South Korean Film ‘The Handmaiden’ Gains Popularity Worldwide
The erotic thriller South Korean film "The Handmaiden" gains popularity around the world because of its several recognitions.
Park Chan-wook, the director of "the Handmaiden" said that he owes the success of the film to the three lead actors who showed their good acting skills throughout the filming and to the original British novel where the film was based.
"I thank the three respected actors for appearing in this film and received great benefit from their work," Park said.
Park Chan-wook is a popular filmmaker around the world. He visited in Los Angeles,Canada, Toronto, Texas, and Austin which is part of his promotional tour. The film will be released in North America on October 14 this year. Director Park also attended other promotional activities and special preview of the movie together with the head of Yong Film Inc. Lim Seung-ryong, and rookie actress Kim Tae-ri who is part of the movie's main cast.
"Many people around me said this is the best in my filmography. Although some hardcore fans said they were disappointed because it contains less violence and feels warmer than my previous works, many, including female audiences, liked it. It received favorable reviews in Toronto," Director Park said during the news conference at the Korean Cultural Center in United States.
The film is based on the novel "Fingersmith" by Sarah Waters. Starring Cho Jin-woong, Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo and Kim Tae-ri, the setting of the movie is a 1930's colonial era in South Korea and Japan. The story is about a young maid (Kim Tae-ri) hired by a swindler (Ha Jung-Woo) in order to seduce a noble lady (Kim Min-Hee)and the noble lady's uncle and guardian (Choi Jin-Woong).
The film has been sold to distributors from about 176 countries around the world which surpassed the record of 167 by Bong Joon-ho's film "Snowpiercer" in 2013. "The Handmaiden" also premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
The bright characters and shocking revelations in the novel "Fingersmith" captured the attention of the filmmaker and screenwriter Park Chan-wook.
"It was an excellent choice. I thought love can be more touching when it overcomes all obstacles such as the antagonistic relations between Korea and Japan and the class system. It has the most lines of all the films that I have made. I'd like to ask foreign viewers who need English subtitles to see it at least twice to better understand it," Director Park said.
Despite of the hefty lines in the film, Director Park still hopes that the viewers will appreciate and fully understand the message of his film.
