The distribution rights to Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden” have been sold in a record 175 countries, making it the widest-selling Korean film to date.

The film’s rights were sold to over 55 countries at the Cannes Film Festival’s Film Market on Thursday, said CJ E&M, the film’s distributor.

Prior to Cannes, the film’s rights had already been sold to 120 countries.

The previous record for international sales of a Korean film was held by director Bong Joon-ho’s “Snowpiercer,” which sold in 167 countries. The 2013 dystopian thriller starred Hollywood actors Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton.

“The Handmaiden’s” feat is significant in that the film stars an all-Korean cast who deliver the dialogues in Korean, said CJ E&M, adding that the appeal of the film seems to have transcended cultural and linguistic barriers.

In the U.S., the film will be distributed by Amazon Studios and Magnolia Pictures and open in September. The film will be distributed by The Jokers in France and open in October.

“The Handmaiden” is a lesbian-themed period flick about a gold-digging count who hires a maid to help him seduce a wealthy heiress, and stars actors Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong and Kim Tae-ri. It premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival on May 14 in competition for the Palme d’Or.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)