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[Upcoming Movie 2016] Lady/Agasshi: PD Park Chanwook Starred by Ha JungWoo & Kim MinHee


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May 15, 2016

‘The Handmaiden’ premieres at Cannes

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(From left) Actor Ha Jung-woo, actress Kim Min-hee, director Park Chan-wook, actress Kim Tae-ri and actor Cho Jin-woong pose for cameras after the premiere of “The Handmaiden” at the Grand Theatre Lumiere on Saturday at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (CJ Entertainment)

Park Chan-wook’s latest film “The Handmaiden” premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival at the Grand Theatre Lumiere on Saturday evening. The film is in competition for the Palme d’Or prize.

At a press conference following the film’s press preview on Saturday morning, Park discussed his fondness for the unfamiliar.
“Countries like England, France, Japan, the U.S. and South American nations are completely different from the world I live in, which is why I have always had a curiosity for foreign literature,” said Park.

“The Handmaiden” is loosely based on “Fingersmith,” a novel set in Victorian Era Britain by Welsh novelist Sarah Walters. 

“The most interesting thing about ‘Fingersmith’ was the dilemma of the characters. Their emotional dilemmas between guilt and love were interesting,” said Park.

Park’s rendition features Nam Sook-hee, an orphan pickpocket who is hired by Fujiwara, a Korean gold-digger posing as a Japanese count, to help him seduce Hideko, a wealthy Japanese heiress. The film is set in 1930s Korea under Japanese colonial rule.

“I thought it was time that a film was made about the inner, complex relationships between individuals, set during the Japanese occupation,” said Park. “What was important in ‘The Handmaiden’ was for the disparate elements to come together to make a strange atmosphere and harmony.”

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Director Park Chan-wook speaks to reporters after a press screening of “The Handmaiden” at the 69th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. (CJ Entertainment)

The film’s setting depicts a mansion that fuses British and Japanese architectural styles, said Park. The characters take off their shoes when they are moving from the British-style library to the Japanese-style living room, he added. 

“I wanted to make a new attempt at showing modernization and the jumble of cultures in 1930s Korea.”

For actress Kim Tae-ri, who plays the handmaiden Nam, the most important thing was to “show the detailed emotions” of her character. Kim Min-hee, who plays Hideko, said she focused on “how the heiress’ emotions change after meeting the handmaiden.”

Ha Jung-woo, who plays the count, wanted to highlight “the irony of a character who is bound by 1930s speech and Japanese dialogue but also familiar and free.”

“My character is a greedy portrayal of the strong desire for intelligence that everyone has,” said Cho Jin-woong, who plays Hideko’s uncle and guardian.

The film will open in Korean theaters on June 1.

Another Korean film, “Train to Busan,” directed by Yeon Sang-ho and featuring Gong Yoo and Jung Yu-mi, premiered at the Midnight Screening on Friday night at Cannes. Thierry Fremaux, the festival’s artistic director, reportedly praised the film as “the best Midnight Screening ever” and said that “Mr. Yeon must be in competition next time.”

Director Na Hong-jin’s “The Wailing” will screen on May 18 at Cannes in the Out of Competition section.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com) 

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May 15, 2016

‘The Handmaiden’ receives standing ovation at Cannes

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(Yonhap)

The 2016 Cannes Film Festival kicked off on May 11 and renowned South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook’s new erotic, yet lurid masterpiece “The Handmaiden”-- based on Welsh lesbian novel, “Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters -- was the reason why Theatre Lumiere was filled with a thunderous applause on Saturday. 

The film was selected officially by the festival to compete for its highest cinematic award, Palme d’Or. 

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(Yonhap)

Park along with the cast, basked in the limelight post screen time -- as the crowd saluted with a standing ovation for five full minutes. Along with its viewers, the foreign press and critics lauded the film.

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(Yonhap)

Among its fans were American media platform, the Hollywood Reporter which reported, “After making his English-language debut with the disappointing ‘Stoker’ in 2013, the South Korean auteur is returning to his boundary-pushing roots with the erotic thriller.”

“The Handmaiden” is Park’s second attempt to vie for a prize at the festival -- the director’s symbolic and most recognized work, “Oldboy” took home the Grand Prix at 2004 Cannes Film Festival.

The film is scheduled for nationwide release in Korea on June 1. 

By Jung Min-kyung (mkj1105@heraldcorp.com)

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May 15, 2016

Park Chan-wook's new film gets favorable response in Cannes

CANNES, France, May 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden" has premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, with the filmmaker getting a five-minute standing ovation.

The new film from the "Oldboy" director, set in colonial Korea and Japan in the 1930s, stars Kim Min-hee, Cho Jin-woong, Ha Jung-woo and Kim Tae-ri. Korea was a colony of Japan from 1910 to 1945.

"The Handmaiden" tells the story of a maid hired by a con man to help win the trust of a wealthy heiress raised and educated by the ill-tempered husband of her late aunt but enters into an affair with the heiress.

It was loosely inspired by Sarah Waters' award-winning novel "Fingersmith," the period crime drama that follows young female thieves.

