Little Women (2022)

A Veritable Dollhouse of Absurdity

The experience of watching this so-called homage to Louisa M. Alcott’s beloved tale is like playing a game of blind man’s bluff. The audience is positioned as the player in the middle, blind-folded, groping around trying to make sense of the surroundings only to be led by a cacophony of sounds which may either prove to be helpful leads or egregious misdirections that lead to nowhere. Rather than being any kind of thoughtful of adaptation of Alcott’s timeless series, the roots of this Korean drama lie in the overlong weekend family dramas infamous for their ridiculous plot lines punctuated by unbelievable twists and turns, protracted conflicts that are designed to leave audiences begging for more week after week. It’s a combination of pure farce, high melodrama and an unabashed (even gleeful) exploitation of tropes. Polished as it may be, it is still a makjang. From the first, this story positions itself as a morality tale cautioning against the consequences of greed and ambition from its use of the red shoes motif only to end up with a bewildering incoherent resolution that undermines the story’s early messaging.

The show throws the spotlight on two adult sisters from a working class background. They are Oh In-joo (Kim Go-eun), Oh In-kyung (Nam Ji-hyun) as well as their teenage sister Oh In-hye (Park Ji-hoo), a talented artist who has caught the eye of a certain Ms Won Sang-a (Uhm Ji-won), an ambitious wealthy woman who is married to an aspiring politician Park Jae-sang (Uhm Ki-hoon). The unsuspecting Oh sisters who lament their meagre lot in life are drawn into a web of deception on a scale that they are laughably ill-equipped to handle. It suits the writer’s agenda to place these babes in the woods in such an unlikely situation as they flounder around in search of answers.

The real trouble begins when In-joo a bookkeeper finds herself tempted by the offer of 2 billion won of cash left to her at the pleasure of her colleague Jin Hwa-young in a gym locker. It’s more money than In-joo has ever seen in her young life but it comes with a high price tag and puts her in an ethical predicament. Apparently Hwa-young has been playing around with Other People’s money and suffered the consequences. In-joo is in over her head and it’s Choi Do-il (Wi Ha-joon), her company’s accounting manager and money laundering expert, to rescue. Apparently the company has a habit of accumulating ill-gotten money and key people in the organization are involved in helping the Park-Won family creating slush funds to further their political ambitions.

While the performances range from great (Kim Go-eun, Wi Ha-joon and Uhm Ji-won) to good, in the overall scheme of things the characters don’t matter much because they are quite literally putty in someone’s hands. They exist to tell a story like miniatures in a diorama or figures in a dollhouse. The dollhouse metaphor is deliberate on the part of the writer who wants to weave a fairytale about the ordinary confronting the extraordinary similar to any Brothers Grimm tale. While there are no talking animals or supernatural beings in the mix, the show nevertheless relies heavily on miracles. The Oh sisters are fated to embark on a journey through a dark forest of evil and they cannot be certain who is friend or foe. They are almost always somebody’s plaything and dependant on the goodwill of others for their survival. There is an appearance of agency but the Oh sisters can only react to the situations they inevitably find themselves in due to the machinations of others.

There’s little that is relatable about the Oh sisters. They act impetuously in service of the plot. There’s nothing realistic about them or the situation they find themselves. At times it’s hard to believe that they might have been a close-knit family once when they spend far more time with others than each other. Using In-joo and In-kyung in particular as the primary windows into this world is a double-edged sword. More often than not their supposed bravery comes across as recklessness and lack of circumspection.

Won Sang-a the show’s primary antagonist fancies herself an unfulfilled thespian and plays out her fantasies with lesser mortals. She’s General Won’s daughter and her wealth enables her to indulge in her narcissism and megalomania. She likes secrets and she takes perverse pleasure in gamefying scenarios involving desperate malleable individuals where she commands their inevitable outcome. On the other hand her relationship with husband Park Jae-sang involves a series of sex games in which she manipulates him while he enables and cleans up after her. At first it seems like he’s a controlling abusive husband but it doesn’t take long before it’s clear who’s really calling the shots in that dynamic. She represents the figure of the witch that’s the staple of many beloved fairytale as she’s an inveterate schemer and master manipulator that casts her spell on those she deems dispensable.

