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Celebrating Kim Tae Ri’s birthday: From con artist to savior, decoding her memorable role in Park Chan Wook’s The Handmaiden
On the occasion of Kim Tae Ri’s birthday, let’s explore her complicated character from the critically acclaimed film The Handmaiden directed by Park Chan Wook.
Kim Tae Ri, the hitmaker actress, is celebrating her birthday today, and what could be a better occasion to reflect on one of the best roles of her lustrous career? In 2016, she was cast in one of the lead roles for renowned director, Park Chan Wook’s feature film, The Handmaiden, for which she won Best New Actress at various award shows, including the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Director's Cut Awards, and more. Selected among 1500 actresses who auditioned for the role, Kim Tae Ri had already established herself as a standout talent in the industry. Before delving into her character in the movie, let's explore Kim Tae Ri's career.
Following her first major movie, the actor went on to star in 1987: When the Day Comes, for which she yet again gained critical acclaim for her performance. In 2018, she also starred in the Korean adaptation of the manga series, Little Forest alongside Ryu Jun Yeol and Jin Ki Joo. However, one of her most popular roles was in the K-drama series Twenty-Five Twenty-One, which became one of the most-viewed series in South Korea. Suddenly, the actress saw mainstream success and starred in yet another commercially successful movie, Alienoid. Her most recent work, the show Revenant, was released in 2023.
The Handmaiden: An overview
Park Chan Wook is known for creating movies with intricate storytelling and interesting, unexplored facets of society which stay with the audience long after the credits roll. Starring Kim Tae Ri, Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, and Cho Jin Woong in the lead roles, the movie is inspired by the 2002 novel Fingersmith, written by Sarah Waters.
Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, the movie tells the story of how a small-time criminal named Sook Hee gets involved with a Japanese heiress named Lady Hideko. Sook Hee is hired by a con man with the pseudonym Count Fujiwara, who intends to marry the heiress and conspire to send her to a mental asylum for her inheritance. However, the story takes a different turn altogether as it progresses.
However, the film delves deep into the themes of class divide, sexual desire, female empowerment, identity, deception, art, and much more. The story is told in three parts, seamlessly woven together to tell the tale of love and breaking free from the shackles of society.
Sook Hee - character analysis
Kim Tae Ri plays the character of Sook Hee, the girl hired as a handmaiden for the Japanese heiress, clueless about what is coming for her. The actress portrayed the character so wonderfully that one can often forget that they are watching a movie. However, her character is much more than what meets the eye.
Sook Hee’s naivety
Although a pick-pocket and extremely resourceful, Sook Hee was still just an innocent girl at the core. When approached by a con man for a job, she readily agreed to it without much thought, was it innocence or foolishness? To answer that question, there are ample instances throughout the movie suggesting that she is an intelligent individual who can get herself through any situation. However, the beautiful jewelry, expensive clothes, and heaps of money easily convinced her to believe a man who lies for a living.
Breaking the shackles
Sook Hee’s inability to no longer stand the injustices being done to Lady Hideko proves that she was inherently a good person. But she was still unable to be her true self and express emotions as the hunger for wealth and jewelry tied her down. However, her growing affection for Hideko complicates matters, forcing her to confront the true nature of her desires. Despite her initial reluctance to betray Hideko, Sook Hee found herself torn between her loyalty to the count and her feelings for the heiress.
It is during this moment of reckoning that Sook Hee finally listens to her heart. Even before she found out about the Count’s true plans, she was ready to risk it all for love. But was it only her love for Hideko that made her take a drastic step that could have possibly had her killed? It was also her choice to finally prioritize herself and break free from the shackles of materials that held her down for far too long. The profound self-discovery was a major turning point for not just the story but the character as well.
The saviour
The final step to freedom for both Hideko and Sook Hee involves the powerful scene where they both visit Uncle Kouzuki’s library and destroy every single book beyond repair. At that moment, Hideko saw Sook Hee as the knight in shining armor arriving to free her. Her inner dialogue refers to Sook Hee as her savior, the only one in her life who displayed selfless love and loyalty towards her.
In the climatic moment as every book burned brightly, Sook Hee did not just liberate Hideko from the constraints of her oppressive past but also herself from the chains of deceit and manipulation. The very act of destroying the books was her aggressive defiance against the forces that tried to control her. In saving Hideko, Sook Hee ultimately saved herself.
Words cannot express the phenomenal performance that Kim Tae Ri gave in the movie. Through subtle expressions and body language, she showcased the depth of Sook Hee's emotions, allowing the audience to empathize with her plight. Fans await more such nuanced performances from the actor in the future!
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