“The Handmaiden” Park Chan-wook’s adaptation of the fairy tale of “Liberation” and “Empire” *Spoiler alert

"The Handmaiden" as a political fairy tale

Although it is often pointed out, ``The Handmaiden'' is not a realistic story. A girl from an aristocratic family who has been oppressed since childhood meets a poor girl who comes to work as a maid to deceive her, and they are drawn to each other, transcending nationality, ethnicity, and class, and the two of them are liberated from their suffering. . On the other hand, the male villains are ferocious but somewhat humorous, and are defeated in the end. It's clear that reality isn't that simple, and when summed up in such simple terms, this work seems to be in the lineage of classic princess stories.

In fact, Chan-wook uses the word "fairy-tale" when referring to the final scene. "We needed that kind of beauty, even if it felt like a fairy tale world." ``That kind of beauty'' refers to the sight of Sukki and Hideko laughing together while listening to the sound of bells on the sea on their way to Shanghai, a full moon in the night sky, and a wispy cloud cover. It looked exactly like the one drawn on the door of the Kozuki family mansion. Chan-wook said, ``Even though it's a fairy tale, I wanted to end the work by dreaming of such an ideal world.''

“The Handmaiden” © 2016 CJ E&M CORPORATION, MOHO FILM, YONG FILM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Chan-wook's work, using `` Jeon's Castle '' as a starting point, was a fantasy set in the highly political setting of the Korean peninsula during the Japanese colonial period. The original author, Sarah Waters, gave a realistic ending to the story of Su and Maud in a world that can be read as fantasy, but Chan-wook does the opposite, and tells the story of Su and Maude in a world that is very realistic. It depicts a happy ending. The medium of ``movie'' is one that can present such a political, poignant, and contemporary story as a ``fairy tale'' and, in doing so, can send blessings to these two women. I think that's why it's such an ideal.

Finally, in this article, I have limited the explanation of ``Thorn Castle'' to the bare minimum. After watching The Handmaiden, please read the original novel and be amazed by the story of Sue and Maud. The Day After you watch the film again, you'll probably see Chan-wook's goals more clearly than the first time. I hope this article will help you enjoy the stories of ``The Handmaiden'' by Sarah Waters and Park Chan-wook from different angles.

[References/Reference materials]

“The Handmaiden” Theater Program, Phantom Films, 2017

“The Handmaiden” <Special Extended Version & Theatrical Release Version> (Bonus Video), TC Entertainment

Sarah Waters, "Castle of Thorns" Volume 2, translated by Yuki Nakamura, Tokyo Sogensha, 2004

Michiyo Nishimori, Tong-hyun Han, “Korean Movies and Dramas: A Record of Our Chats 2014-2020”, Komagusa Publishing, 2021

Interview: Park Chan-wook – Film Comment [https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/interview-park-chan-wook/]

Exclusive Interview: Talking THE HANDMAIDEN With Park Chan-Wook [https://screenanarchy.com/2016/09/exclusive-interview-talking-handmaiden-with-park-chan-wook.html]

'The Handmaiden' Director Park Chan-wook on His Masterful New Thriller and the Universal Language of Filmmaking [https://screencrush.com/park-chan-wook-handmaiden-interview/]

The LRM Interview with Park Chan-Wook on The Handmaiden [https://lrmonline.com/news/the-lrm-interview-with-park-chan-wook-on-period-thriller-the-handmaiden/]

Film interview: Director Park Chan-wook shows his sensitive side with new film The Handmaiden [https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/film-interview-director-park-chan- wook-shows-his-sensitive-side-new-film-handmaiden-1452066]

Text: Takatoshi Inagaki

Writer/editor/dramaturg. His writing activities span across fields such as movies, dramas, comics, theater, and art. Contributes to theater programs such as the movies ``Tenet'' and ``Joker,'' edits web media, edits exhibition catalogs, and appears on radio. Major stage works include dramaturg for PARCO's productions of ``Kengyo Yabuhara'', Tristone Entertainment's ``Shoujo Kamen'', prosthetic assistant for Kinoshita Kabuki's ``Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan'', ``Sannin Kichizo'', ``Kanjincho'', and KUNIO's ``Greeks''. ”Literature.

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“The Handmaiden” Blu-ray Regular Edition

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© 2016 CJ E&M CORPORATION, MOHO FILM, YONG FILM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED