A new genre termed "womance" has emerged as a result of popular television dramas depicting the exceptional affinity between female characters.
Womance is a term coined by combining the words "woman" and "romance," and it refers to a non-sexual, close bond between female characters that goes beyond ordinary friendship.
Despite the fact that there have been numerous films and television shows centered on "bromance" – a combination of the words "brother" and "romance," and the equivalent of womance – such as the hit film "Friend" (2001), KBS' "Boys over Flowers" (2009), SBS' "A Gentleman's Dignity" (2012), "The Heirs" (2013), action thriller "New World" (2013), KBS' "School 2017" (2017)
Aside from the romance between the two main characters, tvN's "Twenty Five Twenty One" has captivated viewers with the story of two young fencers, Na Hee-do (played by Kim Tae-ri) and Ko Yu-rim (played by Bona), who form a rivalry and become best friends.
The 16-part sitcom depicts students chasing their hopes and objectives with another high school acquaintance, Ji Seung-wan (played by Lee Ju-myoung).
According to Nielsen Korea, the most recent episode of "Twenty Five Twenty One" on March 27 received 12.9 percent audience, leading the ratings among television shows showing in the same time slot.
"Thirty Nine," a JTBC drama, depicts a group of best friends — Cha Mi-jo (played by Son Ye-jin), Jeong Chan-young (played by Jeon Mi-do), and Jang Joo-hee (played by Kim Ji-hyun) — and their love lives as they approach 40.
The characters in "Thirty Nine" have a 20-year friendship that is stronger than their family and romantic relationships. It is a touching narrative about Chan-young, who is terminally ill.
Meanwhile, the romance between young office worker Shin Ha-ri (played by Kim Se-jeong) and her childhood buddy Jin Yeong-seo in SBS' rom-com "Business Proposal" is also riding the trend (played by Seor In-a).
"Since 2016, broadcasters have been airing womance stories like tvN's 'Dear My Friends' (2016), JTBC's 'Melodramatic' (2019), and Tving's 'Work Later, Drink Now' (2021)," according to culture analyst Hwang Jin-mi.
"As more drama lovers, particularly female viewers, became tired of seeing people fall in love with Prince Charming, new ways were required," Hwang continued.
According to the reviewer, the expanding number of television series involving women allows viewers to observe a variety of perspectives on women in contemporary culture.
"There are several types of women, ranging from a calm career woman to a mother who is dedicated to her family. And this trend, which has been going on since 2016, is significant for the Korean content sector," Hwang said. "With the growing popularity of worldwide streaming platforms, female actors are playing more nuanced characters, such as Han So-hee of Netflix's action noir 'My Name' and Kim Hye-soo of 'Juvenile Justice.'"
According to the US-based streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, "Business Proposal" and "Twenty Five Twenty One" both captured the attention of global viewers, ranking fifth and sixth on the global Netflix chart as of Monday.
