Andrea Bilawich
Bachelor of Commerce
KEYWORDS: Korean Dramas, Media, Society, Women, Career
Describe your project in a few lines
My research project explores how Korean television dramas (or K-dramas) represent the challenges faced by women in the workforce, and how this aligns with social issues in South Korea. It finds that Kdrama heroines face barriers to professional advancement, misogynistic attitudes and behaviours, and trade-offs between their career and family life. Such portrayals reflect the experiences of working women in South Korea, thus generating discussion of these issues and contributing to social change.
What made you interested in this topic?
I love watching K-dramas, and I found the characterization of these shows’ leading ladies particularly interesting. While some dramas had “Cinderella”-type heroines, waiting to be rescued by a wealthy love interest, others featured independent, career-driven women with complex inner lives. While past literature on K-dramas had explored this contrast, I realized that few researchers had examined the professional struggles of K-drama protagonists—so, I decided to investigate this topic in greater depth.
What kind of research did you do for this paper?
First of all, I examined eight popular K-dramas from the past five years that focus on female characters’ working lives. I identified the challenges faced by the protagonists of each drama, and grouped them into several overarching themes. I also analyzed newspaper articles, which provided insight on whether actual working women in South Korea faced the same types of obstacles. Finally, I examined Reddit discussions, which revealed viewers’ interpretations of the dramas’ subject matter.
What advice would you give to students who are beginning their research in WRDS150?
In this course, there are almost unlimited directions that your research can take, so make sure to consider your topic carefully. What do you care about? What sparks your interest? When you observe the world all around you, what frustrates or excites you? This project will require substantial time and effort; if you select a subject you are passionate about, it will make the entire process more rewarding.
Link to Project
Far from a Fairy Tale: Struggles of Working Women in Korean Dramas