Women characters no longer wait to be chosen in K-dramas

Poster for Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines" / Courtesy of Netflix

By Park Jin-hai

• Published Sep 4, 2025 7:00 AM KST
• Updated Sep 4, 2025 3:20 PM KST

Bechdel Choice 10 highlights evolving trends

Forget damsels in distress and a focus on love interests. The women dominating K-dramas today are choosing themselves.

Bechdel Day 2025 is a festival hosted by the Directors Guild of Korea to raise audience awareness of gender equality and diversity through film and TV. This year's 10 drama selections were chosen from among 102 entries released between June 2024 and May 2025, and reflect a trend for female characters defined not by their relationships with men, but by their own ambitions, relationships and agency. Whether in contemporary thrillers or lavish period dramas, women lead the charge in these media masterpieces.

Critic Jung Duk-hyun said, "Of course, romance is still a staple, but increasingly we’re also seeing narratives of ‘womance’ — stories about women’s relationships with each other. Female-centered dramas have always existed, but what has shifted more strongly in recent years is how actively these women choose and live within their own stories.”

Yun Suk-jin, cultural critic and professor of Korean language and literature at Chungnam National University, added that the transformation of women from passive figures defined by their relationships with men into proactive, independent protagonists has been underway for quite some time.

What we’re now witnessing, he argued, is the strengthening of stories led entirely by women.

“We’ve moved into a stage where the narrative no longer requires a male counterpart at all. Previously, women and men often shared balanced roles within dramas. Now, however, it is women who take the lead, with men appearing in supporting positions, signaling a clear shift in storytelling structures," he said.

According to the Bechdel Day 2025 organizing committee, this year highlights how large-scale dramas, including period pieces and historical epics, stand out when they developed their female characters with nuance and depth.

Here are the series selected for this year's Bechdel Choice 10, presented in no particular order.

'When Life Gives You Tangerines'

With a production budget of 60 billion won, the Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines" became a global hit and drew critical praise from the organizing committee as “a work that transforms the previously one-dimensional portrayals of women, including mothers and grandmothers into a rich, deeply detailed narrative, delivering a vast emotional spectacle.”

The drama charts the lives of three generations of women spanning 65 years on Jeju Island, beginning in the 1960s. At its heart are Ae-soon (IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum), whose resilience in the face of poverty and hardship underscores themes of sacrifice, love and perseverance.

Their story resonates as a portrait of the postwar generation in Korea, especially parents who endured limitations and loss but held fast to the hope of building better futures for their children.

'Good Partner'

Unlike typical courtroom dramas where a charismatic male lawyer takes center stage while their female counterpart serves in a supporting role, "Good Partner" turns the tables.

This series boldly places two women — a seasoned lawyer (Jang Na-ra) and a rookie newcomer (Nam Ji-hyun) — at the very core of the narrative, centering their perspectives as they navigate the emotional and legal complexities of divorce cases.

Critic and the event judge Kim Kyo-seok said, “This show breaks away from traditional male-centered dynamics — the father-and-son or intergenerational bromances as seen in 'Star Wars' or 'Top Gun.' Instead, in this drama, two female characters carry the story. The result isn’t merely about depicting ‘feminine traits’ but about delivering the same genre thrills in a way that transcends gender."

Jung also emphasized how the series incorporates explicitly women-centered concerns.

“The show tackles issues often central to divorce proceedings, such as custody and child care. Beyond the cases themselves, it captures challenges unique to women’s perspectives — the balancing act of being a working mom, the difficulty of juggling career and family life — making it a drama steeped in female experiences and viewpoints," he said.

'Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born'

"Jeongnyeon" from tvN, tracing the coming-of-age story of a young woman (Kim Tae-ri) active in an all-woman theater troupe during the 1950s, was praised by the committee as “a work where the gender-defying tradition of women’s 'gukgeuk' theater and the vision of contemporary female creators intersect.”

Jung explained that Korea's mid-20th century all-women theater style, which featured women playing both male and female roles, is a vanishing performance form and noted that the very choice of subject already conveys a deeply gender-conscious perspective.

"Beyond the drama itself, the series is significant in that it helped rekindle interest in women’s gukgeuk in the real world," he said. “Kim Tae-ri’s performance [as Jeongnyeon] was nothing short of commanding. It’s essentially a woman-led drama carried almost entirely on her shoulders. But what the series also portrays quite powerfully is the dual dynamic among women — the rivalries that unfold on stage and within the troupe, alongside the solidarity and bonds that sustain them.”

'The Tale of Lady Ok'

This series, set in the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty, was hailed as a groundbreaking historical drama that unfolds a subversive worldview through a strong female protagonist protecting the vulnerable.

