The Handmaiden
Movie • 2016 • Drama
Report1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a young woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering uncle. But, the maid has a secret: she is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese count to help him seduce the heiress to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until the women discover some unexpected emotions.
This movie contains 66 potentially triggering events.
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Both
Yes
No
Your Triggers
Yes
0
No
46
Abandonment
Yes
0
No
4
Yes
7
No
0
Yes
0
No
7
Abuse
Yes
10
No
0
Yes
0
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8
Yes
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28
Yes
52
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5
Lazer
Mental and physical abuse of a man toward his wife and his niece
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
6
No
2
Does the abused become the abuser?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
7
No
3
Yes
9
No
20
Is someone abused with a belt?
16 supporters
Yes
6
No
0
1
reesew
a whip, not a belt, but the same idea
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
63
No
0
14
queerdragon
A child is physically and mentally abused in several graphic scenes, and she's sexually groomed.
3 comments | Add comment
Addiction
Yes
32
No
5
5
Lazer
Constant use of cigarettes one of which is laced with mercury and used for suicide
3 comments | Add comment
Is there addiction?
12 supporters
Yes
4
No
22
1
x.kayy.x
Cigarettes.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone abuse alcohol?
11 supporters
Yes
4
No
21
0
BellaRad
Sake is fed to crying babies
1 comment | Add comment
Animal
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
36
Yes
1
No
35
Are animals abused?
159 supporters
Yes
7
No
31
2
Ofinlay
Minor spoiler: there is a marine animal kept in a very small tank, could be interpreted as animal abuse.
3 comments | Add comment
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35
Yes
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33
Yes
0
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7
Yes
0
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7
Yes
0
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36
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
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35
Are there spiders?
39 supporters
Yes
1
No
32
1
swirlboy
Not sure why all these comments here are about snakes
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Are there snakes?
15 supporters
Yes
41
No
3
12
Starlingley
There is a statue of a snake that marks the entrance to a library, but there are no live snakes in the movie.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
8
Are there bugs?
24 supporters
Yes
44
No
0
6
queerdragon
There's a brief scene with a cockroach in food.
2 comments | Add comment
Assault
Does a woman get slapped?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
16 supporters
Add comment
Yes
10
No
0
Yes
11
No
0
Is there pedophilia?
90 supporters
Yes
10
No
0
1
Lixie
Adults groom a child and a heavy part of the story revolves around it
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
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8
Yes
8
No
0
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
17
No
0
Yes
56
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8
queerdragon
A man attempts to rape his wife but fails and she manages to escape.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
6
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0
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
12
No
0
5
moschidae
There are a bunch of scenes where a woman is preforming sexual acts without consent- no actual r but i'm going to say its uncomfortable enough to count
1 comment | Add comment
Bodily Harm
Is there shaving/cutting?
30 supporters
Yes
41
No
0
7
Lazer
Someone cuts her hand open with a knife and the blood is shown
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
8
No
0
Yes
0
No
6
Is there throat mutilation?
25 supporters
Yes
0
No
5
0
reesew
a character chokes herself and there’s incidents of hangings?
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone struggle to breathe?
28 supporters
Yes
43
No
1
5
Lazer
Chocking with hands and noose
1 comment | Add comment
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6
Yes
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30
Yes
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10
Yes
7
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0
Yes
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36
Yes
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34
Yes
4
No
4
Is there amputation?
21 supporters
Yes
38
No
7
5
royandale
Someone has their fingers cut off with bookbinding equipment.
3 comments | Add comment
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No
34
Yes
0
No
10
Is there a hanging?
32 supporters
Yes
57
No
0
9
queerdragon
There's two graphic scenes of hanging, one non-lethal, and numerous discussions of it.
3 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
8
Are any teeth damaged?
41 supporters
Yes
5
No
29
11
februarryy
not really, but there is one scene where the lady says she has a sharp tooth and the handmaid files it down with a thimble. you dont see the tooth or the action at all
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
11
No
0
Yes
0
No
29
Yes
0
No
32
Is there genital trauma/mutilation?
65 supporters
Yes
24
No
1
4
m3101
Attemped in the torture scene near the end of the film but not shown
2 comments | Add comment
Is there finger/toe mutilation?
44 supporters
Yes
54
No
0
10
Anonymous
A man's fingers are slowly cut off in the basement.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone tortured?
