AI labelView post →sorry i'll be nice again tomorrow once my refund goes through. just watched The Handmaiden with my gf and that's such a fucking great movie man, the use of sex as an inherently revealing and liberatory act that cuts through attempts at pretense is so well-executed.
positive · AI labelView post →#NowWatching DECISION TO LEAVE (2022). Director: Park Chan-Wook. Tang Wei, Park Hae-il. Getting caught up with brilliant mind behind OLDBOY, THIRST, THE HANDMAIDEN (among others). #filmsky 🎬🎞📽🎥
neutral · AI labelView post →Probably not the first thing that will come to mind for “celebrity duos” but… any reason to share this incredible lesbian scene from ‘The Handmaiden’! NO! This is not porn! This is a Park Chan-wook film and not only is it incredible, but it’s got insanely erotic scenes like this!
positive · AI labelView post →Bong, Memories of Murder, a perfect open-ended entry in the very small and underexplored genre of rural neo noir Park, The Handmaiden, such a horny, well-constructed movie. tooth filing scene hottest of all time bsky.app/profile/beeb...
positive · AI labelView post →Just finished The Handmaiden, a wild and complicated (and hella steamy) lesfic crime romance drama film with some heavy fuck the patriarchy themes. Check the content warnings but this was a really fascinating movie!
positive · AI labelView post →What's your favorite movie from each decade of your life? 80s: Clue 90s: Starship Troopers 00s: Moulin Rouge 10s: The Handmaiden 20s: Sanctuary
positive · AI labelView post →I can divide my life into two phases: Before watching Park Chan-wook's film The Handmaiden and after watching Park Chan-wook's film The Handmaiden.
positive · AI labelView post →I've not seen a bad film by him but Oldboy, JSA, The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave and No Other Choice? Those are five of the finest films ever made, the technical excellence and emotional depth is astounding.
neutral · AI labelView post →When I was a teenager (early 2010s era) I was so desesperate to find some lesbian representation and visibility, and then I watched a lot of lesbian movies. Here are some movies I watched back then : **TIPPING THE VELVET - Sarah Waters (2002)** The movie that every lesbian was watching at the beginning of our century. Sarah Waters also made **FINGERSMITH** , which is the movie that inspired "the Handmaiden". **BOUND - The Wachowski sisters (1996)** A wonderful mafia lesbian…
neutral · AI labelView post →rewatching the Handmaiden with aly and realized this movie has the same act structure as nier:automata
neutral · AI labelView post →hear ye! by order of his majesty the king, it is hereby decreed: - no servant shall suggest "The Handmaiden (2016)" for movie night three times in a row, - no servant shall cry during The Handmaiden, and - if a servant does cry, he shall not under any circumstances wipe his tears on the king's skirt
neutral · AI labelView post →Oh lordy they're doing a series of period-set queer films at @paristheaternyc.bsky.social starting in October! The Handmaiden, The Favourite, Carol, Querelle, Maurice and on and on!!!
neutral · AI labelView post →[girl literally a decade late voice] so it turns out the Handmaiden is a really good movie,
positive · AI labelView post →There is no way I can pick one. There are really good recomendations here. But there are very few recomendations for films around the world, while I like American films a lot I'm going with my favorites from other countries. - Korea - Memories of a Murder (2003) - The Handmaiden (2016) - A Taxi Driver (2017) - My sassy Girl (2001) - Ajeossi (2010) - Whatever Chan-wook Park did, especilly the vengeance trilogy - Hong Kong - Comrades almost a love story (1996) - Infernal…
neutral · AI labelView post →Happy 10th anniversary to Park Chan-wook’s twisty, kinky, divinely decadent period thriller THE HANDMAIDEN. See it May 31st at @siffnews.bsky.social Film Center presented by us! grandillusioncinema.org/film/the-han...
