Crafty K-Drama Heroines Get Creative
Not all k-drama heroines work three part-time jobs delivering fried chicken until there's a chaebol who marries them and rescues them from a life of drudgery. Lately more k-drama heroines have been portrayed as having real jobs where they are at least sometimes respected and earn a living wage.
A few also work in the arts or at crafts, making a living with what they can create.
A good example is Jung Yu Mi's character in "Discovery of Love." Her character, woodworker Han Yeo Reum, does not just whittle away at sticks but designs furniture for architectural firms. And despite her slender frame, she is not shy about using saws or other sharp-edged power equipment to craft the perfect piece of furniture.
Like Han Yeo Reum, Son Ye Jin's character in "Personal Taste" was also often covered in sawdust and wore work goggles. At first she struggles with her own unsuccessful line of furniture, designing a solitary desk/table combo. But then her talent is realized and nurtured. Her first big project is designing a colorful and innovative children's room for a major art museum.
She even playfully threatens Lee Min Ho with her chain saw. As in "Discovery of Love" her love of wood makes a perfect fit with her boyfriend's architectural ambitions.
Jang Nara's character in "Fated To Love You" does not realize that she has talent right away. She starts out doodling with markers on a mug. But her "neighbor oppa," played by Choi Jin Hyuk, recognizes her talent for what it is. He encourages her to go to Paris and study art. After a few years of learning various mediums and honing her skills, she becomes the world-renowned artist and designer Ellie Kim. Her designs wind up on everything from backpacks to mugs to canvases. She helps the world become a brighter and more colorful place to make up for her own inner sadness.
It's not new that women are artists and craftspeople, but historical dramas may not always have recognized their contributions. Recently, historical dramas are changing the perception of women's roles in history by highlighting such contributions. One such character was played by Moon Geun Young in "Goddess of Fire: Jeonji." Moon Geun Young's character was based on Baek Pa Sun, the woman who was Korea's first female ceramic artist. Baek Pa Sun's designs were prized in court. Baek Pa Sun was so influential in her time that after she was captured and taken to Japan as a prisoner, she influenced the future of Japan's ceramic arts.
What do you think about k-drama heroines who are creative?
