The Housemaid movie parents guide has become an essential search topic for families and viewers looking to understand the film’s mature themes before watching. The 2010 South Korean thriller The Housemaid, directed by Im Sang-soo, is a modern remake of the 1960 classic of the same name. As of December 20, 2025, the movie remains widely discussed for its provocative content, psychological depth, and moral tension—making it a film that requires careful consideration for viewers under 17.
This parents guide provides a factual and detailed look at The Housemaid, including its plot, content rating, language, violence, sexual material, and suitability for U.S. audiences.
Table of Contents
Overview of The Housemaid (2010)
- Original Title: Hanyo (Hangul: 하녀)
- Director: Im Sang-soo
- Starring: Jeon Do-yeon, Lee Jung-jae, Seo Woo, Youn Yuh-jung
- Genre: Drama / Thriller / Psychological
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Language: Korean (with English subtitles)
- U.S. Rating: Not officially rated by the MPAA; most streaming platforms label it TV-MA for mature audiences
The film tells the story of Eun-yi (Jeon Do-yeon), a young woman hired as a domestic worker for a wealthy family. Her quiet and obedient nature initially earns her trust, but her life takes a dark turn when she becomes romantically involved with the family’s patriarch. What follows is a chilling exploration of class, desire, betrayal, and power.
Plot Summary: A Story of Power and Obsession
The Housemaid opens with Eun-yi being hired by a wealthy family to assist in household duties and care for the couple’s daughter. The family appears perfect—elegant, rich, and socially influential—but beneath the surface lies moral corruption.
As Eun-yi becomes entangled in the family’s secrets, she begins an illicit affair with the husband, Hoon (Lee Jung-jae). When his wife and mother-in-law discover the relationship, they conspire to manipulate and destroy the young maid.
The second half of the film descends into emotional and psychological turmoil. The story evolves from a forbidden romance into a chilling critique of class inequality, exposing the cruelty that wealth and privilege can conceal.
The movie’s ending is shocking and symbolic, leaving audiences unsettled long after the credits roll.
Content Rating and Age Suitability
While The Housemaid has not received a formal MPAA rating in the U.S., streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon categorize it as TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) due to explicit sexual content, nudity, and emotional intensity.
For parents in the U.S., this means the film is not suitable for children under 17. Viewers should expect disturbing scenes, sexual material, and adult themes that explore moral corruption and psychological abuse.
Suggested Age Recommendation: 17+
Sexual Content
Sexual relationships and erotic imagery are central to the film’s plot.
- The movie contains multiple scenes of sexual activity between Eun-yi and Hoon. While not pornographic, these scenes are explicit and emotional in nature.
- Partial female and male nudity is shown during these encounters, emphasizing the imbalance of power between the characters.
- Sexual scenes are used not for titillation, but to underline themes of exploitation and manipulation.
Parents should note that younger or sensitive viewers may find these scenes distressing due to their intensity and emotional undertones.
Violence and Disturbing Imagery
While The Housemaid is not a violent film in a traditional sense, it contains psychological and emotional violence that can be deeply disturbing.
- There is a suicide scene depicted graphically near the film’s conclusion.
- Moments of emotional abuse, intimidation, and humiliation are portrayed throughout.
- The tone grows increasingly tense and tragic as the story progresses, with some scenes involving self-harm and shocking acts of revenge.
Parents and guardians should be aware that these moments, though not gory, are emotionally heavy and may be unsuitable for younger or impressionable audiences.
Profanity and Language
The film’s dialogue includes mild profanity in translation, though the original Korean script focuses more on tone and expression than coarse language. English subtitles may include words like “damn” or “hell,” but no extreme profanity is used.
The emotional weight of the dialogue lies in the characters’ manipulation and cruelty, which can be psychologically intense rather than verbally vulgar.
Drug and Alcohol Use
- Alcohol consumption is shown in several scenes, particularly during dinner parties and social gatherings.
- There is no depiction of illegal drug use, but the film portrays heavy emotional dependence on alcohol as a form of escapism among wealthy characters.