neutral · AI labelView post →Most of Denis Villenueve’s filmography are must watches: * Prisoners * Arrival * Sicario * Blade Runner 2049 * Dune 1 and 2 * Incendies Korean movies: * The Handmaiden * Parasite * Old Boy * The Vengence Trilogy
neutral · AI labelView post →The Handmaiden This is also the greatest lesbian movie I've ever seen, hands down
positive · AI labelView post →I cannot recommend The Handmaiden enough. One of my favorite films on first watch, and one of my most fun experiences of watching a movie
positive · AI labelView post →THE HANDMAIDEN WAS SO GOOD orchid oomf has the best movie taste LISTEN TO THEM FOREVER
positive · AI labelView post →We’re proud to present in 35mm, NO OTHER CHOICE, the new film from Park Chan-wook (OLDBOY, THE HANDMAIDEN)! This extremely limited run opens on Thursday, January 1st, so get your tickets now. Tickets: hollywoodtheatre.org/show/no-other-choice-in-35mm
neutral · AI labelView post →The Handmaiden (2016) Speaking of women! Another Park Chan-Wook movie, adapted loosely from Sarah Waters' novel, 'Fingersmith', about lesbians... It's also a crime thriller, with really great structure and twists, of course, but seeing a film about gay women shot this beautifully makes me so happy
positive · AI labelView post →One of the movies I'm most looking forward to at the Venice Film Festival. THE HANDMAIDEN and DECISION TO LEAVE are two of the best films of the last decade.
neutral · AI labelView post →Queer cinema! We've covered a lot of queer films over the years, both mainstream hits and lesser-known indies. CAROL: Ep. 132 PASSAGES: Ep 288 THE HANDMAIDEN: Ep. 171 THE WATERMELON WOMAN: Ep. 248
neutral · AI labelView post →watched The Handmaiden the other night for the first time (excellent excellent film btw) and all I could think of was this meme
positive · AI labelView post →She literally ignores one VERY IMPORTANT scene in The Handmaiden to accuse the movie of undermining itself. It's fucking ridiculous. Plus she tries snarking that Park Chan-wook probably made it super explicit because he's an "arthouse" director, which is ridiculous.
neutral · AI labelView post →OMG… THE HANDMAIDEN 10th anniversary… best movie of all time idk
positive · AI labelView post →The Handmaiden (2016) at the Laemmle in Pasadena. I knew absolutely nothing about the film except the title & director, Park Chan-wook. I was literally on the edge of my seat from the opening shot until the end of the film which ended up being a historical lesbian-erotic thriller with insane twists
positive · AI labelView post →Finally watched The Handmaiden and my main takeaways were - what a fucking picture!!!! - perhaps my #1 favorite thing in a movie is whenever there are Secret Compartments, hidden drawers, mysterious basements, etc
positive · AI labelView post →THE HANDMAIDEN (2016) | Park Chan-Wook Love it when a movie that looks like a prestige picture on the surface reveals a lurid, pulpy heart at its core.
positive · AI labelView post →Sarah Waters (with scenes from the Park Chan-Wook film "The Handmaiden", inspired by the Waters novel "Fingersmith") - BOTD
neutral · AI labelView post →We need more anime about adult characters being really horny for one another. And I mean Wachowski’s Bound, Cronenberg’s Crash, Park Chan Wook’s the Handmaiden, etc levels of eroticism that is a big feature film release and not treated as just porn by the public.
neutral · AI labelView post →here are some of my *current* favorite things: ꩜ tv series: IWTV/TVL, HOTD, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen ꩜ film: The Handmaiden (2016) ꩜ video game: animal crossing ꩜ color: pink & green ꩜ activity: hanging out with friends ꩜ song: mangetout by Wet Leg ꩜ fruit: mango
neutral · AI labelView post →For those who like pratfalls with their dismemberment, local film critic declares The Handmaiden "a good time." Tomorrow at @cstpdx.bsky.social!
neutral · AI labelView post →The Handmaiden was an incredible film but my experience was marred by sitting in front of a guy who burst into laughter whenever genitalia were mentioned/seen/alluded to (including in scenes of child abuse)
neutral · AI labelView post →Home from a screening of Park Chan-wook's THE HANDMAIDEN, which I haven't seen since it first came out. Jesus, what a beautiful film.
positive · AI labelView post →Discussions about The Handmaiden, a great film, remind me of how much I love the book it's based on. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.
positive · AI labelView post →Want to hear me have an amazing chat with my amazing buddy @artemdirectly.bsky.social over on Scary Movie and a Sandwich!! We get into it about the erotic thriller The Handmaiden (2016)! (Please read up on CWs for this movie!!!) youtu.be/JgS3C48k0nE?...
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