SummaryEun-yi is hired as a nanny in an lavish mansion by businessman Hoon and his very pregnant wife, Hae-ra. When Eun-yi is seduced by the father of the house, she becomes the unwitting victim in a series of traps laid by the women of the house—Hae-ra, her villainous mother, and their seemingly loyal but increasingly bitter housekeeper. Intensely erot... Read More
Directed By:Im Sang-soo
Written By:Kim Ki-young, Im Sang-soo
The Housemaid
Metascore
Generally Favorable
68
User score
Generally Favorable
6.5
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
29% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Mar 4, 2011
75
Falls somewhere between the kind of trashy, campy romp that's on movie channels in the middle of the night (though with far superior acting and production values) and the dark psychological thrillers of Kim Ki-duk.
User score
Generally Favorable
41% Positive
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
55% Mixed
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
3% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Jan 20, 2026
8
A compelling theatrical experience from 2010 that captured my interest and earned a strong four-star rating.241113 (4.0)I watched this film in the theater back in 2010. Even without a detailed written record from that time, the 4.0 rating serves as a clear indicator that the film was highly successful in its delivery, offering a level of quality and engagement that stood out among its contemporaries. A score like this suggests a work with strong direction, an immersive narrative, and performances that left a lasting positive impression. It represents a period in my life where I was actively seeking out quality cinema, and this particular viewing experience remains a solid memory of a well-spent time at the movies. Looking back, it holds its place as a high-caliber film that managed to balance entertainment with artistic merit, justifying its high standing in my personal archives from over a decade ago. It’s a testament to the film's enduring value that I still look back on that 2010 theatrical visit with such distinct satisfaction.
Feb 3, 2011
75
The acting's very strong throughout, though few would argue that the final half-hour satisfies either as suspense, or narrative, or social observation.
Jan 20, 2011
75
The class warfare in The Housemade feels dated, but there's something nicely kinky in this lusciously photographed erotic Korean thriller by Im Sang-soo.
Jan 18, 2011
70
The outcome is a flamingly sexy soap opera whose satire on high society is sometimes as savage as Claude Chabrol's "La ceremonie."
Feb 3, 2011
50
In creating his modern homage to the classic film, Im has twisted all the heated melodrama into a satiric - and in the end, surrealist - attack on the terrors of the polished upper class.
Jan 17, 2011
50
With high production values and a glossily enjoyable mise-en-scene, the film is watchable.
Aug 4, 2011
8
if you find the ending histrionic or excessively and annoyingly melodramatic, it means you have been thinking in a hollywood formulaic manner. it's wonderful to appreciate as a whole, a show-don't-tell movie, has a wonderful soundtrack, and it's sexy. but at the back of my head, i ask, is this an anti-abortion, anti-classist propaganda? maybe not.
Aug 30, 2019
7
With great acting performances, beautiful cinematography, a good soundtrack and interesting characters, "The Housemaid" is a remake done right. Despite it's admittedly over the top ending, it's still worth watching.
Aug 4, 2021
6
To be an erotic thriller, the truth is that it came to feel too passive at times, yet the characters are defined and the film is elegant and suspenseful enough to keep you wondering about when things are going to explode. The Housemaid is unquestionably ordinary, but it fulfills its purpose of entertaining and at the same time of making you think a little about the situations of submission, power and privilege the story presents.
Aug 14, 2012
6
A remake of a classic masterpiece is always been a thankless task, but since half a century has passed since 1960, when Ki-young Kim
May 1, 2012
5
Grade: C - Not a very bad movie but i didn't liked it much. Beautiful set pieces, visually stunning, pretentious acting, too much holding back apart from a few good scenes. Overall the ending was quite strong which i liked .... erotic thriller that acts like a indie arthouse flick but fails in both ways.
Production Company:
- Sidus FNH-Benex Cinema Fund 1
- Michigan Venture Capital
- CJ Venture Investment
- Stareast Digital Laboratory
- Hanwha Entertainment Fund No. 1
- Mirovision
- Sidus
Release Date:Jan 21, 2011
Duration:1 h 46 m
Tagline:When opportunity knocks, answer at your own risk.
Awards
Grand Bell Awards, South Korea
• 1 Win & 6 Nominations
Blue Dragon Awards
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
Asian Film Awards
• 2 Wins & 4 Nominations