In that vein Little Women is a witch’s brew as it mixes high stakes criminal activities with family dysfunction, romances and a conspiracy that goes back decades. The set-up brimming with potential, hitting the climax in Episode 10 only to end with a whimper in Episode 12. For a show that traded relentlessly on plot twists and shock factor, the finale felt strangely flat and mind numbingly… tedious. In effect the writer overplayed her hand ad absurdism; to the point where the final showdown between the protagonist and antagonist feels comedic rather than revelatory thus diminishing the impact of the moment.

Despite the title, the highlight of the viewing experience is Choi Do-il, who grounds the show for me. Almost everything else about the show is a farce in every sense but Do-il feels like a bright spot in a bleakly surreal landscape and more’s the pity that this show isn’t about him. Although he makes claims to being entirely mercenary, he is the sanest creature in this cat and mouse insanity — a reassuring constant in a sea of madness for the artless In-joo. He is her lifeline from start to finish. Without him she would be six foot under or ashes in an urn. The romantic tension between them evidenced from the start regrettably doesn’t have closure which begs the question — is the show leaving the door open for a second series?

A show like this can be an engaging watch depending on mood and the extent one is willing to suspend all manner of disbelief because at the end of the day such dramas don’t exactly prioritise logic or consistency.

Lire davantage

Watchable with Many Twists and Turns

If you are looking for a show to pass the time and keep you occupied without expecting a tight or somewhat believable plot, this is a show that fits the bill. The plot is crazy over the top and has a little bit of supernatural aspects to it. The main actresses and actors are talented so the acting is done well despite the storyline being so-so. There are several parts which keeps you guessing, its not entirely clear where some of the characters stand with the FLs and whether they can be trusted.

I came into this not expecting a love story or romance and so far that is the case. Nothing sweet or sappy is doled out for the viewer. It does have the standard good poor versus the bad rich theme etched into this. Its about the relationships of sisters and friends, absentee neglectful parents, socioeconomic discrepancies, and how far one is willing to go to break from the chains of poverty to become rich.

While the plot has its many holes, some of the scenes were well acted and writing for the dialog were well written, some examples of scenes which stood out:
- The confrontation of the reporter sister with her reporter nemesis on the sides of truth
- The Villain Heiress confronts the sister in prison and remarks you only thought of the gains from the 70 billion won but never thought of the pain from it

It's engaging enough for me to finish this and rooting for the FLs.

Lire davantage

A complex political thriller with family drama and personal growth

While the show is dark and serious, it's really engaging. There are numerous plot threads weaving through this series, centering around three sisters characters. The eldest sister who is an outcast at her company because she's poor, lacks a higher education, is divorced, and is also attractive. She forms a unique friendship with another outcast who hides her luxurious alter ego. This relationship leads to our eldest sister gaining possession of a significant sum of money, tainted by corruption. The middle sister is a passionate reporter investigating the background and family connections of a politician running for Seoul's mayor. However, she struggles with alcoholism and often becomes emotional on camera. The youngest sister is an exceptionally talented artist who won a scholarship to a prestigious art school in South Korea. She forms a close friendship with a wealthy girl from the school, essentially becoming part of the rich family. This doesn't sit well with her elder sisters, who suspect that the rich family has ulterior motives. Furthermore, the rich family connected to the youngest sister is the very same family that our second sister, the reporter, is investigating. The connections become increasingly messy as the story unfolds.

Now, this show has an exceptional cast. They delivered outstanding performances, with the eldest sister standing out due to her character's development and screen time. The cinematography is a masterpiece, the set design and overall color grading are meticulously crafted, with subtle clues woven into the details. Also the music is as beautiful as the visuals.

What I don't like are the characters and the story all throughout. The sisters seem so unlikeable and dim, they keep making choices that put them in jeopardy. It was painful to watch them being played over and over again by people around them, it feels that the plot just keep happening around them just for performances. While plot twist after plot twist keep happening, the last 4 episodes do not round the story very well.

