[HanCinema's News] Women-Centered Projects Popular in South Korean Entertainment This Year

"When the Camellia Blooms" has achieved extremely impressive ratings going into its final week on television. Much of the buzz around the drama has centered around Gong Hyo-jin in the leading role as an older single mother who has set off a national fashion trend with a wardrobe that is stylish with little apparent effort.

But Gong Hyo-jin is far from the first drama with a middle-aged woman to look glamorous this year, as "Search: WWW" spotlighted women's issues in the workplace.

The popularity of women's issues in filmed fiction is even more stark in film. "House of Hummingbird" built a large popular following over the summer, as the independent film dealt realistically, yet not too darkly with a girl growing up in the nineties. "KIM Jiyoung: Born 1982" has been a more traditional mainstream success, with explicit feminist theming, to boot. The movie just passed the 3.5 million mark following its fourth weekend.

The year has been littered with examples like this, indicating that the increasing diversity of subject matter touched on in South Korean dramas and movies has also been to the benefit of stories being told by women. Romances have become increasingly less critical in female-led dramas, as "Miss Lee", "Graceful Family", "Secret Boutique", and "VIP" all being driven by women with more ambitious goals than merely elevating their partners or family members socially.

Mainstream films have been somewhat slower in terms of this equity, with "Miss and Mrs. Cops" being the only really comparable mainstream movie in this regard, However, independent films have seen a major boon with "The House of Us", "Maggie", "Our Body", and "Moonlit Winter" all proving to be noteworthy independent releases. "Bring Me Home" is also expected for a mainstream release on November 27th.

Written by William Schwartz