Transforming into an Independent and Original Character in Cinderella
Impact of Changes in Women's Status and Improved Education Levels
Foreign media analysis has emerged noting that female protagonists in Korean dramas, once limited to Cinderella-like roles, are transforming into independent characters with original narratives.
On the 10th (local time), the British BBC broadcast covered K-dramas, stating, "Many current K-dramas feature complex and powerful female characters reflecting significant changes in society and media practices, unlike in the past."
BBC cited Geum Jan-di from the 2009 KBS drama 'Boys Over Flowers' as a representative outdated female character. 'Boys Over Flowers' is based on the Japanese manga of the same name, depicting the love story between a spoiled chaebol heir and a resilient girl from a humble background. It recorded ratings well over 30% during its broadcast.
As examples of transformed female characters, the protagonists of the Netflix drama 'The Glory' and the ENA drama 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' were mentioned.
The media introduced, "One of this year's biggest hits, 'The Glory,' tells the story of a woman seeking revenge against bullying, and 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo,' which also gained great popularity, features a female lawyer with autism."
Attention was also drawn to characters who do not hesitate to use violence for revenge. The Netflix drama 'My Name,' which depicts a daughter's revenge by infiltrating the police to find the murderer of her father, was cited as an example.
The casting of mature female actors as leads was also seen as a change. Um Jung-hwa, who played the title role in the JTBC drama 'Doctor Cha Jeong-suk,' which ended successfully in June, said in an interview with the media in June, "When I debuted, you couldn't be a lead after turning 30, and after 35, you often played mother roles," expressing a sense of the changed status of female actors in Korean dramas.
She added, "Cha Jeong-suk, whom I portrayed, also says she 'fulfilled her role as a mother' and pursues her dreams, and her journey is incredibly moving."
Baek Mi-kyung, the writer of JTBC's 'Strong Woman Do Bong-soon' (2017), which featured the first female superhero character in Korean dramas, recalled in a BBC interview, "After that, I wrote and succeeded with 'The Lady in Dignity' (2017), which dealt with the story of two middle-aged women, but initially it was difficult to find a broadcaster willing to produce it," adding, "It was only after the success of 'Do Bong-soon' that production was decided."
She expressed her ambition, saying, "Recently, female characters in Korean dramas have become more proactive, powerful, cool, and independent, but I am still not satisfied. I want to change the landscape further."
BBC analyzed, "The unprecedented appearance of diverse female characters in Korean dramas is influenced by changes in women's status due to economic development, improved education levels, aspirations for social success, and investments from well-funded streaming services like Netflix."
U.S. CNN also says, "Unimaginable a few years ago"
Earlier, U.S. CNN reported, "The number of female protagonists on Korean television has significantly increased. They are increasingly portrayed in powerful positions," adding, "These are stories that were unimaginable just a few years ago."
CNN explained that Korean broadcasting reflects the times, quoting a Korean drama industry insider who said, "Because many people regard marriage as a personal choice, it would be difficult to find female characters genuinely interested in marriage in dramas released in recent years."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