Audiences began entering the Grand Theatre Lumiere one hour before the start of the screening on Saturday night, an indication of their high anticipation of the latest film by Park, who eyes his third honor in Cannes.

He won the Grand Prix for the revenge-thriller "Oldboy" in 2004 and the Jury Prize for the vampire horror-thriller "Thirst" in 2009.

As the screening of the new film began, the audiences occasionally burst into laughter although they were generally silent.

Earlier this month, the director described the film as one full of subtle pleasures.

"It has the most lines of all films that I have made. It also has four protagonists, a long running time, and is a very juicy film," Park said during a news conference in Seoul to promote the film on May 2. "I think this is the most singular of all my films since it is full of little moments."

The audience glued their eyes when the two actresses delivered a very erotic bedroom scene, but there were some who left their seats during a somewhat violent scene toward the latter part of the film.

A viewer who identified herself only as Julie said she read the original novel to watch this movie and was surprised to see that it was totally different from the original story. She said the film had more imagination.

A scene from director Park Chan-wook's new film, "The Handmaiden" (Yonhap) A scene from director Park Chan-wook's new film, "The Handmaiden" (Yonhap)

The movie also received a modest ovation from reporters from all around the world during a press screening that preceded the official premiere.

They packed the Lumiere and Debussy theaters, both venues of the press screening, although it was early in the morning.

A news conference that followed the screening drew some 100 reporters, including photographers, showing the world's high interest in Park's new film.

"Expectations are fully met in Park Chan-wook's exquisitely film 'The Handmaiden,' an amusingly kinky erotic thriller and love story that brims with delicious surprises, making its 2 1/2 hours fly by," Deborah Young, a film reporter of The Hollywood Reporter, said in her movie review.

She said though spiced with nudity and verbal perversions fit for adult audiences, the film never descends into the cheap and tawdry. "And in regards to violence, considering this is from the cult director of 'Oldboy,'it remains surprisingly off-screen," the reporter said.

During the news conference, Park said he was attracted by a dilemma experienced by a young thief of the original story between her goal and emotions.

The film adaptation is quite similar to the novel in that its story sprawls endlessly, contrasting this "sense of guilt" and "love," he said.

But the Korean con man who calls himself a Japanese count and the heiress's relative have bigger roles in the movie.

"I wanted to create a richer story by enlarging the roles of the two men," the filmmaker said.

South Korean director Park Chan-wook of "The Handmaiden" speaks during a news conference at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2016. (Yonhap) South Korean director Park Chan-wook of "The Handmaiden" speaks during a news conference at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2016. (Yonhap)

The movie's relocated setting from Victorian Britain to 1930s Korea provides viewers "a good opportunity to see how modernity was introduced in the formation of Korea," he added.

The film also features explicit nudity and homosexual tension, which can hardly be found in Korean movies.

Actress Kim Min-hee, who played the role of the heiress, however, said she didn't feel uncomfortable with the homosexual subtext.

"I don't know why but didn't have any resistance to the homosexual element," Kim said. "I thought, in some sense, it would rather be more comfortable to do a bed scene with an actress."

 Kim Tae-ri, who played Kim's counterpart, agreed, saying, "That didn't matter to me."

"What was more important was how to subtly deliver Suk-hee's emotions," the rookie actress said, mentioning the name of her character.

The 69th edition of the Cannes Film Festival runs from May 11-22.

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May 16, 2016

Park Chan-wook's New Film Screened at Cannes

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Filmmaker Park Chan-wook's latest movie was screened in the official competition section at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

"The Handmaiden" received a polite but apathetic response from the audience, and rather disappointing reviews from critics.

Director Park Chan-wook (center) and the cast of

Director Park Chan-wook (center) and the cast of Director Park Chan-wook (center) and the cast of "The Handmaiden" stand before the press at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

The film garnered 2.2 out of 4 points, according to Screen International's average of scores compiled from major media outlets around the world.

By way of comparison, German director Maren Ade's "Toni Erdmann," which was also screened on Saturday, averaged 3.8.

Weekly magazine Le Film français gave Park's movie just 1.73 out of 4 points based on reviews published in French media, the lowest score among the six movies that have been screened in the competition section so far.

Director Park Chan-wook (third from left) and the cast of

Director Park Chan-wook (third from left) and the cast of Director Park Chan-wook (third from left) and the cast of "The Handmaiden" take questions from the press at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. /Courtesy of Moho Film

Park's adaptation of British author Sarah Waters' novel "Fingersmith" is set in Korea and Japan in the 1930s. The story revolves around an heiress who falls in love with a petty thief.

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May 17, 2016

Korean films invited to Cannes gets different ratings

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Poster for "Train to Busan" (left, Next Entertainment World) and "The Handmaiden" (CJ Entertainment)

Two Korean films screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2016 got 15 and 18 ratings for the Korean market Monday.

According to the Korea Media Rating Board Monday, zombie-themed flick “Train to Busan” was given a 15 rating, while “The Handmaiden” was rated 18.

The 15 rating in Korea means viewers under the age of 15 are required to have parental guidance, while 18 rating is equivalent to R rating, where those under the age of 18 are prohibited from watching the movie in theaters.