72 supporters
Yes
52
No
0
7
Sandphin
Graphic scene near the end of the film.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Yes
0
No
31
Yes
0
No
35
Yes
1
No
4
Is there excessive gore?
73 supporters
Yes
4
No
11
1
Ofinlay
Some blood in a scene later in the movie, and blood from fingers getting cut off. Not what I would call excessive
1 comment | Add comment
Children
Yes
1
No
7
Yes
0
No
33
Is a minor sexualized?
86 supporters
Yes
13
No
0
4
wildflowerchild
a young girl is forced to read sexual content aloud multiple times
1 comment | Add comment
Creepy Crawly
Yes
0
No
6
Death
Yes
1
No
6
Does a major character die?
19 supporters
Yes
1
No
4
0
hellos
*spoilers, obviously*
the two main women don’t die. men die though
the two main women don’t die. men die though
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
8
No
0
Disability
Yes
0
No
14
Yes
0
No
7
Drugs/Alcohol
Yes
2
No
5
Family
Yes
29
No
1
Does a parent die?
18 supporters
Yes
42
No
2
8
Anonymous
Though she was not an actual parent, a kind of parental figure commits suicide and the deaths of the main characters' mothers is discussed
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone cheat?
16 supporters
Yes
24
No
7
6
Lazer
It’s more of doubling back on a deal than cheating on a committed relationship but someone is involved with two people at once
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
26
Yes
7
No
0
Fear
Are there jump scares?
49 supporters
Yes
23
No
7
9
Anonymous
If you want to watch the film but need a heads up on the jump scare: it happens soon after her arrival at the house, when Sookee goes to enter the library, the old man scares her with a statue of a snake. If i had the movie with me i would give you the actual time it happens but i don't, sorry
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
32
Are there ghosts?
11 supporters
Yes
1
No
34
5
cherry
none shown, but discussed
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
35
Yes
7
No
0
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
6
Is there a shower scene?
9 supporters
Yes
35
No
4
13
Anonymous
There is a romantic bath scene with sexual implications
1 comment | Add comment
Are there mannequins?
5 supporters
Yes
4
No
2
1
Anonymous
There's a wooden body figure but nothing like what we think of as a contemporary mannequin. It has no face carved.
1 comment | Add comment
Gross
Does someone wet/soil themselves?
17 supporters
Yes
1
No
13
1
Anonymous
Briefly mentioned, but not shown.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone vomit?
78 supporters
Yes
7
No
21
2
Yep555
Around the 19 minutes of the movie when the woman runs to the bathroom. Not really sure if she really tr*w up or if she just cough but there are noises + heaving, that look a lot like it.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
6
Does someone spit?
10 supporters
Yes
3
No
26
5
BellaRad
Not spitting per se but there's a scene where someone very messily bites into a peach and juice comes out everywhere
1 comment | Add comment
Is there audio gore?
42 supporters
Yes
29
No
1
4
Sandphin
During the torture scene at the end. I hid my face but still heard the noises. yuck.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
6
Large-scale Violence
Yes
0
No
9
Law Enforcement
Yes
0
No
23
Is there incarceration?
4 supporters
Yes
1
No
4
0
Deny005
There's a scene that takes place in an asylum, it could be seen as such
1 comment | Add comment
LGBTQ+
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
4
Yes
4
No
2
Loss
Is a priceless artifact destroyed?
4 supporters
Yes
4
No
1
1
MovieWatcher10
*Spoilers* Before their escape, the two women destroy the library with the perverted books from the abusive uncle. A cathartic scene to some.
2 comments | Add comment
Medical
Yes
0
No
30
Yes
0
No
27
Is there a mental institution scene?
1 supporters
Yes
49
No
0
9
Real_Horrorshow
someone is put in a mental institution against their will
1 comment | Add comment
Is there a hospital scene?
11 supporters
Yes
32
No
7
8
queerdragon
A character is forcefully placed into an asylum and there are brief scenes inside.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
31
Mental Health
Yes
10
No
1
Yes
6
No
0
Yes
38
No
0
1
m3101
A character cuts their hand and some blood is shown
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
1
No
15
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
14
No
0
4
wildflowerchild
a woman attempts to hang herself but is saved at the last second
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
1
No
4
Is there misophonia?