-Oct 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

Lire davantage

Waste of my time and it will be a waste of yours

Honestly, at first, I thought it would be very interesting. But then they went and continued the show.

The only likable character was Choi Do Ill. And that's it. The first two sisters were just annoying and downright stupid. And don't even get me started on In-hye, I hated that girl to the very last fiber in my body. Such an ungrateful, teenager that only whines and leaves her family behind just to live off of someone else's money. People only try to excuse her actions by calling her a child.

The way that the evil characters got away with literally everything so conveniently even when the people had FREAKING VIDEOS OF THEM COMMITTING CRIME!!! was another triggering thing. And the bad guys were comically villian-like.

Overall, the story was quite predictable and bland. Only watched it for the one likable character to see where it goes but nothing really went anywhere.

Lire davantage

Very gripping story but got ruined due to historical distortion

i just want little women watchers to be aware of the history distortion and that the vietnamese government requested netflix vietnam to remove it from the platform (now removed). as a little women enjoyer myself, im very disappointed about this

i was feeling iffy when they included it in the plot because kdramas have quite the rep when it comes to inaccurate portrayal of historical events. dont see how the vietnam war is necessary to the plot at this point

this drama couldve been perfect but alas korean media and their never ending list of unnecessary problematic additions to the plot. when will they learn

my favourite part about this drama was the cast especially goeun as injoo and hajoon as Doil. i wish to see them together in a project again

Lire davantage

Intriguing drama until almost the end.

It started as a very enjoyable take on what money and greed does to people, the first episodes were full of mystery.
The sister family were little fishes swimming in a tank full of sharks, and you just knew something was off with the Parks, in that feeling of weariness every time they appeared.

Once the drama starts having multiple twists and turns, you just wait for the unavoidable "they are not going to close this perfectly." It's impossible, because there was a lot of stuff that stopped making sense a long time ago.

But I have to say, the drama did try to accommodate almost all the plot points, to write and continue and finish off a somehow believable plot. But I won't lie, a bit of suspension of disbelief is heavily needed, specially towards the end.

I didn't like they used the old "SHE WAS NOT DEAD" soap opera main plot, I think they lost me a little there. I was expecting a final showdown between Hwa Young and Sang A, but it never happened. Furthermore, I was expecting a final showdown between In Kyung and Park JaeSang, but it also never happened. But oh well. It's not as bad as I expected.

That to say, this drama was perfect up until the Singapore episodes, delivering what it is one of the most engaging episodes I've seen lately in any K-drama. To the point at times I was sad it ended, and I am not made for the 1 hour, or 1 hour 20 minutes dramas last.

The downfall of Park Jaesang was perhaps my last favorite moment. The moment Jaesang is out of the pictures, for pretty unclear motives, but still (probably shock value), the drama initiates a total downfall, but still manages to survive.

The acting is impeccable, specially Kim Go Eun and Uhm Ji won deliver an engaging mouse and cat chase. I also enjoyed, to a lesser degree, Ji hyun and Ji hoo performances. And I think they didn't give much chance for other characters to shine more, except maybe Ki Joon.

So, apart from that ending, which I understood at some point, was impossible to be perfect, I will say this has been one of my most enjoyed K-dramas of 2022.

Lire davantage

Well, when the cast is star studded how could you be disappointed?

Little Women, a story about three sisters. And it is just that. Three complex characters brought to life by three mind blowing actors. The oldest struggles with helplessness, the middle one with addiction and the youngest with fear. Well the aforementioned is just to sum up I won’t spoil their struggles. Their life is aligned with multiple other people who are good and bad. I personally don’t think the story is a drag or way too complicated. It’s interesting enough for you to be curious omg what’s going to happen now! I loved it. So far.

The acting is just out of the roof. How every character just portray their emotions. Not just the three leading ladies but also the supporting characters.