The local ratings organization cited the high degree of violence, vulgar language and provocative images, among others, as the reason for the rating of “The Handmaiden,” starring Kim Min-hee and Ha Jung-woo. In contrast, “Train to Busan,” starring actor Gong Yoo, shows a “tolerable” level of terror, according to the organization.

The prestigious Cannes Film Festival this year has screened “Train to Busan” and “The Handmaiden” on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

By Son Ji-hyoung (json@heraldcorp.com)

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May 13, 2016

Benelux to Get Served by THE HANDMAIDEN
More Sales for New PARK Chan-wook Film Before Cannes Premiere

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

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Just a few days before its world premiere in the Competition lineup of the Cannes Film Festival, PARK Chan-wook’s latest film The Handmaiden has sealed yet another sales deal, this time with Cineaste for Benelux, the region which encompasses Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
 
This latest sale follows the 116 territories that CJ Entertainment secured for the hotly anticipated thriller during the European Film Market this February in Berlin, which included a high profile pickup by Amazon Studios for North America.
 
Based on the 2002 Sarah Waters novel Fingersmith, The Handmaiden follows a con man who places a young pickpocket on the staff of a wealthy heiress as a housemaid during the Korea’s Japanese Occupation period in the 1930s. The film stars HA Jung-woo (The Yellow Sea, 2010), KIM Min-hee (Right Now, Wrong Then, 2015), CHO Jin-woong (A Hard Day, 2014) and new face KIM Tae-ri, who was selected following an extensive audition process.
 
The Handmaiden marks PARK’s third trip to the Croisette, following Old Boy in 2004, when he won the Grand Prix, and Thirst in 2009, which netted him the Jury Prize. Also screening in Cannes this year are NA Hong-jin’s third film THE WAILING and animator YEON Sang-ho’s live-action debut TRAIN TO BUSAN.

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May 16,  2016

PARK Chan-wook’s THE HANDMAIDEN Bows in Cannes Competition
Strong Reviews for Auteur’s Return to Korean Soil

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

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Nine years after Thirst, director PARK Chan-wook returns both to Korean filmmaking and the Cannes Competition lineup with The Handmaiden, an adaptation of Sarah Waters’ erotic thriller Fingersmith which swaps out Victorian Era England for 1930s Korea and Japan during the Colonial Era. Director PARK and stars KIM Tae-ri, KIM Min-hee, HA Jung-woo and CHO Jin-woong walked the red carpet of the Palais ahead of the film’s Cannes bow on Saturday May 14th.
 
Following his Grand Prize and Jury Prize wins at Cannes with Old Boy (2003) and Thirst, PARK’s hotly anticipated new film drew plenty of attention from critics the moment it debuted on the Croisette, who mostly gave the film top marks.
 
Though the film takes some liberties with the original text, as the director has done in the past for Old Boy (based on a Japanese manga) and Thirst (loosely adapted from Emile Zola’s novel Therese Raquin), Screen Daily opined that “the film manages the tricky feat of both staying true to Waters breathless, page-turning prose, and creating a wholly persuasive new milieu for the story.” Meanwhile, Variety felt that PARK “slides back into his own febrile cinematic universe of eroticized torture and misogyny, rather submerging Waters’ theme of female rebellion and liberation.”
 
Reviews all referred to the film’s eroticism with The Guardian pointing out the film’s inclusion of “explicit sex but more importantly, there’s longing, affection and intimacy between the maid, impressive newcomer KIM Tae-ri, and her sexually inexperienced heiress, a layered turn from KIM Min-hee.” Sight and Sound also received praise for newcomer KIM Tae-ri, writing that she “seems to have the strongest feel for the tone of the film – her performance is by turns funny, sexy and of a piece with the heightened atmosphere.”
 
The Hollywood Reporter was also taken by PARK’s latest, calling it an “amusingly kinky erotic thriller and love story that brims with delicious surprises, making its two-and-a-half hours fly by.”

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May 18, 2016

Korean titles show strength in Cannes film market

CANNES, France, May 18 (Yonhap) -- Korean films were selling like hotcakes at the film market taking place alongside the 69th Cannes Film Festival.

Director Park Chan-wook's erotic thriller "The Handmaiden" has signed sale deals or is in the final stage of negotiations with distributors in all European countries except for two in Eastern Europe, the film's distributor CJ E&M said on Tuesday (local time).

The film, about a maid hired by a con man to help win the trust of a wealthy heiress, had already been sold in 120 countries even before its premiere in Cannes.

However, after the film was unveiled at the festival, distributors from across Europe jumped on the movie, the latest from the "Oldboy" director.

From Britain, the home country of Sarah Waters who wrote the film's original story "Fingersmith," three or four distributors were vying to buy the film, according to the Korean entertainment company.

It said French distributors plan to release the film on a considerably wide scale.

"Unlike the low grades by some media, the response from theater owners, distributors and moviegoers is good," said an official with CJ E&M's overseas business department, requesting not to be named. "The number of nations’ companies that signed deals to buy 'The Handmaiden' will soon come close to the 167 for 'Snowpiercer'."

