Presented in partnership with Art Gallery of New South Wales
This special event includes a screening of The Handmaiden (2016), directed by Park Chan-wook, followed by a conversation with the film’s renowned production designer, Ryu Seong-hee, in dialogue with Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, Film Curator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Production design is the art of translating the story and worldview of a film into a visual language by interpreting the scenario’s imagery and overseeing the look and feel of the entire production. In The Handmaiden, Ryu Seong-hee’s masterful production design fuses Korean and Western sensibilities to create a lavish yet unsettling atmosphere that heightens the psychological complexity of the narrative. Her meticulous approach to building cinematic worlds has made her one of Korea’s most distinguished art directors, shaping the visual identity of numerous award-winning films.
This program highlights the art of production design as a vital component of cinematic storytelling. It is held in conjunction with the exhibition Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds, on view at the Korean Cultural Centre Australia from 14 August 2025.
BIO
Ryu Seong-hee is a distinguished South Korean production designer known for her meticulous attention to detail and ability to create richly atmospheric worlds on screen. After realizing her original artistic path was not the right fit, she pursued specialized training in film art by enrolling at the American Film Institute (AFI) in 1995. Upon returning to Korea, she contributed to Ryoo Seung-wan’s No Blood No Tears (2002), where the term “production designer” was introduced in place of “art director” for the first time in Korean cinema. Ryu is widely recognized for her work on The Handmaiden (2016), Decision to Leave (2023), Oldboy (2003), and Memories of Murder (2003), films that helped elevate Korean cinema on the international stage. In 2016, she became the first Korean to receive the prestigious Vulcan Prize for Technical Artistry at the 69th Cannes Film Festival for her work on The Handmaiden. Her ongoing collaboration with director Park Chan-wook is particularly celebrated for its creative synergy and distinctive visual storytelling, solidifying her reputation as one of South Korea’s most accomplished and influential production designers. Most recently, she expanded her creative portfolio as co-artistic director of the Netflix original series When Life Gives You Tangerines, further cementing her versatility.
Date & Venue
Saturday 16 August 2025, 1:00–5:00 PM
Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Programs
1:00 PM – 1:10 PM Opened by Dr. Sunmin Yoon, Director of the KCCAU & Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, Film Curator of the AGNSW
1:10 PM – 3:35 PM The Handmaiden Screening
3:35 PM – 3:55 PM Break
3:55 PM – 4:30 PM Talk and Q&A
Registration
Register HERE
Free event but registration is required.