Proclamation: It is absolutely possible for a korean drama to have bromance for women. What shall we call it? Sismance, sislove, womance?
Unkind Women has to be one of the best written and best-filmed Korean dramas about women I have ever seen. It is absolutely excellent. The writer is Kim In-Young and the directors are Yoo Hyun Ki and Han Sang Woo.
The drama blends traditional and modern very well without being apologetic for either. The drama has three generations of women living in a traditional-style house. The grandmother is a cook--cook vs. chef implies a difference, whether good or bad is for another day--and she made a living by cooking. She has two daughters, one of whom is a tv anchor and the other is working on getting her life together. Their lives are changed when their father leaves them for his mistress and ends up gone. Without spoiling it for everyone, this show really developed its characters. There was no lazy writing here. Even the issue of the father's betrayal is well developed as is the issue of the mistress. The focus is on the women and not-so-much the men.
AND THE WOMEN ARE DYNAMIC!!!
Do you know how rare it is to find well-developed female characters in kdramas?? Talkless of well-developed female villains??
Issues touched on:
- ageism
- platonic and nonplatonic love in elderly folks
- platonic and nonplatonic love in young folks
- one-sided love in elderly folks
- one-sided love in young folks
- abuse of power
- MENTAL HEALTH!!!!!
- the power of words
- the mental health of students
- the massive effects a criminal accusation can make on a young person's life
- looking back to the past
With the "massive effects a criminal accusation can make on a young person's life" issue, I recall something I read in my power and gender class. It is that a mere accusation by an authority or even handcuffing a child or student whether or not that person goes to jail or prison can have an immense effect on that person. It can foretell a person's life or stunt their progress for years or decades. That part really stuck with me.
Looking back at the past has become a favorite theme of mine either in the dramaworld or in everyday life. I want to know how life was in the past. With Nigeria, I am interested in precolonial life. I see a parallel with the actuarial field and looking at historical data.