Snowpiercer is South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's English-debuting sci-fi movie that hit box offices around the world in 2013.

"Train to Busan," a Korean film that was screened in the midnight section of the Cannes festival, is also involved in a large-scale deal, according to its Korean distributor Contents Panda. The film was reportedly showered with favorable reviews after premiering in Cannes.

"A Hollywood studio offered to serve as the film's overseas distributor, so we're discussing the matter," an official from the distributor said, adding that it is rare for Hollywood studios to distribute Korean films.

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May 18, 2016

Behind-the-scenes with ‘The Handmaiden’ cast in Cannes

Behind-the-scenes photos of the cast of “The Handmaiden” in Cannes were unveiled on Wednesday by CJ Entertainmnet.

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The Handmaiden’ cast members Cho Jin-woong, Kim Tae-ri, Park Chan-wook, Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo on the red carpet

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Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong pose for the camera.

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Kim Tae-ri smiles brightly on the streets of Cannes.

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Director Park signs autographs for foreign press.

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Cho Jin-woong strolls down the streets of Cannes.

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Ha Jung-woo dons sunglasses to avoid the glare from the summer sun.

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Ha Jung-woo gives out autographs to fans at the 2016 Cannes Film festival.

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The cast of ‘The Handmaiden’ takes selfies by the seaside.

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The cast of the ‘The Handmaiden’ in the spotlight at the 69th Cannes Film Festival

“The Handmaiden” is set to open in Korean theatres on June 1.

By Kim Ji-young (christinekim@heraldcorp.com)

 

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May 19, 2016

Park Chan-wook's new film sold to largest number of countries of all Korean films

CANNES, France, May 19 (Yonhap) -- Director Park Chan-wook's erotic thriller "The Handmaiden" has broken new ground as it has been sold to the largest number of foreign countries for a Korean film, its distributor CJ E&M said Thursday.

Premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, the film has been sold to distributors based in 175 countries, according to the local media and entertainment company.

It surpassed the previous record of 167 set by Bong Joon-ho's English-debuting film "Snowpiercer" in 2013.

The film had been pre-sold to 120 countries before it came to Cannes.

The company says the achievement is meaningful considering the new movie's limitation as a Korean-language film with an all Korean cast.

The latest film from the "Oldboy" director, set in colonial Korea and Japan in the 1930s, stars Kim Min-hee, Cho Jin-woong, Ha Jung-woo and Kim Tae-ri. It tells the story of a young maid hired by a con man to help seduce a wealthy heiress, only to fall in love with her.

In this Associated Press photo, Director Park Chan-Wook (C) poses for photographers with actors Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-hee, and Cho Jing-woong, from left, at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, on May 14, 2016. (Yonhap)

In this Associated Press photo, Director Park Chan-Wook (C) poses for photographers with actors Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-hee, and Cho Jing-woong, from left, at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, on May 14, 2016. (Yonhap)

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May 20, 2016

Park Chan-wook's Latest Film Sets Distribution Milestone for Korean Films

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

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Award-winning filmmaker Park Chan-wook's latest film, "The Handmaiden," is drawing widespread attention as the film has been sold for distribution to some 175 countries following its screening at this year's Cannes Film Festival. 

During the film market on the sidelines of the ongoing festival, Romania recently became the 175th country to purchase the film for distribution, according to CJ E&M, the film's distributor. 

The film had been presold to 120 countries before it came to Cannes. 

"The Handmaiden" broke the previous record held by Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer," which was distributed to 167 countries.

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May 20, 2016

“The Handmaiden” is a lavishly twisted tale of love

By Jason Bechervaise The Korea Times

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Kim Min-hee, right, delivers one of her strongest performances yet in her most demanding role to date in Park Chan-wook's latest film "The Handmaiden." / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

Renowned South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook returned to the Cannes Film Festival last week with his latest film "The Handmaiden" twelve years after he won the Grand Prix for his seminal film "Oldboy" and seven years since "Thirst" where he brought home the Jury Prize.

Often attracting controversy for his dark themes and vivid depiction, his latest "The Handmaiden" is likely to encounter a similar reception domestically when it goes on release on June 1 given the explicit nature of the film's sex scenes between the two female leads. But his focus on love and companionship makes it easier to swallow compared to many of his other features.

Inspired rather than based on Sarah Waters' British novel "Fingersmith" that's set in Victorian-era Britain, Park's film takes place in the colonial period in Japan and Korea in the 1930s.

It's essentially split into three parts with the opening chapter being narrated by a pickpocket and orphan Nam Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri). She is hired by a Korean swindler posing as a Japanese count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) to work as a maid in order to lure an affluent heiress called Hideko (Kim Min-hee) into marrying him. Once he's achieved that, the "count" plans to have the Japanese heiress admitted to a mental asylum in Japan, and then walk away with her inheritance.

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Ha Jung-woo

The second part tells the same story but from Hideko's perspective and reveals more about her traumatic upbringing by her aunt (Moon So-ri) and perverse uncle Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong) who is also trying to get hold of Hideko's fortune to satisfy his thirst for erotic novels.

