A Man And A Woman was great, only quibble is the awful loud music at the end. Like what?? considering the film used barely any OST lol, took me out for a min.

JDY was lucky that she made her mark in film (Still film stars have a leg up/more respected than drama actors), so she's been able to still get dynamic parts. Had she debuted later, it might've been harder despite her talents. I heard in Chungmuro, they use the same top stars so its harder for newbies to get in their circle. That's why most drama actors switch to film, than the other way around b/c of how hard it is to maintain your place in Chungmuro. Ex. Ryu Jun Yeol did Reply 88/another drama and then never again b/c he's moved up in film. Smart decision b/c he'll get a drama offer as a result of his film status. Ironic enough, he and Jeon were offered main leads in a new drama. No updates on that since...

I haven't seen BCAS, but saw a vid in the film and JDY was badass. Altho someone said that she loses her bad-ass nature later on and succumbs to her fate to the villain :// I mean, in K-drama land, have we ever seen a FL in a Goblin/Super powered role that's not comical but majestic and super intelligent than the ML? There have been a few but most of them succumb to the ML, and become damsels in distress ://

Side note: Watching Dear My Friends and its marvelous seeing older actors in their 60-80s get complex and well written roles where they're not the expense of ageist/sexist jokes (well for the most part they still have lives separate from their children/family).

Correction DMF is Korean!! It looks interesting.

Thought about the comments on FL in shows and movies, and Bae Doona is the only one I can think of that has never gotten into any of those silly love triangle roles, at least in the several of hers that I have seen.

@windsun33 Bae Doona is def. a rare exception. She's one of the few Korean stars who have worked with French, Japanese, American, and German directors. I think her unconventional picks (Bong Joon Ho said in Barking Dogs Don't Bite) that she was the only Korean actress who was okay with eschewing wearing make-up on-screen.

As I finished Kingdom this week, I realized that she never plays 'weak' female characters. They are strong, vulnerable, badass, and un-vain. Other than her, I can't think of any Korean actress who is like her in her choices and work. She seems very much a free spirit/independent diff. from the norm there. It shows in her choices, as she's never a damsel in distress.

"It's always disturbed me to see the limited possibilities for older women in kdramas." This ^^ Or making the women the villain rme.

I feel like a lot of shows I like wouldn't pass the Bechtel test (If a female character talks about things other than the guy they're dating). Even Signal, a show I love, wouldn't pass that test b/c I read somewhere that the FL talks about the (1st love-detective) outside of her work duties :/

Speaking of Ryu Jun Yeol, Kim Seon-ho is giving me shades of me in terms of break out role/2nd ML in a love triangle lol.

One more thing! Btw thanks for letting me indulge in this topic! :))

I notice that a lot of dramas cast huge Hallyu FL's in their shows to anchor the ML. As a result, the ML of the drama becomes a superstar/bigger due to the female lead's sheer prowess as a performer/name brand. Ex. Song Hye Kyo+Song Joong Ki/Park Bo Gum Another ex. Jun Ji Hyun+Kim Soo Hyun, Son Ye Jin+Jung Hae In, and Han Ji Min+Nam Joo Hyuk.

Esp. in contrast to how many more male superstars have been created as a result of them benefitting from bigger FL's. Whereas, I don't see many female Hallyu stars in their early to mid 20s created, compared to their male counterparts :// Even in this show, Kim Hye Soo def. demands more eyeballs on the project than the ML.

It's so much easier to find MLs of superb status, that's for sure. I've just realised in writing this out that the way it happens is twofold, both through the hallyu FL and also through the useless candy. Both make the ML look good and are instrumental in producing the starring ML.

Take the candy: idealised males are created at the expense of very mediocre female characters. I've always assumed that the idea was to represent the possibility that everywoman, no matter how ordinary, could be discovered by a man who would recognise her intrinsic worth and love and cherish her for it. The Cinderella story, I guess. (It always annoys me that part of their ordinariness is that they can't walk and chew gum at the same time).

Your point about casting *huge Hallyu FL's in their shows to anchor the ML* is something I hadn't considered. When you think about it, as you point out, every arrow (that is, the super status woman) points to a stunning ML embodied in a stunning male.

So it works both ways: candies make the perfect ML and high status FLs launch the new perfect ML, and it's true that I can't think offhand of any young/emerging FLs that have blown me away recently except for Seo Ye-ji (and I really like Park So-dam), but you could argue they are more established and of course they also serve to feature top boys.