30 supporters
Yes
17
No
1
3
BellaRad
A person bites into a peach messily/noisily
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
26
Does someone say "I'll kill myself"?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
27 supporters
Add comment
Yes
17
No
1
Yes
1
No
21
Yes
18
No
2
Does someone have an eating disorder?
34 supporters
Yes
2
No
27
6
leee
No, but there is scene where a character eats one grain of rice at time.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
30
Yes
52
No
0
9
Starlingley
They talk about two characters who die by suicide in the first part of the movie. In part two of the movie they show the aftermath of one suicide by hanging and the attempt of another hanging. There is also talk of plans for suicide by overdose.
3 comments | Add comment
Noxious
Yes
1
No
5
Yes
0
No
6
Does a baby cry?
16 supporters
Yes
26
No
0
3
pirpar
quite a bit at the start of the movie
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
27
Yes
6
No
0
Is there obscene language/gestures?
7 supporters
Yes
13
No
0
4
wildflowerchild
A lot of graphic sexual language, it's a large part of the plot
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
28
Paranoia
Yes
7
No
0
Yes
0
No
11
Pregnancy
Yes
0
No
13
Yes
0
No
30
Yes
0
No
28
Are there babies or unborn children?
16 supporters
Yes
12
No
0
0
moschidae
skip the first section of the movie if you're upset by these themes- i dont have timestamps unfortunately but they go away after protag arrives at the estate. However they are briefly brought up in a sex scene where one character is kissing the others chest and it was enough to upset me, so watch out.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
29
Does a pregnant person die?
10 supporters
Yes
7
No
22
9
isabella431
a woman dies in childbirth but its only talked about
1 comment | Add comment
Prejudice
Yes
1
No
29
Yes
0
No
31
Does the black guy die first?
18 supporters
Yes
0
No
35
6
Sandphin
No Black people in this movie; everyone is Asian.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
29
Yes
0
No
28
Yes
0
No
16
Is there hate speech?
23 supporters
Yes
27
No
1
2
Anonymous
At the beginning of the film, the slur “J*p†is used.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
6
Does an LGBT person die?
29 supporters
Yes
0
No
42
14
error_cascade
Potential spoiler territory, but this film is arguably the opposite of the dead lesbian trope.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
24
Yes
0
No
27
Yes
0
No
6
Race
Yes
0
No
6
Relationships
Is there a large age gap?
31 supporters
Yes
10
No
1
3
wildflowerchild
An old man intends to marry his niece
1 comment | Add comment
Religious
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
4
Sex
Is there sexual content?
50 supporters
Yes
59
No
0
9
Sandphin
Very explicit
2 comments | Add comment
Is someone sexually objectified?
36 supporters
Yes
15
No
0
1
MovieWatcher10
While it can be said that the sex scenes between the two female leads are sexualized, I've seen commentary from queer asian people saying that the movie meant a lot to them. The scenes can also be viewed as explicit, sexual liberation for two characters who've been controlled and abused prior, but find a freedom in each other.
Behind the scenes, the male director consulted a lesbian friend of his and while they shot the sex scenes, the male staff was absent.
Behind the scenes, the male director consulted a lesbian friend of his and while they shot the sex scenes, the male staff was absent.
2 comments | Add comment
Are there nude scenes?
32 supporters
Yes
13
No
1
4
wildflowerchild
And a lot of them
1 comment | Add comment
Is there bestiality?
71 supporters
Yes
6
No
1
3
Amy17
Pictured not seen
1 comment | Add comment
Is there BDSM?
19 supporters
Yes
5
No
0
2
pajama
not explicit sub/dom dynamics but there are restraints, power and control, and kink/tie adjacent moments
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
1
Yes
41
No
2
10
queerdragon
There is no actual incest but a man sexually abuses his wife's niece and intends on marrying her.
1 comment | Add comment
Sexism
Yes
0
No
10
Sickness
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
No
5
Social
Yes
0
No
13
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
5
Spoiler
Yes
0
No
31
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
41
Vehicular
Yes
0
No
33
Yes
2
No
9
Yes
0
No
32
Yes
0
No
33
Violence
Yes
0
No
34
Is there blood/gore?
50 supporters
Yes
45
No
0
3
error_cascade
Most of the gore is in a graphic torture scene at the end of the film; there’s a caning scene midway with no blood shown.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
33
Yes
0
No
30