The Handmaiden: Queerness in Bare, Striking Vulgarity
Nothing is as it seems in this dizzying, lust-filled historical thriller.
The Handmaiden tells the story of two lovers amidst a Japanese-occupied South Korea, tangled in a plot of deceit and threads of corruption.
As the movie gazes upon its leading ladies Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee in provocative avidity, it becomes harder to notice anything is amiss. Between the lingering gazes, the flushed cheeks, and endless touches, The Handmaiden weaves a tale of twisted desire and control—placing the viewer at a voyeuristic center.
Its story begins in the slums of South Korea, where the audience is introduced to Nam Sookee, an orphaned woman helping care for abandoned children. Approached by Count Fujiwara, she agrees to take part in a scheme to usurp the fortune of a naive Lady Hideko, a Japanese heiress. Soon, Sookee begins her work as the maid named “Tamako,” attending to the lady directly.
All goes according to plan. To her lady, Tamako is nothing more than an illiterate maid who is clumsy yet dedicated to her job. She gets to play house in a massive yet lonely estate, in a room full of lush fabrics and feather-like dresses. Hideko is her doll to fuss and fawn over.
Sookee at the feet of her lady. | Photo Credit: IMDb
It’s like a storybook made alive.
But this is no children’s tale—like the scent of perfume in a warm bath, lust blooms in fluid swiftness between the two. Eyes catch and linger, fingers brush upon skin, and attraction is palpable. In a scene that left me breathless, Sookee carefully bathes Hideko when she complains about a sharp tooth scratching her mouth. As her dutiful maid, she quickly shaves it down with her ring. No sounds but the scraping of metal and bone accompanied by the subtle silence of water are to be heard. It is a moment that feels too intimate to be seen, and yet we watch as a camera left alone on an armchair.
Moments like these are where the film shines. It is the agonizing slowness of two women unknowing of their growing attraction to each other. Tae-ri and Min-hee excel in portraying this kind of lustful sapphic desire, making their scenes together electrifying with palpable longing. Through the work of director Park Chan-wook, the film is a treat for the senses, shaded in jewel tones. The perfect backdrop for the deception waiting to be revealed.
Which is it—desire or fear? | Photo Credit: IMDb
What was originally supposed to be a plot to imprison the lonely heiress in an asylum with her fortune abandoned ends with Sookee being taken away as “Lady Hideko”. The thrill begins as viewers try to piece together how the story took such a turn.
The Handmaiden is structured in three parts that show the perspectives of our main characters: Nam Sookee, Lady Hideko, and Count Fujiwara. Here, we learn that the heiress Izumi Hideko is no innocent girl. Cared for by her aunt and Uncle Kouzuki, she suffers psychological abuse at the hands of the latter. From a young age, she is taught to read aloud erotic literature for a slew of collectors, unaware of the fact that they are all forgeries. Fujiwara is among them, intending to make Hideko fall in love and share her fortune. But like a doll, she is lifeless and cold.
Instead of romance, he promises her freedom. Sookee is not merely her maid but a scapegoat, someone to be thrown away in exchange for her identity.
It would have all gone to plan hadn’t Hideko’s longing grown too strong to ignore. If they hadn’t spent a night in passion together under the ruse of “teaching” how a man and women make love after being wed. If they hadn’t grown restless and jealous, causing both to want nothing more of their plots with Fujiwara.
With satisfying bravado, the two women scheme and game their freedom, finally both able to love and touch one another with no reservations. Their story together is worthy of viewing this pride month, not only for the masterful scenes of passion but also for its expert pacing. Its tension never dwindles as details reveal themselves as flowers bloom, petal by petal. You might get lost in its scent or gaze endlessly at its beauty, unaware of what looms ahead.