It's in this part of the story where the twists are introduced before a thrilling finale in the concluding chapter where the recurring theme of torture (in his Vengeance trilogy) comes through together with a special cameo. It's at this point where Park injects more of his own signature style into the story.

It'll no doubt be a welcome edition for fans of the Korean auteur, while for his detractors, perhaps an unfortunate turn. However, it has to be said, in terms of violence, this film is probably his tamest since "I'm a Cyborg, but that's Okay" though in terms of scenes of an explicit sexual nature, it's a different story.

Although the film is set in the colonial era, Park appears hesitant to dwell on the complexities of the period, but there are compelling references, not least in the film's language that switches between Korean and Japanese.

In a rather telling conversation between the uncle and Fujiwara where they discuss the uncle's urge to become Japanese, there is a brief conversation on the subject underscoring Park's attempt to touch on it but refrains from being overtly nationalistic or political.

What ultimately drives the film is not necessarily the scheming, but the relationship between Sook-hee and Hideko, and that's what resonates. Opponents to the film may voice concerns about the male gaze and misogyny that creeps in, which is valid. But so is an attempt to tell a story (inspired by a novel) that focuses on two female characters as they fall in love even if it's somewhat twisted.

The film's production values are extraordinary marking a new high for Park Chan-wook and Korea's top production designer Ryu Seung-hee ("Oldboy" and "Thirst"), his frequent collaborator. Fusing traditional Japanese and British styles of architecture while maintaining Park's iconic use of patterns and colors, the film is a marvel to look at, especially inside the mansion ― one of the film's main locations.

Also a common fixture behind the camera in Park's films is cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon ("Oldboy") whose masterful lensing using an anamorphic lens captures both the film's interiors and exteriors in a manner that leaves the viewer captivated sharing similarities to the work of Alfred Hitchcock and his relationship to voyeurism.

Equally, another important figure on Park's team is composer Cho Young-wuk ("Oldboy" and "Lady Vengeance") whose score hits the right notes mixing his baroque style with a more contemporary tune. 

The responsibility of the director isn't just how to shoot the film, but their tasks also involve getting strong performances out of the actors. This is what Park has consistently done well. While all his films don't necessarily hit the same artistic heights, in terms of performances, his actors rarely put a foot wrong.

This is evident in "The Handmaiden" as the whole cast delivers mesmerizing performances. Kim Min-hee is on the best form of her career following her role in Hong Sang-soo's "Right Now, Wrong Then."

Likewise, 26-year-old journalism graduate Kim Tae-ri delivers a sensational performance even though she had little prior acting experience repeating the success of Kang Hye-jung in "Oldboy."

Ha Jung-woo is also excellent, while Cho Jin-woong has never been better. Moon So-ri and Kim Hae-sook are unsurprisingly superb.

The film is told at a blistering pace making it harder for viewers to fully grasp the narrative, but Park's films are rarely properly understood after one viewing.

Playing in Cannes competition the film has already garnered strong reviews following its premiere last weekend. Interestingly it comes at a time when Na Hong-jin's "The Wailing" has received a rapturous critical and commercial response having accumulated over 3 million admissions to date, which also screened at Cannes this week. With Yeon Sang-ho's "Train to Busan" also generating some buzz, this could be a big year for Korean cinema.

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May 23, 2016

'The Handmaiden' snags export deals despite missing out at Cannes

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Despite missing out on awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the South Korean film "The Handmaiden" returned home fully loaded with export deals, a local film distributor confirmed Monday.

The erotic thriller by award-winning director Park Chan-wook, best known for "Oldboy" (2003), will premiere in Taiwan on June 24 and in France on Oct. 5, according to CJ Entertainment.

The poster of the South Korean drama thriller "The Handmaiden" (Yonhap)

The poster of the South Korean drama thriller "The Handmaiden" (Yonhap)

In addition, the film distributor expects to see "The Handmaiden" launch in Australia, Russia, Hong Kong and New Zealand between June and August. The film is anticipated to run in the United States around the September-October period.

The news came after "The Handmaiden" attracted deals from film marketers of 176 countries during the May 11-22 festival. It's an all-time high for a South Korean film, surpassing "Snowpiercer" (2013), a fantasy film by Bong Joon-ho, another globally recognized director, which was sold in 167 countries.

By region, "The Handmaiden" was particularly acclaimed among European buyers, according to CJ Entertainment.

"The Handmaiden" was one of 21 films selected for competition in Cannes but walked away empty-handed.

Starring Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Ha Jung-woo, "The Handmaiden" depicts a love story between different social classes, fully tainted with deceit and conspiracy over money. The film is inspired by Sarah Waters' Victorian lesbian crime novel "Fingersmith."

"The Handmaiden" is slated to launch at home on June 1.