These moments are contextually relevant and reflect class culture rather than glamorization of substance use.
Themes and Moral Lessons
At its core, The Housemaid is a story about class, morality, and control. It highlights how economic power can corrupt relationships and human empathy.
Key themes include:
- Class Division: The movie draws a clear line between the rich and the working class, showing how privilege can breed cruelty.
- Power and Exploitation: The master-servant relationship is used to explore manipulation and imbalance in human relationships.
- Gender and Objectification: Eun-yi’s vulnerability becomes a lens to critique how women’s roles are often constrained by societal expectations.
- Consequences of Immorality: The film ends with tragedy, serving as a symbolic punishment for unchecked greed and arrogance.
These themes make the movie powerful but emotionally demanding, better suited for mature audiences capable of processing complex moral content.
Comparison with the 1960 Original
The 2010 remake differs significantly from Kim Ki-young’s 1960 version, though both share the same title and core narrative.
| Aspect | 1960 Original | 2010 Remake |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Kim Ki-young | Im Sang-soo |
| Style | Black-and-white psychological thriller | Colorized, modern, and visually stylized |
| Tone | Gothic horror elements | Psychological realism and social critique |
| Ending | Tragic, ambiguous | Emotionally shocking, symbolic, and politically charged |
| Message | Moral decay within middle-class society | Corruption of modern upper-class privilege |
Both versions highlight similar themes, but the 2010 film uses modern visuals, symbolism, and pacing to reach a global audience.
Critical Reception and Awards
Upon release, The Housemaid premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, where it received strong international attention for its bold storytelling and striking cinematography.
- Jeon Do-yeon earned widespread acclaim for her portrayal of Eun-yi, winning multiple Best Actress awards at international film festivals.
- The movie was praised for its visual style, blending elegance and menace.
- Some critics found the explicit content controversial but agreed that it served the narrative rather than exploiting it.
As of December 2025, The Housemaid holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 66% (critics) and 74% (audience). It remains one of South Korea’s most discussed psychological thrillers of the past 15 years.
Where to Watch “The Housemaid” in 2025
For U.S. viewers, The Housemaid (2010) is currently available on:
- Amazon Prime Video (rental and purchase)
- Apple TV
- Tubi (ad-supported streaming)
- Vudu
- Criterion Channel (as part of Korean New Wave features)
All versions include English subtitles, and the Criterion edition offers behind-the-scenes interviews with director Im Sang-soo and lead actress Jeon Do-yeon.
Educational Value for Mature Viewers
Though not suitable for children or teens, The Housemaid offers significant cultural and artistic value for adult audiences.
The film encourages discussions about social inequality, moral hypocrisy, and the treatment of domestic workers—issues that remain relevant across the globe. In classrooms or film studies programs, The Housemaid is often analyzed for its:
- Feminist commentary on power and victimization
- Cinematic parallels to Western films like Parasite (2019) and Fatal Attraction (1987)
- Symbolic use of architecture to represent hierarchy and confinement
It’s a movie that rewards thoughtful analysis and sparks meaningful dialogue about the human cost of ambition and privilege.
Parental Guidance Summary Table
| Category | Content Description | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Content | Multiple explicit scenes; partial nudity | Not suitable under 17 |
| Violence | Suicide and emotional abuse depicted | Mature audiences only |
| Profanity | Mild language, mostly contextual | 13+ acceptable |
| Alcohol/Drugs | Social drinking; no drug use | 16+ |
| Themes | Class conflict, manipulation, morality | 17+ recommended |
Parents should use discretion when considering the film for teen viewers, as the emotional and sexual content is intense and psychologically complex.
Conclusion
The Housemaid movie parents guide highlights why this acclaimed Korean thriller is best reserved for mature audiences. While visually stunning and emotionally powerful, it explores dark human behaviors that can be deeply unsettling for younger viewers.
For adults, however, the film remains a masterful work of art—a chilling reflection on class, morality, and the hidden costs of privilege.