Time to Step Forward
By: Yee Tung Wong
Tags: K Drama, Korea, Gender Stereotype, Gender Role

Welcoming the Concept of the Modern Female in Korea

Throwing back to my college life in my hometown, the first Korean drama I watched was called Princess Hours. I remembered at that time, all my classmates, my sister and the teens around me were talking about this K-drama. In the show, a poor but kind-hearted leading actress meets and falls in love with a crown prince, who is indifferent and insensitive, but feels lonely inside his heart.

Since the 21st Century, the world witnessed a global phenomenon involving the rise of interest in Korean culture. This popular culture has captivated lots of people, especially adolescents in Asia. K-drama has occupied a huge part of the Korean Wave.

Since the cultural proximity in k-drama is closer to Asian audiences’ life expectation and we share the Confucian culture, thus when the Asian audience is watching Korean dramas, they would feel those contents are related to them. The cultural proximity is not only included clothing styles or eating habit, but it also penetrates mannerism and values, such as ‘norms of beauty’, and patriarchal value, and eventually this kind of classical romantic storyline subtle influence on our minds and persuade us to accept these values. But, have you ever discovered that these TV dramas are gendered stereotyped?

Princess Hours (2006) has become one of the most famous K-dramas and spread throughout Asia. Because of the huge success of this story of dominating men and weak women, the same formula has been kept repeating in various K-dramas. From The Heirs (2013) to What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018), they reflected that K-drama seems wedded to this typical Cinderella trope, these kinds of narrative story structure can rapidly draw audience’s attention, engaging them and motivating them to keep watching. Although the K-drama is relatively homogeneous and conventional, believing and everyone still enjoys these stereotypical and repetitive character patterns and story plots. But, I reckon that there are a bunch of people fed up about these kinds of K-dramas, and I believe it is time for Korea to abandon this archaic mindset and welcome the new era of a progressive society.

Female Portrayals in K-dramas

Confucian culture has deeply embedded Korean mind-sets, also influencing the production of media contents. Producers try to construct the females’ image as subservient and wimpish through the character setting and story plots in k-drama.

In-order-to constructs a power disparity between actor and actress, placing the actress in a weak and passive position is essential. Usually, the career and social status of the actress in the drama are relatively low and impoverished while the actors are wealthy and professional. Besides, abandoned and embarrassed by man actors then seeking help from men actors are the common portrayals for Korean actresses in the storyline. Thus, it can frame the situation that the male character could take in charge of the relationship, which is unthinkable for the actress against the actor.

Using The Heir as an example, there are many scenes about the actress has been insulted and embarrassed by the actor several times. After their relationship became closer in the drama, the female actress kept being passive in their relationship and protected by the actor. It sounds ordinary and romantic, but in fact, it is not. Take a step backward and rethink the story plot again, who would seek help and make friend with a guy who has insulted and made you feel embarrassed before? And, why females must be the one who needs males to protect?

These drama contents have reinforced that the ideal type of a “good woman” is being a female in society should obey with the man. Besides, they are conveying that the society does not need strong women, which, “in every stage of a female, they should belong to a man, and should not trust dictate their own lives, because they should rely on men and let them make their decisions for them.” They are just emphasising the concept that females can do nothing without males — which is entirely inaccurate and gender-stereotyped.

Gender Stereotype is Problematic

Gender stereotype in media is problematic because it has restricted the female’s images, behaviours or even lifestyle. Also, stereotyping in gender can cause unfair treatment and attribute a negative impact on society. These media contents may affect how we feel about women identities, and what kinds of women we want to be. “Being a female, expressing ambition, and dressing in a less feminine way can be questioned.” For example, after I watched a k-drama, which is called What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, I would start to concern about my dressing style, behaviour and speaking tone: Is it too boyish for a girl to act like this? Or, how can I become a lady like an actress in the drama? However, this awareness is not made out of autonomous desires, but the content in the k-drama, because these mediated contents have the power to influence our minds, and construct the way we see the world.

As a woman in this new era, their images should not be tedious, but they should be more diverse, and not limited by the gender stereotype and gender role. Thus, it is the time for Korean to abandon the old concept and welcome the Modern Females.