From L: Actors Cho Jin-woong, Kim Tae-ri, director Park Chan-wook, actors Kim Min-hee and Ha Jung-woo attend the screening of "The Handmaiden" in the 69th round of the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2016. (Yonhap)

From L: Actors Cho Jin-woong, Kim Tae-ri, director Park Chan-wook, actors Kim Min-hee and Ha Jung-woo attend the screening of "The Handmaiden" in the 69th round of the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2016. (Yonhap)

jwc@yna.co.kr

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May 23, 2016

Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, And Kim Tae Ri Are Mesmerizing In New Vogue Pictorial

Source: Soompi by ehk38

Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, And Kim Tae Ri Are Mesmerizing In New Vogue Pictorial

“The Handmaiden” cast members Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, and Kim Tae Ri are mesmerizing in a new pictorial for Vogue Korea.

Vogue Korea released cuts from the spread on May 23. The styling and mood of the photo shoot is a modernized interpretation of the aesthetic of “The Handmaiden” and the 1930s in which the film is set.

Kim Min Hee

Kim Min Hee Ha Jung Woo

Directed by Park Chan Wook (“Oldboy”), “The Handmaiden” is a romantic thriller based loosely on Welsh novelist Sarah Waters’s “Fingersmith.” It was recently shown at the Cannes Film Festival and is slated to hit theaters starting June 1.

Kim Tae Ri

Ha Jung Woo

You can catch the full pictorial featuring Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, and Kim Tae Ri in the June issue of Vogue Korea.

Source (1)

 

'The Handmaiden' Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri show off the truly enthralling chemistry

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May 24, 2016

'The Handmaiden' art director wins independent award at Cannes

SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The art director for the South Korean movie "The Handmaiden" has won an independent award at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, a film distributor here said Tuesday.

Ryu Seong-hie, the art director for the thriller, captured the Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist, CJ Entertainment said. Ryu is the first South Korean winner of the Vulcan Award.

Directed by Park Chan-wook, "The Handmaiden" was one of 21 films selected for competition but was shut out of awards there.

Created in 2003, the Vulcan Award is presented by a special jury, appointed by the Superior Technical Commission of Image and Sound.

Starring Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Ha Jung-woo, "The Handmaiden" depicts a love story between two completely different social classes, fully tainted with deceit and lust over wealth. The film is inspired by Sarah Waters' Victorian lesbian crime novel "Fingersmith."

Although the film did not sweep awards at the Cannes festival, it brought home lucrative export deals from film marketers in 176 countries. This is an all-time high for a South Korean film, surpassing "Snowpiercer" (2013), a Bong Joon-ho fantasy film sold in 167 countries.

"The Handmaiden" will premiere at home on June 1.

jwc@yna.co.kr

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

Although Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden” didn’t win the top prize, it was not a total loss for him nor the two other Korean films that got invited to the festival’s non-competitive sections. 

The lesbian thriller, which earned Park his third invitation to the prestigious film event, sold its distribution rights to 56 additional countries at Cannes, setting the new record for a Korean film by selling the film’s rights to a total of 176 countries. Previously, the record was set by Bong Joon-ho’s 2013 dystopian thriller “Snowpiercer,” which had its rights sold to 167 countries. 

“After the film had its official screening at Cannes on May 14, there were explosive numbers of requests from foreign buyers,” said an official from CJ E&M, the film’s domestic distributor. 

“Those who have already purchased the film’s distribution rights solely based on its seven-minute trailer were also satisfied after watching the whole film,” he added. 

After its Korean wide release on June 1, “The Handmaiden” will take off on a world tour, starting with Taiwan on June 24, followed by France in October. 

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May 26, 2016

[Herald Review] ‘The Handmaiden’ is as tender as it is bold

The film is charged with sexual tension and flowery visuals, but ultimately audaciously displays female liberation

Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden” is a tale of two women who seek to be free -- one from poverty, the other from confinement, and both from control. The costumes and set design may seem excessive, but the frills provide an enticing backdrop for that journey for salvation and serve to create an idealized universe.

Orphaned heiress Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) is living under the guardianship of her uncle Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong). Count Fujiwara, a swindler posing as a nobleman (Ha Jung-woo) seeks to woo her and take her fortune. He hires Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a poor pickpocket and also an orphan, to serve as a maid to the heiress and to help him win her over. 

Sook-hee is sent to the manor where Hideko lives with her uncle. The place is an architectural blend of English and Japanese elements. The two begin to explore each other’s company. Sook-hee feels protective of Hideko’s childlike innocence and porcelain beauty. Hideko seeks comfort in the warmth and earthiness of her new maid, who provides an escape from the lady’s usual routine of reading and reciting lessons. 

Count Fujiwara makes occasional visits, posing as an art teacher. Hideko’s heart begins fluttering. Sook-hee tries to persuade the lady that she has fallen in love with the count, but Hideko is not so sure.

The film grabbed attention both at the Cannes Film Festival this month and at home for explicit lesbian sex scenes. Some suggested that Park’s depiction of sex between the two women is based on misogynistic fantasies, but what they failed to mention is how these scenes are as tender as they are explicit, focused more on conversation and less on an unleashing of desire. The heroines’ intertwining bodies illustrate an intricacy and an intimacy that otherwise might have been lifeless. 

“Beauty is important, that’s the basis,” said Park at a press conference after the film’s first local screening in Seoul Wednesday. “But beyond that, I wanted to create a format where the two (women) are conversing with each other ... in a connection that is not an outburst of desire but one that shares ... and considers the other person.”

