Park Chan-wook’s upcoming thriller “The Handmaiden” has sealed overseas distribution deals in 116 countries ahead of its local premiere later this year.

The film’s distributor CJ E&M on Wednesday announced the deals, selling to the U.S., France, Germany, Japan and Australia, among others, at the European Film Market during the latest Berlin International Film Festival. Amazon’s film production division Amazon Studios bought the U.S rights.

It is the second-largest overseas sales success for CJ E&M, following Bong Joon-ho’s “Snowpiercer,” which in 2013 was sold to 167 countries ahead of its premiere. 

“The expectation for Park Chan-wook’s work is high and the visuals revealed from the highlight clip was satisfactory, which drew record presales,” said Kim Seong-eun, CJ E&M’s film division representative.

The “Oldboy” director’s new thriller is a screen adaption of the 2002 crime novel “Fingersmith” by British author Sarah Waters, which was previously adapted into a two-part BBC miniseries in 2005.

Park’s version has changed the time period from 19th century London to early 20th century Korea, when the country was under Japanese colonial rule.

Actress Kim Min-hee, known for “Helpless” and “Very Ordinary Couple,” will play a young, wealthy heiress, while actor Ha Jung-woo, who was in “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” and “The Chaser,” will play a Japanese aristocrat who hires a female petty thief -- played by rookie Kim Tae-ri -- to go after Kim’s money. Actor Cho Jin-woong, who was in “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” and “A Hard Day,” joins the cast as the heiress’ uncle and guardian, along with seasoned actresses Kim Hae-sook and Moon So-ri.

It is Park’s return to the local movie market after a seven-year hiatus following “Thirst” (2009). His Hollywood debut “Stoker” (2013), a British-American thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode and Mia Wasikowska, received positive reviews from critics, but was not a huge box office hit.

“The Handmaiden” is coproduced by Park’s own Moho Film and “Oldboy” producer Lim Seung-yong’s Yong Film. It is set to hit screens in the early half of this year.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)