Women are ‘crazy’ : A study of Mad for Each Other, a Netflix Original Series
This article is co-authored by Rashi Nagelia. Rashi is a K-drama and pizza enthusiast. She is pursuing M.A in Media and Communication. Follow her on Instagram — @rashi.nagelia
Have you been hearing about Korean dramas a lot? Are a K-drama fanatic or are you yet to be swept by the Hallyu wave?
According to an article by The Hindu, The Korean Times reported a rise in K-drama viewership during the lockdown, making India among the top six countries contributing to views of K-pop and dramas.
If you are guilty of excessive screen time that would worry your eye doctor, you probably would have come across the drama, Mad for Each Other.
This is not a typical romance k-drama review but a discussion that goes beyond, tapping into gender studies.
About the Show
The mini-drama series (12 episodes), titled Yi Guyeokui Michin X / Mad for Each other, has a whopping 7.9 rating on IMDB. The show is a Netflix original series and released in 2021.
More Than Meets the Eye
Since its inception, television is known to have an impact on any social discourse. So, it becomes crucial that the site of this socio-cultural exchange is explored more extensively. Consequently, gender studies is essential to comprehend power relations in society and how television plays a monumental role in weaving this narrative.
Kalpana Sharma, an independent journalist, has observed that patriarchy augments the gender divide in any society. Therefore, gender studies emerged as a discipline to understand and redefine the different perspectives of genders.
While Mad for Each Other is a story about healing and dealing with mental issues, as the plot progresses the intersection of subtle and the not-so-subtle gender-based stereotypes and prejudices in the narrative can be traced.
Character Description
Min Kyung
Min Kyung is introduced first to the viewers in her baggy clothes, black sunglasses and a flower in her hair to complete the outfit of a “crazy” person. Soon, we learn that she has delusional disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), among other things that her psychiatrist lists down during their therapy session. Halfway through the show, we realise that Min Kyung was once a woman full of sophistication and charm which was the subject of jealousy for many of her colleagues. But a bad relationship with an abusive boyfriend leads to a drastic change in her life, almost crutching her mentally and physically.
Hwi Oh
Hwi Oh, the show’s male protagonist, is a detective on hiatus who was suspended for having anger issues. He led an investigation against the orders of his superiors and in the process ended up hurting his partners and himself. Now, he develops Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED) and is unable to control his rage. He goes to the same therapist as Min Kyung, where they run into each other and become sworn enemies.
Samantha
Samantha is a resident at the same apartment as Min Kyung and Hwi Oh. Samantha is a man living in Unit 705 when he is not dressed as a woman. She often faces disdain from people because she is different. She is also wrongly accused as a pervert in one of the episodes because she is a man dressed in women’s clothes.
Women’s Association
Three women, part of the society’s women’s association, take it upon themselves to moral police the residents. They are a reflection of the common notions people have about women as they are shown spending their time gossiping, spying, eavesdropping, meddling in other people’s business, constantly nagging and so on. They judge Samantha because he is a man dressed as a woman and are adamant about kicking Min Kyung out because of her past.
In one scene where the women take Min Kyung out to drink, they start spilling their honest opinions about one another despite being portrayed as best friends. One of them confesses to the hardships of motherhood, but the focus is soon shifted on her being an alcoholic. Reinforcing this stereotype that women, especially housewives, have nothing better to do, is far from funny.
Women are Crazy- the Mental Issues Package
While both are suffering from a painful past and have severe disorders, Hwi Oh is painted as the saner of the two as Min Kyung is caught up in her delusions. Min Kyung can only resolve her issues with the help of a man but Hwi Oh never has to deal with his and is often rewarded for his anger. Because he, in his rage, comes across as “manly” who will come to anyone’s rescue, thereby justifying his anger. His outrage typecasts him as the “guardian”, a protector, a hero, unlike Min Kyung, who is reduced to just that, an illness, a crazy person who needs help.
Min Kyung’s issues label her as a person handicapped by constantly suffering, and only after suffering throughout the show and giving up her fight does she get to be happy. She even names her dog after Hwi Oh and only feels protected when he or his extension (in the dog) is around. She can only become happy after he brings colour to her life, quite literally, when he buys her a pair of rose-tinted sunglasses. In one scene when Min Kyung’s dog goes missing, she is frantic and worried. Hwi Oh calms her down by gaslighting her. He tries to patronize her, blaming her paranoia on her illness. Funny how his anger issues and therapy sessions are forgotten quickly enough to make him appear stronger. These gender-rooted inconsistencies spilling over in the space of mental health is dangerous and problematic.
