Why you should watch Little Women, the latest Korean drama that’s a Netflix hit

The cast

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1/5

Actress Kim Go-eun, of Goblin and Yumi's Cells fame, leads the main cast as eldest sister Oh In-joo, an accountant at a major corporation. Nam Ji-hyun (Suspicious Partner) plays middle sister In-kyung, an enthusiastic reporter at a news station with a drinking addiction. Park Ji-hu (All of Us are Dead) stars as the youngest sister, In-hye, who has a natural talent for drawing; she’s enrolled in a prestigious art high school and is keeping secrets from her family. Rounding out the main cast is actor Wi Ha-joon, who gained global prominence with his role in Squid Game, who plays Choi Do-il, a handsome executive that quickly becomes tied in with the eldest Oh.

Traditionally, there are four March sisters, but director Kim’s take on Little Women only features three. The parallels between the March and Oh sisters are noticeable, however. In-joo bears undeniable similarities to Meg, who feels the weight of responsibility on her shoulders when it comes to providing for her sisters in their parents’ absence. In-kyung, meanwhile, is very much the Jo of the story with her headstrong and empathetic nature, while the youngest In-hye is a reserved artist, like Amy.

The plot

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2/5

Unlike Alcott’s coming-of-age novel that conveys themes of romance and self-sacrifice, the Korean Little Women takes a grittier tone with a murder mysery and conspiracy theory forming much of the show’s backdrop. The unchanging story of perseverance and tenacity is now set in present-day Korea, and it explores a number of relevant social issues: greed, corruption, abuse of power and class disparity between the rich and poor.

Besides the change with the sisters, director Kim’s adaptation has done away with the sweet and soft nature of Marmee, who continuously urges her daughters to remain kind and selfless in their father’s absence, while he serves as chaplain in the Civil War. Instead, you’ll find a bitter mother with a sharp tongue, who schemes to steal the family’s money, and an absent father who had gambled away the family savings and left a horde of debts before fleeing to Singapore (more on that later).

Toss in a mysterious death – In-joo’s friend and coworker, Jin Hwa-young (Choo Ja-hyun), who is more than who she seems and has supposedly died from suicide – as well as a missing 70 billion won (SG$71 million) embezzled from the company In-joo works at, each hour-long episode is packed with suspense and plot twists as the storyline unravels.

Highlights to catch

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As mentioned earlier, the Oh sisters’ father flees to Singapore to escape his debt. Keep your eyes peeled for the Singapore arc, where certain portions of the show will take place at iconic areas around the city, including The Fullerton Hotel and One Shenton.

On Sep 18, Kim shared a sneak of the arc with an Instagram post of herself at the Singapore Management University's School of Accountancy at Stamford Road, with the caption reading: "From episode six on, I heard it's gonna get real."

Earlier this year, cast members such as Go and Wi made local headlines when they were spotted filming here for around two weeks. A stunt scene where a truck crashes into two cars was also captured by netizens. It went viral when many mistakenly believed that the stunt was a real accident, before sharp-eyed fans pointed out that the road the accident had taken place was closed for filming on the day.

What sets the drama apart from others

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4/5

The fresh take on the original text and the heightened drama and suspense set the show apart from others. Director Kim and writer Jung could have created an easier, straightforward Korean period piece that echoes the original novel, but they’ve instead chosen to address key societal issues in a modern world. The plot is (thus far at least, as the drama is still airing at the time of writing) engaging and well-developed with clever dialogue and thought-provoking visual metaphors.

Perhaps what makes the show so popular is its relatability. Similar to other resounding Korean hits Parasite and Squid Game, the show offers a glimpse at the desperation when one, no matter how hard they work, is unable to break the cycle of poverty that they are forced into. It draws similarities to our own lives, amidst a looming economic recession and inflation that’s not of our own making.

When does the drama end?

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5/5

The drama premiered on September 3rd, and is currently airing every Saturday and Sunday. It’s available for streaming on Netflix. There are a total of 12 episodes in total, and the last episode is expected to be released on October 9.