The Handmaiden
Directed by Park Chan-wook · 2016 ·
The Handmaiden (2016) earns a 87% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.
4-input transparent breakdown
🏆 7 award wins · 1 nomination — Won Film Not in the English Language, BAFTA 2018
CJ Entertainment Where to watch
- Prime Video
Rent: Fandango at Home
Where to watch The Handmaiden by country
| Country | Streaming on |
|---|---|
| Japan | U-NEXT |
| South Korea | Netflix, TVING |
| United Kingdom | MUBI, BFI Player |
| United States | Prime Video |
Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.
Why this score?
- Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (95/100).
- Audiences widely enjoyed it (92%).
- Metascore signals universal acclaim (84/100).
- Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.3/5).
- IMDb users score it 8.1/10.
Best for
- Viewers who want a well-regarded romance, thriller pick
Not ideal for
Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy
Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Is The Handmaiden worth watching?
Yes — The Handmaiden earns a 87% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.
Celluloid Verdict
Park Chan-wook's erotic thriller is sumptuous, twisty, and brilliantly performed by its entire ensemble.
Celluloid editorial verdict
Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
What is The Handmaiden about?
A pickpocket posing as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress plots a con that becomes a labyrinth of desire, betrayal, and liberation.
Watch the Trailer
Critic Reviews
The Handmaiden (2016) Review: A Korean Classic
★★★★½
Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden (2016) endures as a defining romance landmark from South Korea, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.
Essential viewing — a certified classic.
The Handmaiden stills
Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.
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