The ineffable attraction of Korean dramas or K-dramas is a universal phenomenon that doesn’t require much analysis. After all, who doesn’t love series with crisp storylines, scenic locations, and good looking actors who also act well? The sky-high ratings of Korean dramas on Netflix provide enough evidence of their popularity. However, one aspect of K-dramas that is often overlooked is that they also feature some empowering female characters and women-centric storylines that break the glass ceiling in a myriad of ways.
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Read on to know about five women-centric K-dramas that will appeal to the superwoman in you:
Romance Is A Bonus Book (2019)
One of the more critically acclaimed K-dramas, Romance Is A Bonus Book chronicles the life of Kang Dan Yi, a woman who struggles to get back into the paid employment sector after taking a long break to take care of her family. Dan Yi ( Lee Na-young) only manages to secure a menial blue-collar job that is quite beneath her level of qualifications post her hiatus. However, she decides to rise to the occasion and goes on to prove her prowess all over again at her new job.
This drama tackles the often overlooked issue of women having to prioritise their families over their careers with finesse. It also includes an honest portrayal of how women can find it tough to cope with innovations and new trends when they resume working after a long gap.
Search: WWW is a refreshing tale of three super-confident young women who work in the tech industry. Bae Ta-mi (Im Soo-jung), Cha Hyeon (Lee Da-hee), and Song Ga-kyeong (Jeon Hye-jin) are three career-oriented women trying to prove their mettle at two leading web portals of the country. Apart from professional challenges, the show also focuses on the love lives of its three leading ladies. However, the love stories or interests never overshadow the individuality or triumphs of the women. The show also includes an accurate portrayal of how peace of mind can elude even the most professionally successful women.
Mother (2018)
Mother, a divergent tale of a woman’s courage and capacity for love, shows how Soo Jin (Lee Bo-young), a teacher, rescues one of her pupils from her abusive parents. After knowing about the abuse, Jin kidnaps the child to ensure her safety and goes on to develop a mother-child bond with her. A remake of an award-winning Japanese drama of the same name, the drama explores the nuances of child abuse, motherhood, and female courage masterfully. The drama also includes loads of suspense to keep viewers hooked episode after episode.
Weightlifting Fairy is a coming-of-age story that follows the life of Kim Bok-Joo, an aspiring weightlifter, as she struggles to accept her lack of ‘femininity’ and copes with self-esteem issues. Unlike most other K-dramas that feature petite, slim heroines, Weighlifting Fairy celebrates its physically strong female lead. It also includes an accurate portrayal of women athletes who dare to enter a traditionally male-dominated domain. In a refreshing change, the male love interest motivates the protagonist to chase her dream of weightlifting as part of a college team.
Another K-drama that celebrates female strength is Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon. Do Bong-Soon is a woman born with superhuman powers that are passed down to all the women in her family. The character goes on to subvert gender stereotypes when she takes up a job as the bodyguard of a video-game organisation’s CEO. Like a true-blue superhero, she also fights neighbourhood crime. A fearless female lead like Do Bong-Soon is hard to come across in the world of K-dramas that mostly portray ‘weakness’ as an attractive feminine quality.
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These five shows are sure to engross you with their progressive storylines and strong female protagonists. So get ready to kick back and lose yourself in K-Dramaland this weekend.
Image Credit: Forbes
Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV. The views expressed are the author's own.
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