Set in 1930s Korea during the Japanese occupation, the film follows a complex plot of deceit and seduction. The story centers on Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a young pickpocket who is hired by a con man, posing as a Japanese Count (Ha Jung-woo), to serve as a handmaiden to a wealthy Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee).
The film uses a three-part structure, retelling key events from different perspectives. This Rashomon-style approach keeps the audience guessing. Just when you think you understand who is manipulating whom, the film pulls the rug out from under you. katmoviehdthehandmaiden2016koreanextended