That connection is the core of the film -- a liberating bond with no gender hierarchy, a human relationship in which even the term “lesbian” loses meaning. If anything, it is the male characters who are caricatured. They are rendered blind to all else -- even money -- by their overwhelming sexual desire, existing only to highlight the intimacy of Sook-hee and Hideko’s journey.

The bulk of the acting is carried by the female actresses as well. Kim Tae-ri exudes an earthiness that is bold and fresh. Moon So-ri, who stars as Hideko’s aunt, adds zest to the film with her brief but electric appearance. 

Even the way Park plays with the speed of the three-part story resembles the act of love, starting out slowly and gripped by tension, and then accelerating to a climactic frenzy.

The film will open in local theaters on June 1.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)

May 25, 2016

Park Chan Wook Is Back with ‘The Handmaiden’

Source: BNTNews

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[by Woorim Ahn, photo by Jo Hee Sun] Movie ‘The Handmaiden’ held a press showing session at CGV Wangsimni in Sungdong-gu, Seoul on May 25. 

‘The Handmaiden’ is about a conglomerate lady in 1930s, an earl targeting the lady’s money, a maid who got a deal from the earl and the lady’s guardian. Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, Cho Jin Woong, Kim Tae Ri and others attended to grace the event. 

Meanwhile, ‘The Handmaiden’ will premiere on June 1. (photo by bntnews DB)

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May 27, 2016

(Movie Review) 'The Handmaiden' is stunningly enchanting but lacks complexity

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's art-thriller master Park Chan-wook has always been unafraid to tackle taboo subjects, and he turned his eyes to homosexuality this time.

Park's new film, "The Handmaiden," is stunningly beautiful, enchanting and tasteful but, unfortunately, lacks complexity.

Despite teasing the audience with thriller elements, this is not a typical thriller. Instead, it is an erotically charged film focusing on two women experiencing sex together.

Actor Ha Jung-woo and actress Kim Min-hee as Count Fujiwara and Hideko, respectively, in the Korean film "The Handmaiden." This photo was provided by CJ Entertainment, the film's distributor. (Yonhap)

Actor Ha Jung-woo and actress Kim Min-hee as Count Fujiwara and Hideko, respectively, in the Korean film "The Handmaiden." This photo was provided by CJ Entertainment, the film's distributor. (Yonhap)

As the female protagonists enter into an affair, it is clear that there is an element missing, the element of the audience's emotional attachment to the characters. The dialogue remained mostly superficial, allowing the audience little insight into the depth of each character. Instead, the film hastily develops the relationship between the two women from the limited exposition that vaguely depicts their feelings toward each other.

Loosely based on Sarah Waters' award-winning novel "Fingersmith," the film relocated the Victorian Britain to 1930s colonial Korea.

This photo provided by CJ Entertainment shows a scene from "The Handmaiden." (Yonhap)

This photo provided by CJ Entertainment shows a scene from "The Handmaiden." (Yonhap)

It begins when a con man who calls himself Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) employs the help of Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a lowly pickpocket, to swindle a wealthy, lonely heiress named Hideko (Kim Min-hee). The woman lives in a cavernous mansion under strict protection from her uncle after losing her parents in her early years.

The plan is for Sook-hee to become Hideko's maid and slowly convince her to marry Fujiwara so that he may elope with her and subsequently make away with her fortune. The scheme, however, doesn't go as planned and hidden truths slowly rise to the surface. The story then takes a series of unexpected turns.

The film provides viewers the fun of growingly finding the truth behind what happened to the three people through its story split into three sections and unfolds from multiple points of view.

Actor Ha Jung-woo and actress Kim Tae-ri as Count Fujiwara and Sook-hee in "The Handmaiden." This photo was provided by CJ Entertainment, the film's distributor. (Yonhap)

Actor Ha Jung-woo and actress Kim Tae-ri as Count Fujiwara and Sook-hee in "The Handmaiden." This photo was provided by CJ Entertainment, the film's distributor. (Yonhap)

What makes it stand out from all other films is its lavish-looking artistic elements, ranging from the secluded mansion's interior decorated in hybrid British-Japanese style and Hideko's beautiful costumes. For the work, the film's art director Ryu Seong-hie won the independent Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. Ryu became the first Korean winner of the award.

The movie's eroticism never feels cheap. For some audiences not familiar with Park's films, however, it can be a grueling movie to watch for its sexually deviant characters and some extremely violent scenes.

The film is set to open in local theaters on Wednesday.

Actors Ha Jung-woo (L) and Cho Jin-woong as Count Fujiwara and Hideko's uncle in "The Handmaiden." This photo was provided by CJ Entertainment, the film's distributor. (Yonhap)

Actors Ha Jung-woo (L) and Cho Jin-woong as Count Fujiwara and Hideko's uncle in "The Handmaiden." This photo was provided by CJ Entertainment, the film's distributor. (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr

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May 27, 2016

Review: Female leads stand out in ‘The Handmaiden’
Despite male gaze debate, women take center stage in twisted, thrilling love story

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

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Top and above left: Still cuts from Park Chan-wook’s lesbian thriller “The Handmaiden.” Above right: From left, Park and four lead actors - Ha Jung-woo, Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Cho Jin-woong - answer questions during a press junket in Seoul on Wednesday. [CJ ENTERTAINMENT, NEWSIS]

“The Handmaiden” is a culmination of visual ambitions that Park Chan-wook has accumulated over the 20 or so years of his illustrious career. 

So much so that what comes in between the countless number of picturesque moments degenerates into mere means of bridging one of those scenes to another. 

Korean auteur Park returned from the Cannes Film Festival to present his latest much-talked about film “The Handmaiden” to the Korean press on Wednesday. 

“I wasn’t able to win at Cannes. … But this is by far my most favorite film I’ve made so far,” the 53-year-old said. 

“As I built on my experience with film, I started to have hope of making a film that would last long in people’s memory. … Enjoying the film at the same time is important, but planting things that people would notice on their second viewing was also my focal point,” he said.

Living up to the buzz it created at the French film festival, the film - which is based on award-winning novelist Sarah Waters’ lesbian thriller “Fingersmith” - is filled with visual aesthetics, steamy eroticism and flawless performances, creating one fine, polished movie. 

The film is divided into three parts, starting with the story of Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a money-hungry pickpocket who is tasked with luring Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) into marrying Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) in return for a share of Hideko’s future inherited fortune. 

Standing behind the innocent Hideko is her aged yet mysterious guardian (Cho Jin-woong), who seems interested in nothing other than spending his time in his extravagant quasi-Japanese, quasi-Western-style library. 

The second part takes the point of view of Lady Hideko followed by that of Count Fujiwara. There are gaps in time between each part, so the three parts do not exactly overlap. There is extra fun in noticing details that were missed in previous parts. 

Dazzling visuals

As Park described the grand library of the lady’s guardian as the fifth character of his movie, the artistic backdrops of the film play a pivotal role in determining its atmosphere. 

The exterior of the library is decorated with Western-style bookshelves, while the inside shifts to traditional Japanese-style flooring called tatami, where visitors have to take off their shoes and sit on the floor. 

What is even more eye-catching, especially for those interested in design and fashion, is Lady Hideko’s Victorian-era room filled with dark-colored antique furniture and adorned with patterned upholstery, curtains and wallpaper. Each closet is filled clothes and shoes, both Japanese-style kimonos and Western-style dresses, as well as accessories including over-the-top hats and statement earrings. 

When Kim Min-hee wears each of her 25 costumes, with her makeup applied to perfection, each of her scenes becomes a work of art itself. 

The versatile music score in which the main theme is grand orchestral pieces playing along with quirky Korean folk songs from the ’70s adds an exotic yet attractive vibe to the film. 

Male gaze controversy

Whenever there is a lesbian film that involves sex scenes, it cannot escape being surrounded in controversy over the male gaze.

“Blue is the Warmest Color,” a 2003 Palme d’Or winner, was under fire for including an excessive amount of nudity. “Carol” (2015), which decided not to include any explicit bedroom scenes, barely avoided criticism. 

Of course, considering Park’s style of pushing everything to the extreme, there was no chance that such scenes would have been omitted.

“The Handmaiden” landed directly in the center of criticism over portraying non-heterosexual relationships with too much sexuality. The provocative bedroom scenes involving the two female characters, which appear a couple of times, expose the maximum amount of skin and feature a very peculiar set of tools. 

For that reason, the film needed to be scrutinized for unleashing males’ misogynist fantasies. Park as well as the two Kims did not hesitate to throw themselves into the scenes. 

But what should be considered more important is whether the female characters stopped at being exploited to fulfill males’ sensual fantasies. In fact, it doesn’t end like that in “The Handmaiden.”

From start to finish, despite the changing perspectives, it is the women who take central actions in moving the whole plot.

Male characters, especially Count Fujiwara’s short-sighted thinking and ludicrous behavior, seem as if they were planted in the film to generate laughs and nothing more, while the female leads do the serious and meaningful stuff. 

When asked how he feels about negative responses to his film, Park didn’t say much but said he wants to ask critics which specific scenes are perceived as “male-gazed.”

Newfound talent

Yet another revelation in the film is the daring performance by newcomer Kim Tae-ri, who doesn’t fall short of her counterparts in terms of grabbing audiences’ attention on screen. 

In contrast to Lady Hideko, who possesses more of a complex mind and mysterious background, Sook-hee’s plays her cards straight. And that kind of bold gestures and language comes out all too naturally from Kim. 

Maybe it is because of the characters’ styles, but at one point Kim Min-hee’s acting seem emotionless - not in an intentional, smart way but more in a dull way - next to Kim Tae-ri, who nails every line with the right emotion and tone. 

Director Park said that her boldness that wouldn’t be overwhelmed by her towering co-stars was what caught his eye during auditions. Both in the movie as well as during press events, the 26-year-old rookie actress stole the spotlight with her infectious personality, which all of us hope will remain untainted as she rises to fame.

“The Handmaiden” will be released nationwide June 1.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]

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