This paper investigates the differences between The Housemaid (1960) directed by Kim, Ki-Young and The Housemaid (2010) directed by Lim, Sang-Soo. Though the two films are original film and remake film, except for the main storyline, they are absolutely different texts containing different meaning, image and context. Above all the metaphor of spaces and variation of character lead to the different results. While The Housemaid by Kim, Ki-Young is a thriller, The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-soo becomes a black comedy containing a satire of the social conditions, especially the social class due to capitalism. Gender and sexuality belong to the social class, especially maids’ sexuality has been treated as a complex. But the aspects are rather different. While the ‘maid’ by Kim, Ki-Young is uncanny and subversive, the ‘maid’ by Lim, Sang-Soo is characterized as a mere victim of the social class in the monstrous capitalism. As a result, the capitalism overwhelms the virtues of feminism. The political unconscious of the text denies sisterhood and the solidarity of neglected people. The Housemaid by Kim, Ki-Young expresses the attitudes of ambivalence about femme fatale, that is, represents the male fantasy. The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-Soo reveals merely the people depending on money and capitalism. Besides, the labor of females contains sexual labor. These differences which give form to characters made the variation of genre, from a thriller into a black comedy. The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-Soo represents women as the subject of labor and consumption. But there are women wholly depending on other women’s labor. The solidarity between upper class women and lower class women doesn’t exist, even working class women don’t show the feeling of sisterhood. Besides, capitalism and patriarchism strengthen each other. So The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-Soo penetrates the system which rules gender and sexuality partly, but the insight is rather narrow-minded. For today feminism reflects the social class connected gender and sexuality including post- colonialism and queer theory. Feminist study is extending from women’s problems to social class and racial problems, but the image of women in film is not changed. Above all the directors’ gaze missed the solidarity that overcomes family ties, prejudice, ages, dispositions, and even classes. A counterproposal which feminism pursues can be found at this point.

This paper investigates the differences between The Housemaid (1960) directed by Kim, Ki-Young and The Housemaid (2010) directed by Lim, Sang-Soo. Though the two films are original film and remake film, except for the main storyline, they are absolutely different texts containing different meaning, image and context. Above all the metaphor of spaces and variation of character lead to the different results. While The Housemaid by Kim, Ki-Young is a thriller, The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-soo becomes a black comedy containing a satire of the social conditions, especially the social class due to capitalism. Gender and sexuality belong to the social class, especially maids’ sexuality has been treated as a complex. But the aspects are rather different. While the ‘maid’ by Kim, Ki-Young is uncanny and subversive, the ‘maid’ by Lim, Sang-Soo is characterized as a mere victim of the social class in the monstrous capitalism. As a result, the capitalism overwhelms the virtues of feminism. The political unconscious of the text denies sisterhood and the solidarity of neglected people. The Housemaid by Kim, Ki-Young expresses the attitudes of ambivalence about femme fatale, that is, represents the male fantasy. The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-Soo reveals merely the people depending on money and capitalism. Besides, the labor of females contains sexual labor. These differences which give form to characters made the variation of genre, from a thriller into a black comedy. The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-Soo represents women as the subject of labor and consumption. But there are women wholly depending on other women’s labor. The solidarity between upper class women and lower class women doesn’t exist, even working class women don’t show the feeling of sisterhood. Besides, capitalism and patriarchism strengthen each other. So The Housemaid by Lim, Sang-Soo penetrates the system which rules gender and sexuality partly, but the insight is rather narrow-minded. For today feminism reflects the social class connected gender and sexuality including post- colonialism and queer theory. Feminist study is extending from women’s problems to social class and racial problems, but the image of women in film is not changed. Above all the directors’ gaze missed the solidarity that overcomes family ties, prejudice, ages, dispositions, and even classes. A counterproposal which feminism pursues can be found at this point.

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thriller, black comedy, class, sexuality, the metaphor of spaces, characterization, feminism