It’s Netflix and Netflix doesn’t miss with background music. Especially the signature music that plays at the end. It’s so prettty 😭

If you like the series about the rich, you should give this a shot. No, this isn’t a romance. There might be some elements of it, but it’s not that. This is drama at its finest. A drama about complex characters portraying their complex emotions and struggles, while managing to be interesting.

PS. I saw some of the reviews that were here. This isn’t a complete adaption of the OG Little Women. Don’t bash the series about how disappointed you were to find out it’s nothing like the OG. Read up synopsis before you watch anything. It will help ya determine whether you should watch it or not.

Lire davantage

3 unlikeable sisters in a convoluted messed up plot

I went into this drama thinking it would capture the lovely interrelationships, warmth and support among 3 sisters. Kdramas are masterful at evoking the feel good emotions this show had all the potential to bring.
Instead I found myself absolutely disliking all 3. The eldest sister was constantly foolish and greedy for money which never belonged to her. Her only redeeming factor was that she loved her sisters and was loyal to her friend. But the crazy decisions she kept taking constantly put her family in danger.

The middle sis was a reporter with supposedly high moral integrity and yet she became an alcoholic drinking on the job. There is no story arc on how she gave up being an alcoholic, she simply decides that she would quit drinking once it cost her her job and boom, just like that it is resolved. She is supposedly highly intuitive and senses people's feelings and yet can't understand the heart of the long term friend who is a boy right next to her. She couldn't understand her elder sisters decisions or her younger sisters dangerously misguided ambitions or the source of wealth of the great aunt she had been brought up by since childhood.

The youngest sister was the most despicable of them all. A thoroughly dislikeable spoilt selfish brat, supposedly so guilty about her sisters love and care that she snubbed them all the time and publicly chose sides with the rich crazy family the whole family is suffering from. Even towards the end there is not even a reunion among the sisters. It just shows them all planning their lives separately.

Only Mr Choi and the mystery of his character and intentions kept the drama going for me.

The blue orchid arc was a fantasy element which seemed to add an interesting story arc in between. It was supposedly going to reveal the innermost desires of the person smelling it, or reveal visions and hallucinations. It served that purpose for a couple of episodes then this arc seemed to be just dropped towards the latter episodes and it was all about the psycho lady and political games and criminal activities.

The villians never really get what they deserve. They didn't even get to see the public opinion about them change, suffer a day in jail or feel a loss of power or their corrupt money taken away from them. They just suddenly conveniently died without fuss in a matter of seconds in the final episodes. So unsatisfactory.

This show packed a lot of unbelievable and ridiculous twists and turns but felt heavy and frustrating as there was no investment in the lives of these three frustrating sisters. I'm not even going to talk about the sheer number of plot holes and especially a dead person coming back to life and the ridiculous explanation given for it.

Thank God there were only 12 episodes. Even watching them in 1.5 speed made me feel bored and restless to get it over with. This show taught me that I shouldn't get misguided by it's name and if I didn't like the characters by the first 2-3 episodes it would be wiser for me to drop the series than suffer through it.

Lire davantage

There's nothing more disappointing...

...than watching a highly anticipated drama, only to be let down. I was so excited for school to end so I could binge watch the crap out of this drama. But honestly, even though there is only 12 episodes, it's been a STRUGGLE to get through. I heard this drama was so good and so intense and I'm just not seeing it??? Everyone in this drama is so irritating! I felt sad for the three sisters initially, but then that slowly faded away and it was just replaced with...nothing. I should be feeling for them, rooting for them, wanting them to win oh so badly but at this point, I don't really care and I'm just watching things play out. I'm just trying to get through the rest of this drama because I hate dropping them and I want the the mystery of everything to be solved and put together. Other than that, I'm just kind of confused with everything that's happening or I'm just confused about how this drama was supposed to be so good and it turned out to be such a let down. The only character I care about is Choi Do Il and he's one of the few reasons that I'm sticking around too. And am I only one who thinks that Oh In Kyung almost seems more like the main character more so than Oh In Joo??? I don't really care for Oh In Joo and Oh In Hye is insufferable. I originally thought this was going to be a drama that was 3 sisters against the world but boy, I was wrong. Anyways, I guess I'll come back here after I finish this drama to finish off the review. Bye for now!