Similarly, when the couple goes on patrol duty, Min Kyung is excited and tries to find criminals/offenders while Hwi Oh is seen trying to contain her. When she suspects that they stumbled upon a drug dealer’s hideout, Hwi Oh questions what kind of movies she watches and mansplains that “there are no drug dealers in the neighborhood.” When she insists, he jokingly promises to notify the police.
It is rather difficult to overlook these regressive beliefs and notions evident in not just this particular show or K-dramas but many chronicles around the world. On that note, let’s study some of the scenes from the drama. We hope not to spoil too much of your fun, but it’s a journey of unlearning and relearning, as told by the greats.
*Spoilers ahead*
Ladies Need Saving-a Trope We Cannot Escape
Do you remember how fairytales ended with the prince saving the day without losing anything? In Mad for Each Other, the female protagonist Lee Min Kyung is fighting hard to put her ex-boyfriend behind bars on accounts of domestic violence and bullying. She pushes against pressure from his mother, monetary compensation and public humiliation. She also has to resist her own mother, who insists that she didn’t give birth to a daughter so that she can throw away her life, fighting a losing battle with her past and people. Hwi Oh is at risk of losing his chance to come back to work because he assaulted Min Kyung’s ex-boyfriend in a fit of rage. So, Min Kyung agrees to drop the charges against her abusive boyfriend for her new boyfriend, who can’t keep himself in check.
This is the classic example of a woman making sacrifices for the sake of someone else, especially someone she is in love with. After being abused, dealing with anxiety and PTSD, humiliation at her workplace, blackmail and being publicly ridiculed, she gives up her fight for justice in a heartbeat. But why?
Are her problems inferior to his? Why is a woman’s sacrifice always up for a gamble?
Why shouldn’t Hwi Oh’s outrage be dealt with legally and independently? Does his anger ever get resolved? Why are his actions influencing her decisions? Why is saving his job for him her only option?
To further fit into the “man saves the day” narrative of the climax, Hwi Oh is furious when he finds out about Min Kyung’s decision and a car chase ensues that ends with him emerging as the hero.
The Vulnerability of Being Different
Viewers are introduced to a male character initially referred to as “resident in Unit 705” of the same residential building. One night, Noh Hwi Oh hears a commotion while assisting the women’s association patrolling the neighbourhood. Hwi Oh recognises that the person the women accused of being a flasher is in fact “resident in Unit 705” dressed as a woman. He introduces himself as Samantha. The women insist on arresting him, but Hwi Oh tries to reason with them.
The women’s association were quick to judge Samantha based on their failure to comprehend that he felt comfortable dressing as a woman. He did not fit in and appeared peculiar to them. They insisted he was acting suspiciously only because he was standing at the corner of the street. Samantha tries to conceal his nervousness and discomfort. Being cornered and yelled at by the women. He wasn’t given a chance to explain his side of the story calmly, as the women would have approached anyone else. Intolerance towards people who do not conform to assigned gender roles, be it the LGBTQ community or those who decide against the use of labels altogether, are suddenly perceived differently.
In another episode, Hwi Oh reaches out to Samantha to help dress as a woman for an undercover assignment. While at Samantha’s apartment, Hwi Oh hesitantly asks the guy (he insists that when he isn’t dressed as a woman, he’s not Samantha) about his gender identity while getting transformed into Whitney. Seeing Hwi Oh struggle to ask the question, he calmly replies, “I couldn’t find the answer”. He remarks that he just likes dressing up as a woman.
This scene is consequential because, we, as a society, are keen to put people in boxes, named and labelled for our convenience, for our own ease but Samantha breaks all societal stereotypes by refusing to get a tag.
Equaldex, a collaborative LGBTQ+ knowledge base, compiled results of surveys from various resources and the list is surprising. Some agree that society should accept homosexuality when acceptance, in reality, is different. Statistics from different sources like the Pew Research Center and World Values Survey confirm the same. Survey for “Should society accept homosexuality?” (2019) showed South Korea ranked #24 out of 34 countries surveyed, while “Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbours?” (2017–2020) indicated that South Korea ranked #72 out of 79 countries surveyed.
Although the character of Samantha could have been delved into more, Samantha remains memorable in the minds of the viewers. We never get to know the name of the resident in Unit 705 maybe because it was supposed to be that way.
Conclusion
Gender studies is important to understand gendered beliefs, norms and practices even in advanced societies like South Korea. Since Korean Drama is swiftly taking over, we need to responsibly consume content. The impact of television is colossal on the minds of those watching these dramas and their perception of reality in relation to the narrative they are projecting.
Leave a comment and mention your favourite K-drama, where a character shone in good light for you!
