The Handmaiden: Ending of the 2016 South Korean psychological thriller, revisited 

The Handmaiden (Original title: Ah-ga-ssi), co-written and directed by Park Chan-wook, is a psychological thriller that follows a turbulent chapter from the history of Japanese-occupied Korea. The film leads its female characters on a journey against their will. However, by the end, they rebel against the men who manipulate them.

It is a particularly twisted and brutal affair. It comes from the renowned South Korean filmmaker behind Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), and Decision to Leave (2022), among other films. Apart from directing, he also co-wrote the script with Jeong Seo-kyeong, inspired by Sarah Waters' historical novel Fingersmith.

The Handmaiden stars Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri in the central roles, alongside Ha Jung-woo and Cho Jin-woong. It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, a month ahead of its theatrical release in June.

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How does The Handmaiden end?

The plot of The Handmaiden revolves around four people plotting against each other, either for love or wealth. Toward the end, we see Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) and Sook-Hee (Kim Tae-ri) running away with the inheritance.

By doing so, they get back at Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo), who was just using them as puppets to get hold of Hideko's inheritance money — and against Hideko's Uncle Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong), who tortured her for several years for the same reason. In the end, the women survive while the men die. It feels like a karmic fate for everyone involved.

After all, we see two men chasing money and 'honor' (which Kouzuki earns by helping occupiers take over his country). They go to any lengths to quench their sick and perverted greed, which leads to their tragic fate.

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How do Fujiwara and Kouzuki die?

Some time before his death, Fujiwara tells Hideko how he will kill Sook-Hee. Once that happens, he can happily elope with Hideko and all her money. What he doesn't realize is that Hideko and Sook-Hee love each other.

Hideko drugs Fujiwara with opium drops and flees. As it happens, Sook-Hee also escapes her asylum and reunites with Hideko. Together, the two lovers elope and enjoy their newfound freedom.

Kouzuki realizes that his money is gone. So, he sends his men to find Hideko Fujiwara. They find Fujiwara unconscious and bring him to Kouzuki's mansion, where Kouzuki starts torturing him. So, Fujiwara asks him to let him smoke one of his cigarettes. He doesn't reveal that they are laced with mercury.

The mercury poisoning from the cigarette smoke in their locked room kills them both in no time. By doing this, Fujiwara makes sure he doesn't get tortured further, while also killing his torturer.

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Were Hideko and Sook-Hee working together since the beginning?

No, Hideko and Sook-Hee were not working together from the very beginning. Instead, Fujiwara was using them both to steal Hideko's inheritance.

Initially, Fujiwara tricks Sook-Hee, a poor pickpocket, into helping him send Hideko to an asylum, which will allow him to get her money, some of which will be Sook-Hee's. However, behind the scenes, he worked with Hideko in a plot against Sook-Hee.

Since the beginning, he wanted to send Sook-Hee to the asylum, claiming she is the Lady, while eloping with Hideko and her money. In the end, his plan fails after Sook-Hee and Hideko fall in love with each other. They reveal what Fujiwara forced them to do. After that, they work together to seek revenge against Fujiwara and Kouzuki.

Hideko pretends to be happy with what happened to Sook-Hee. Similarly, Sook-Hee pretends to shed tears over Hideko's betrayal. In the end, they both trick Fujiwara and leave town under different identities. The final moments show them in an intimate relationship in China.

The Handmaiden is available for streaming online on Prime Video.

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