It is regarded by the festival committee as a "notable milestone in the genre for introducing a fresh kind of heroic narrative within the traditional period drama framework."

The drama follows Gu-deok (Lim Ji-yeon), a female slave who escapes and assumes the identity of a noblewoman. As she navigates her new status, she becomes a skilled legal advocate fighting societal injustices, defending the oppressed and challenging rigid Confucian norms.

Kim said, "The drama itself isn’t entirely novel if you simply change the protagonist’s gender. What’s impressive, though, is that by making the hero female, the story transforms into one about a new type of hero — someone who fiercely protects her family and community."

Yun highlighted the show’s nuanced portrayal of social hierarchy.

“Despite the rigid class constraints of the time, the protagonist builds her own world within this doubly oppressive environment. Though she lives under the borrowed identity of a noblewoman, she carves out a self-directed life and maintains agency even in her relationships with men," he said.

'Our Unwritten Seoul'

This drama follows twin sisters (Park Bo-young) who switch places, revealing the challenges women face and how they overcome them. Its realistic approach avoids sensationalism and clichés, drawing genuine empathy.

Through Mi-ji’s switch with her sister Mi-rae, who endures workplace bullying, the series explores themes of identity, healing and the unique pressures women face both personally and professionally. Park Bo-young, who played the dual roles of Mi-ji and Mi-rae, won the Bechdelian Award for Lead Actor.

Beyond the intimate character journeys, the narrative addresses broader social issues such as workplace harassment, exploitation and the strength found in community solidarity.

This blend of intimate character drama with socially conscious storytelling has earned the drama acclaim as a quietly powerful reflection on contemporary Korean society and the often unseen struggles of its people.

'Miss Night and Day'

This drama offers a witty portrayal of the contrasting realities faced by young adults and middle-aged women. The series cleverly brings socially marginalized women to the forefront, using a body-swap fantasy to shed light on contemporary social issues with charm and humor.

It follows a woman in her 20s (Jung Eun-ji) who mysteriously transforms into a 50-something woman (Lee Jung-eun) by day, navigating a senior internship at a prosecutors’ office, while her younger self, struggling to land a job, takes over at night.

The show expertly blends themes of identity, age and societal pressure, mixing workplace drama and romance with a thriller subplot. Praised for its insightful social commentary, it highlights the worries of youth struggling with unemployment alongside middle-aged women reentering or staying in the workforce, sparking conversations across generations about societal roles and empathy.

'Hyper Knife'

This medical drama transcends traditional tropes by focusing on a complex mentor-student relationship set against a male-female dynamic. The committee praised it as a "refreshing provocation that takes unpredictable routes, breaking away from conventional expectations."

The series centers on Se-ok (Park Eun-bin), a brilliant but disgraced neurosurgeon who performs illegal surgeries. When her mentor Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu) faces a life-threatening brain illness, he seeks her out for help, reigniting a tense power struggle filled with ethical dilemmas, revenge and ambition.

The drama deftly blends medical thriller elements while challenging stereotypes.

'Doubt'

MBC’s psychological thriller "Doubt" centers on a top criminal profiler (Han Suk-kyu) who faces an agonizing dilemma when he discovers that his daughter (Chae Won-bin) is entangled in a murder case he is investigating.

Praised for its narrative depth, the series uses familial love as a powerful catalyst that enhances the suspense and emotional intensity.

The drama explores the complex and strained relationship between a father and daughter caught between loyalty, trust and the pursuit of truth. It unveils dark family secrets within a gripping mystery, blending intense psychological suspense with heartfelt human drama, making it a standout in the genre.

'Friendly Rivalry'

This fresh coming-of-age story, based on the lives of girls battling intense academic competition, breaks away from conventions, earning praise for its original approach.

The psychological thriller is set at a prestigious girls’ high school where intense academic competition takes a dark turn. The story follows an orphan from a rural town (Chung Su-bin) who struggles to survive and outshine her wealthy and powerful rival (Hyeri).

What begins as a fierce academic rivalry escalates into a high-stakes psychological battle involving deception, cheating and family secrets. The drama explores the pressures of education, the lengths students will go to succeed and the complex dynamics of friendship and trust under extreme stress.

'A Virtuous Business'

This comedy-drama set in the 1990s tells the story of four women in a rural village who start selling adult products door-to-door, challenging social taboos. The show gives depth and nuance to its female characters, portraying them as relatable, everyday women facing real struggles.

The series centers on a financially struggling housewife (Kim So-yeon) whose husband has lost his job who discovers she has an unexpected talent for sales. Along with her friends, she endures social judgment while experiencing personal growth, solidarity and empowerment.

The drama highlights female resilience and independence, showcasing how ambition and mutual support can help women break traditional norms and reclaim their dreams in a restrictive society.