Update: Wow, okay at least everything worked out and I'm left feeling a tiiiny bit warm and fuzzy for the 3 sisters. This was such a weird, confusing rollercoaster of a drama that left much to be desired. I would have loved to see Oh In Joo and Choi Do Il's relationship progress waay more than it did even though I know that isn't the focus of the drama. Honestly, I just loved Choi Do Il so much, he was, hands down, the best part of the drama. I thought Won Sang A played her role well too and she perfectly displayed the insane, entitled General's daughter she was meant to be. Other than that, I don't have much else to say. Overall, not that good but not that bad either. I just didn't find myself invested enough and it just didn't do it for me. I even had to speed it up near the end there because I was getting bored.

Lire davantage

Like a ship that loses its course.

Where do I start? If you want me to be straight with you, I will be your savior and tell you right away that you will be disappointed and even feel angry sometimes. You might ask me why. The answer, in my deepest regret, is that this show is a missed opportunity, a wasted potential.

The show starts to be really captivating at the very beginning. To be honest, I really love Kim Go Eun and how she is able to interpret her characters in a very human way. That is one of the main reasons why I decided to add this show to my list. But sadly, a couple episodes later, I realize that I couldn't tell exactly why I was watching. The script and the plot were sailing into unknown waters with no destination.

It became really hard to keep watching more and more episodes, and I have to congratulate myself for finishing the task, and I really mean it; it was a task at this point because it had already stopped being entertaining.

My conclusion is that this ship needed a better captain and a better crew, but it is what it is: nothing but a ship that lost its course.

Lire davantage

A fabulous feminist ode to the classic

Where do I begin? This drama held my attention from the minute it was announced. I quite like Kim Gu-Eun, so was pretty darn sure this was going to be a good one. What I was most curious about though was how they would adapt an English classic to modern times and that too set it in a culture far removed from the original work. Having watched the show, I must say, I was not disappointed in the least.

First things first - parallels between the novel and the series. Like the book. there's an absent father and sisters living in poverty. Meg March's introduction in the novel begins with her proclaiming how terrible it is to be poor. An attitude Oh In-Joo embodies. She's the eldest sister (Meg March), naive, not the brightest bulb in the room, and a hopeless optimist. She's obsessed with bettering their (hers and her sisters lives). While her naivety and stupidity annoyed me in the first couple of episodes, I came to root for her by the 8th episode. Oh In-Kyung is the middle sister and the Jo March of the show. Like Jo, In-Kyung is fiercely independent, reckless, impetuous, a hothead and definitely has a Laurie. She's a journalist who's righteousness oft got on my nerves. Oh In-Hye is the youngest sister and like Amy March in the novel is an artist and is given the opportunity to live a better life. I won't talk about Beth March because anything I say is a spoiler. But I absolutely LOVED how they dealt with that character (and if you've read the book, you know what happens to her)

Now where the show departs from the novel is the whole thriller element - there's a death, there;'s embezzlement, a political conspiracy, intrigue, and psychopathic characters.

NGL, the initial episodes were slow and sort of annoying. Especially because of how dumb In-Joo is portrayed to be and how impetuous In-Kyung is. But I must say the last 5 episodes really bring the show home. If I could ever use edge-of-the-seat to describe a drama, it'll have to be for this one. What I loved the most about this drama is that it places women at the centre of all things good, bad, and ugly. It's just women against women. Women portrayed in every shade - grey, black, sunshine. What a treat that is !! The men are just scaffolds and are treated as such. Never has a show's treatment of female characters left me so satisfied.

Is the drama perfect? Hell, no. There are a lot of loopholes, circumstances that demand suspension of belief, and face-palm moments. But these don;t deter from the tight narrative, brilliant acting, haunting music all of which come together to leave you with a satisfactory experience.

Little Women is not a drama for everyone. But if you love a women-centric thriller, this one's the one for you.

Lire davantage