The Handmaiden - Characters & Cast

Her primary motivation is to escape the lifelong abuse and imprisonment by her Uncle Kouzuki. Initially, this is a desperate bid for survival, but as her relationship with Sook-hee develops, her motivation shifts to securing a future where they can be together, free from male domination.

Initially presented as a fragile, naive, and abused heiress, Hideko's character arc is one of profound transformation. The film's second part reframes her as a calculating survivor who has been plotting her escape for years. Her initial plan involves betraying Sook-hee, but her genuine love for her handmaiden causes her to change her allegiance. She evolves from a victim of extreme psychological abuse into a master manipulator who, alongside Sook-hee, orchestrates the downfall of her oppressors, ultimately achieving freedom and reclaiming her identity.

At the start, Sook-hee's motivation is purely financial; she wants to get rich and escape her life of petty crime. This motivation is quickly superseded by her powerful, protective love for Hideko, which becomes the driving force behind all her subsequent actions, including her decision to defy the Count and help Hideko escape.

Sook-hee begins as a confident, street-wise pickpocket, seemingly unburdened by sentimentality and focused on the promise of wealth. Her role as a handmaiden is just another con. However, her exposure to Hideko's world and her burgeoning love for the heiress awaken a deep sense of empathy and loyalty she didn't know she had. She transitions from a pawn in the Count's scheme to a devoted protector and partner to Hideko, risking her own life and freedom for their shared future. Her arc is a journey from selfish ambition to selfless love.

Fujiwara is driven by greed. His sole motivation is to acquire Lady Hideko's vast fortune. He uses his charm and intelligence to exploit others for his personal gain, showing little regard for the emotional or physical damage he causes along the way.

Count Fujiwara is presented as a suave and intelligent conman, the mastermind behind the central plot. He appears to be in control of every situation, manipulating both Sook-hee and Hideko. However, his arc is one of decline, as he consistently underestimates the intelligence and emotional bond of the two women. He believes he is playing them, but in reality, he becomes a pawn in their far more clever scheme. His arrogance and greed lead to his eventual downfall and a brutal end at the hands of Uncle Kouzuki, revealing him to be less of a master strategist and more of a deluded opportunist.

Kouzuki is motivated by his perverse obsession with erotic literature and the power he exerts through it. His desire to control Hideko, marry her to keep the fortune, and continue his sordid gatherings is all-consuming. His motivations are rooted in sadism, greed, and a desire for absolute patriarchal authority.

Uncle Kouzuki is a static character who remains the film's central figure of patriarchal evil. He is a cruel and sadistic connoisseur of pornography who has systematically abused his niece, Hideko, since childhood to serve his perversions. He represents the ultimate oppressor. His arc is not one of change but of escalating depravity, which is finally met with a fittingly grim end. He is the immovable object of tyranny that Sook-hee and Hideko must overcome and destroy to be free.