Little Women (2022)

November 13, 2022

Our Take: A dark and foreboding drama that brings many unexpected twists and turns.

The Premise

Based very loosely on American novelist Louisa May Alcott's coming-of-age novel of the same name, Little Women follows the lives of three sisters - Oh In Joo (Kim Go Eun), Oh In Kyung (Nam Ji Hyun), and Oh In Hye (Park Ji Hoo). Having grown up in poverty, things take a tumultuous and dark turn when the siblings get embroiled in a shocking incident and end up facing off against the wealthiest and most prominent family in the country. In a rare move in K-drama land, Little Women is dominated by a powerhouse ensemble of strong and intense women who skillfully command the screen with their presence.

Oh In Joo, the eldest sister, believes that the only way to protect her family is by acquiring money, whether through her talents or other means (such as marrying a rich husband). Because of her family's financial instability, she didn't exactly have a normal life growing up. So, her dream is to become rich. When a large sum of money unexpectedly falls into her hands, she puts her life on the line to cling onto it.

Unlike her older sister, Oh In Kyung, the middle child, is a news reporter with a strong sense of justice and would rather live a righteous life than bow down to money. She is tenacious at work and never complains no matter what case she gets put on. When a mysterious case from her rookie days catches her attention again, she throws everything she has at it to try to find out the truth.

Oh In Hye, the youngest sister, is the hardest to read and control. She often feels burdened by her sisters' love as they constantly make sacrifices for her, causing her to seek ways to forge her own path without their support. Despite her family's financial status, her natural talent lands her at a prestigious art school, where she encounters Park Hyo Rin (Jeon Chae Eun), the daughter of the country's richest family.

Living with a Scarcity Mindset

When you grow up with limited resources, you often make painful sacrifices and tradeoffs. As a result, your mind gets fixated on present scarcity and attending to urgent needs while neglecting your future. We see this situation play out among the three siblings as they grapple to get by each day. Jang Sa Pyeong (Jang Gwang), a Wonryoung teacher, succinctly summarizes this experience, "When you live in an impoverished area, you can witness even the brightest children wither."

But, while poverty can bring people down, it can also unite people and make them stronger and more resilient. In a shocking reveal, In Kyung's boss confesses that he kept giving her stories nobody wanted to cover for years because he thought that would force her to quit. But, perhaps because she grew up poor, she remained tenacious and never complained or gave up no matter what he threw at her.

Likewise, when In Joo gets put into disadvantageous situations, she keeps moving forward despite the high odds of failure. In a conversation with her partner in crime, Choi Do Il (Wi Ha Joon), she tells him, "I had my life on the line from the start. I've been risking my life, galloping on a horse. And I still believe that my horse can jump over the fence."

When you are rich, it's much easier to get back up and try again because you have a safety net to fall back on and more opportunities available. But when you don't have money, your only option may be to do whatever it takes to get what you desperately want given your limited options.

The Clash of Socio-Economic Classes

In contrast to the Oh family, presidential prospect Park Jae Sang (Uhm Ki Joon) and his wife, Won Sang A (Uhm Ji Won), live a luxurious and lavish lifestyle with their daughter, Park Hyo Rin. From an outsider's perspective, everything comes easy to them, and life is perfect. They are free to toy around with people's lives and do as they please because of their wealth and influence. They merely risk their excess capital, while the poor people around them risk their lives to get a chance at taking some of their loose change.

But, underneath the façade of power and prestige, there is a clear power dynamic between Jae Sang and Sang A. Growing up, Jae Sang and his father were poor and worked under The General, Sang A's father. Despite the low odds, Jae Sang eventually groveled his way up to become Sang A's husband, replacing her brother, Won Sang Woo (Lee Min Woo), as the heir to their empire.

However, even at the height of his status and power, Jae Sang is still at Sang A's whims. He repeatedly reminds her that he is willing to risk his life for her and will do whatever it takes to protect their family, even despite knowing she will not do the same for him. Sang A's upbringing taught her to only care about herself to the point where she will not hesitate to sacrifice her family to protect herself. But, in a suprise twist, those around her see clearly through her selfishness, arrogance, and greed, which ultimately causes her downfall.

The Poverty Trap

Tying in with the scarcity mindset, money influences society in more ways than we would like to admit. Although it is true that money alone does not buy happiness, money opens doors to opportunities that enable you to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. Money can enhance many facets of your life, from your health, family relationships, friendships, professional opportunities, etc.

When you are rich, you do not need to worry about where your next meal is coming from or if you'll be able to pay your bills this month. You have more freedom to take on bigger risks and pursue goals and experiences without making as many tradeoffs. As In Joo says from experience, "Without money, you will die."

But, at the same time, money can also make you anxious and control your life. In Oh In Joo's desperate pursuit of money, she confesses, "I saw the 70B won as compensation for the poverty I had experienced all my life. And now... I value my life much more than I value that 70B won." When you have limited resources, that can push you to make hefty sacrifices without thoroughly understanding the risks involved because you do not think you have the luxury to let the opportunity pass. But, once you put yourself into a tough situation, you may realize what you have sacrificed is not worth it after all.

On Guilt and Ambition

When you grow up in poverty, you may feel burdened with a sense of duty to become successful and to give your family (and yourself) a better life. That could push you to become highly motivated to make your way in the world and find your footing to make up for your family's financial shortcomings.

In your pursuit of success, you may get forced to make sacrifices at your own expense for the sake of your family. When In Kyung talks to her childhood friend, Ha Jong Ho (Kang Hoon), about her experiences, he tells her to let go of her guilt. But, it takes her a long time to learn to put herself first because she didn't want to feel like she was abandoning her family.

Oh In Hye, who was the recipient of her sisters' unconditional love all her life, ends up feeling suffocated and unhappy because of their sacrifices. She confesses, "I wish you hadn't. I was afraid I'd end up unworthy of the love you showed me. I hope that one day you'd be able to eat, sleep, and work, all for no one but yourself." Her quiet introspection frees her sisters and allows them to start living for themselves and pursue their own happiness.

The Jeongran Society and The Blue Orchids

Despite the rampant greed and corruption espoused by Jae Sang and Sang A, The General's original mission for the Jeongran Society was well-intended. The General envisioned "A world where you can go from the lowest to the highest place regardless of who your parents are. That's a world that is truly equal and just."

That was a powerful statement that stood out to me. In an ideal society, everyone would have equal opportunities to pursue their dreams. But, unfortunately, reality doesn't always work out that way.

Alpha Waves

Romance is often depicted as exciting and thrilling all the time on TV. But, in most relationships, there will be highs and lows and everything in between. Some days may be filled with excitement and delight. Other days may be mundane and ordinary - and that's perfectly okay.

One of my favorite lines in the show is when In Kyung describes her relationship with Ha Jong Ho as "the peaceful waves you get when you're meditating or resting." Their dynamics resonated with me because life is difficult and tumultuous. Things don't always go our way, and we may feel happy one day but upset or angry another. However, having someone you feel at peace with grounds you and keeps you steady as you weather both the good and bad days together.

Final Thoughts

Little Women had very dark and poetic themes underlying the storyline. While some twists were over-the-top and outlandish, I felt the writing, dialogue, and cinematography overall were well executed. It's also a plus that Little Women was a female-centric show and all the actresses did a tremendous job of bringing their characters to life.

The ending did not wrap up as neatly as I would have liked, but this mystery thriller had enough twists and turns to keep me interested, as well as many subtle elements that made the drama stand out. If you like thrillers or makjangs, I recommend giving Little Women a chance.