Park Chan-Wook’s tenth directorial film, The Handmaiden, debuted at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The natal chart of the film has Sagittarius rising with retrograde Mars and retrograde Saturn on the ascendant. The sun was in Taurus, conjunct Mercury and retrograde Venus in the sixth whole sign house. The Moon and Jupiter are conjunct in the tenth house.

The major themes of the film are deception, revenge, and questioning domineering authority figures. The film follows the interwoven stories of a pickpocket, Sooki (Tamako), Lady Hideko, and Count Fujihara. As the film progresses, the audience gains insight into each of the character’s motivations and perspectives which ultimately ends in the viewer learning how each character deceived the other. Lady Hikedo and Sooki eventually fall in love and reject the male authority figures that control them.   

Saturn and Mars both being in retrograde on the ascendant corresponds with the issues surrounding the men in positions of power in the film. Kozuki and Count Fujihara both embody the archetypes of Saturn and Mars respectfully. Kozuki is calculated and dictates his niece’s life to his advantage. He seldom leaves the threshold of the manor, since he has complete control over everything inside the property. Thresholds and structure are two of the main signifiers of Saturn in Hellensistic astrology. Count Fujihara knows what he wants (money) and will do anything to get it (lie, cheat, and steal). The overt displays of his sexuality are also very martian. Both of the malefic planets are retrograde, which distorts their normal flow of energy in the chart. The conjunction of these two retrograde malefic planets in the first house also correlates to the general themes of deception and revenge in the film.

The conjunction of the Sun, Mercury, and Venus is located in the sixth house of Taurus. Venus is at home but it is also retrograde in the sixth house which debilitates it. The themes surrounding love are warped in the film which is reflected by this natal placement. Although Sooki and Lady Hideko do end up moving beyond their traumatic pasts together, they started their relationship by lying to one another. Count Fujihara convinced Sooki that she would become the handmaiden to a rich woman who he would marry then send to an insane asylum. She would receive some of the Lady’s fortune as a reward for helping the Count. The Count was working with Hideko to give her Sooki’s identity after planning to lock her in the asylum. Mercury is within two degrees of Venus giving them a strong influence on each other. The mercurial effect on the retrograde Venus creates a symbiotic relationship between areas relating to thought, observation, communication, and the areas of life relating to love, one’s finances, and personal taste. The central motivation all the characters share is their desire to gain as much of Lady Hideko’s family fortune as possible; each character is willing to lie and deceive everyone else if necessary. This is a manifestation of that mercury and retrograde Venus conjunction. Another way in which this aspect shows itself is through the meticulously curated sets and costume design. The level of detail given to the aesthetics of the film is fitting for a strong Venus-Mercury aspect. 

Jupiter is the chart ruler since Sagittarius is on the ascendant. Jupiter in this natal chart is conjunct the moon in the tenth house of Virgo. The Handmaiden does have an elaborate plot which is represented throughout the chart but is highlighted by this placement within the tenth house. The tenth house represents how the subject of the chart is perceived by the public. Since Jupiter and the Moon reside within this house, it is fitting that the film has an imposing impression. The conjunction of the chart ruler and the moon is opposite Neptune which is exhibited by the intricate plot lines. Neptune opposite the Moon can be confusing or mystifying. The Handmaiden is a film that has incredible rewatch value given how much attention to detail was given to the plot and settings. This placement is validated by the intricacies of the plot.

Natal info: May 14th, 2016, 10:00 pm in Cannes, France.
Chart calculated using Whole Sign Houses with astro-seek.com