I have to say those parings of Hallyu FLs and up and coming MLs have been the most enjoyable and dare I say successful.
And as I write this, I find I've been complicit in the devious process, but I think too that it does go back to the role of women in Korean society. Historically women have had a hard time. They've had to fight hard for a voice. There are more films emerging that are made by women about women, but will that make it into the dramas? I haven't seen Kim Ji-young: Born 1982, but apparently it addresses implicit and ongoing discrimination against women. I loved SKY Castle for all the actors, but mostly because it got the education system just right. I also loved WWW: Search for the 3 FLs.

It's good to muse about this, although I often catch myself out when I really think about it. You have more of an eye to the production process. I'm thinking more of representation.

@jorobertson Great points you bring up btw!

Exactly, that's why package deals or agency power (ex. Keyeast produced Hyena) is also important. Once you get to a certain level, you demand a higher pay as well as first look deals (How much you get paid, the story, role, overall vibe). Casting news is the 1st thing that entices a viewer. I do notice that a lot of big Hallyu/big stars have all done a romance/rom-com show that was aided by a bigger/more established FL. As a result, they benefitted from that ordeal.

I heard Cha Eun Woo in the drama Rookie Historian had more say towards the end, which is why some are concerned that True Beauty a Female lead story will switch over to tell the male side/his tale which overtake the female lead's story. Ex. Lookout: Lee Shi Young's role was diminished as the Male Lead took over.

For the ML's, you see agencies/channels try to push the flavor of the month. Some succeed and manage to carve out a nice path for themself while others burn out. Seo Ye-ji/Kim Soo Hyun were a package deal from Gold Medals Agency, it was a smart choice that paid off esp. for Seo Ye-ji. As for PSD is ROY, that might've given her more fans/recognition, it was the PBG show, led by him and what many people in the industry acknowledge it was a success b/c of PBG and not b/c of PSD.

People forget that Korea's gender parity/equality is not up to par compared to the West rn. Women still get paid less than men do. Altho in K-dramas, women are given bigger/substantial parts than films.

I notice that Cable dramas (JBTC/tvN) have given more leading roles to females over 40-50. Sky Castle was def. memorable b/c of the women in the show. All I want is equal and strong writing for the female characters, that don't use them for their name clout only to bolster the up and coming male actor. A lot of big names now, def. benefitted from starring alongside a bigger name FL. It's another way to build your fanbase alongside theirs as well, and if the drama fails, it makes it easier to place the blame on the FL ://

Lol, your right! Together with our BTS analysis of mine, and your analysis of actors, we can create a powerhouse agency ha ;) !

And as you noted, Chinese dramas are even worse. Heard from one that supposedly knows the industry there, and he claims that any woman over 30 might as forget any leading roles. And this 100% "Chinese drama because of the women talking in their baby voices and behaving like little cuties all the time"

@windsun33 The only positive is that at least Chinese productions pre-produce everything before hand (I know its b/c of their government but still)...

I feel like from a glimpse, a lot of actresses marry/divorce/or have children or not, and no one really cares that much compared to Korea. Once a Korean actress gets married/have kids, their roles diminish :(

Even Lee Bo Young who is an award winning actress said in a recent interview that she's very fortunate that actresses like her can still get work and still have a career separate from family. She knows that her career won't go on forever, and she's cherishing knowing that.

Lol thanks! It's just reading up on a lot of trade blogs and entertainment sites, and using that knowledge lol, and putting it to use like this haha.

It's one of those things for example, when you see someone in a lot of things, and you wonder "Why?" Most likely due to agency power pushing them. Ex. Park Bo Gum+Blossom who pushed him a lot, FNC with Jung Hae In. You've to strike when the iron's hot, popularity/fame after all is short lived.

Ooh, I've not come across that book! But it does sound intriguing. Women are natural born nurturers. I'll say that I do love that in K-dramas, men cry and are sensitive about their feelings.

Bae Doona is awesome! She's someone that grows on you the more you watch of her! It's a shame that there are some netizens who aren't enamored b/c she doesn't fit their ideal beauty standards. Whatever!

I don't think it means that women are natural born nurturers, but the "hero" or male lead is a stand in/proxy for that deep level of attachment that comes from the mother. It's probably using psychoanalytical analysis.