In the Kdrama Do You Like Brahms, when Chae Song Ah is barely able to keep it together over her decision to quit playing the violin, her estranged girlfriend swoops in to hug her and she bursts into tears. In that moment, only her best friend could have consoled her in a manner that no romantic interest or partner could. Ever since I got sucked into the wormhole of Kdramas, I have been particularly struck by the attention to female friendships and bonds. My first brush with shipping female friendships was when I watched Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo. The faith and trust between the female protagonist and her two girlfriends is so endearing and relatable, I often replay some scenes because they are so full of emotion and revelry.
As someone who has done part of their graduation in a girls only institution, I am always miffed with how female friendships are vilified and painted with the same brush. My strongest bond has been with my girls over the years, and their support and encouragement has meant the world to me. They pick you up when you hit rock bottom, put up with your shenanigans and hold no judgements. And yet typically, in mainstream popular culture, either side female characters are used as props to keep the main female lead going or painted in extreme shades of black and white. In my initial viewings of Kdramas, I was taken aback by how I would EXPECT another female character to be either very mean or behave in an extreme manner to take away the romantic interest of the female lead. For example, in Start-Up, I was 100% sure that Seo Dal-Mi’s elder sister would also like the same man as her, and would do anything in her power to bring down Seo Dal-Mi, but oh boy, how was I proved wrong!!!
Not only is the sister depicted without any romantic dalliance, she is shown to practice healthy competitive strategies and eventually in the show the two sisters work together as well. The show is a brilliant example of ticking every box of the Bechdel’s test and so much more. Another favourite of mine is Her Private Life (also the inspiration behind my Kdrama instagram handle name!). I am quite confident that several fangirls would have related to the female protagonists’ fangirling with her best friend. It reminded me of my bond with me fellow Kdrama fangirls, as we ooh aah over oppas or share our love for all things Kdrama. The show managed to capture the fandom so well, without any judgement, while highlighting the importance of such bonds and the support it brings with it.
Perhaps not surprisingly, in the show Because this is My First Life, I was not vested as much into the OTP (One True Pair) as I was into the friendship of the female lead with her two girlfriends. And as often is the case with some Kdramas, sometimes the other characters have far more interesting storylines than the main romantic lead! Either ways, the show again had me always looking forward to how the three girls would come around for each other no matter what. A common thread that I have noticed in the depiction of female friendships is that overt feelings of jealousy and wanting to jeopardise other female characters are negligible. Rather, the friendships are depicted with its own share of ups and downs, which further deepen the bonds between the girls. A great example in this regard is the show Search WWW.
Search WWW took me completely by surprise!! The show has three female leads who are fierce, independent and not without their flaws. The dynamic between the three is not always hunky dory, but there always exists a grudging respect and shines through when they stand by each other during tough scenarios. My favourite bit is when in the finale the three drive off in a red luxury car, such a symbolic scene.
Other shows that come to my mind when depicting healthy relationships between its female characters are Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Reply 1988, Melo is my Nature and Age of Youth. If you have any other suggestions, do let me know!! Meanwhile, happy viewing :) and here’s to “swag” to our female friendships.