The Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) published a list of ten series that a jury had found to have successfully met the requirements of the Bechdel Test on August 9th.
The shows on the list include Not Others, Castaway Diva, Knight Flower, Tell Me That You Love Me, Daily Dose of Sunshine, The Midnight Romance in Hagwon, A Shop for Killers, Pyramid Game, Strong Girl Nam-soon and LTNS.
A panel of experts evaluated 91 series released between July 2023 and May 2024 across public, general, cable, and streaming platforms for the Bechdel Choice 10. The panel included Hwa Jeong Lee, programmer at Bechdel Day, Min Jeong Kim, professor of Creative Writing at Chungang University, Won Jeong Na, reporter at JoongAng Ilbo, and Ji Yeon Kim, a writer for Cineplay.
This year’s Bechdel Choice 10 series category was marked by the strong performances of actresses who gained both public support and recognition. Shows like Knight Flower and A Shop for Killers were included for breaking the mold by placing women in the lead of action-packed stories. Series such as Pyramid Game, The Midnight Romance in Hagwon and LTNS were recognized for offering new perspectives on female characters. Additionally, Daily Dose of Sunshine and Tell Me That You Love Me were highlighted for delving into the complexities of their characters with great sensitivity. Finally, series like Strong Girl Nam-soon, Castaway Diva and Not Others were included for addressing contemporary issues like minority rights, domestic violence, and multiculturalism, as well as for promoting themes of growth and female solidarity.
Lee Hwa Jung, the programmer of Bechdel Day 2024, noted that this year marked a significant increase in female characters who defied stereotypes despite a shrinking market and led to the discovery of more novel content than ever before. “I see this as a positive sign from a gender equality perspective,” she stated. “Furthermore, from an industrial standpoint, it’s clear that there has been a shift in the gender composition of production teams.” She also noted, “Unlike the norm of female narratives being led by female creators, this year saw an increase in male directors and writers creating female-centric content,” highlighting the evolving landscape of gender equality in production.
Bechdel Day 2024 will also honor individuals who are leading the way in gender equality. The Bechdelian Awards will recognize the amazing work of directors, writers, actors, and producers, and the winners will be announced in August on the Bechdel Day 2024 website and social media (@bechdelday).
>> Bechdel Choice 10 of 2024: ‘Smugglers’, ‘Citizen of a Kind’, ‘Sleep’ and More
Source: Bechdel Choice
