Little Women (2022 TV series)

Little Women (Korean작은 아씨들; RRJag-eun Assideul) is a South Korean television series directed by Kim Hee-won, and starring Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun, and Park Ji-hu. It aired from September 3 to October 9, 2022, on tvN's Saturdays and Sundays at 21:10 (KST).[4] It is also available for streaming on Netflix in selected regions.[5]

Little Women
Promotional poster
Hangul
작은 아씨들
Revised RomanizationJag-eun Assideul
Genre
Developed by
Written byJeong Seo-kyeong
Directed byKim Hee-won
Starring
Music byPark Se-joon
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes12
Production
Producers
  • Cho Moon-joo (CP)
  • Shin Ye-ji
  • Jo Soo-young
Production locations
  • South Korea
  • Singapore
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time77 minutes[2]
Production companyStudio Dragon[3]
Original release
NetworktvN
ReleaseSeptember 3 (2022-09-03) –
October 9, 2022 (2022-10-09)

Synopsis

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The series depicts the zeal of three poor sisters; In-joo, In-hye, and In-kyung for money, independence, and love. One of the sister's supposedly dead friend left her 70 billion won but the people behind it, Korea's richest family, will do anything to stop them.[6][7]

Cast

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Main

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The eldest sister. She grew up in a terribly poor environment and is still poor. Ever since she was a young child, In-joo realized that money was the most important thing to protect herself and her family. Her dream is to live an ordinary life like other people. She gets involved in a case that could change her life.
The middle sister. She is an enthusiastic reporter at a news station. In-kyung believes in doing the right thing. She also has always been poor, but grew up in a more comfortable environment, so money doesn't rule her life. She begins to dig into a mysterious case that she encountered when she first became a reporter.
The youngest sister, who studies at a prestigious art high school due to her natural drawing skills, and sometimes feels that her sisters’ love for her is too much. Her foolishness lets others expoit her financial situation. Her sisters are her de facto parents and are fiercely protective of her.

Supporting

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People around Oh In-kyung

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Oh In-kyung's childhood friend and strong supporter, who has feelings for her.
  • Cho Seung-yeon as Jo Wan-gyu[11]
Director of OBN Social Department.
A reporter at YBC news agency.

Family of three sisters

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Great-aunt of the three sisters.
Mother of the three sisters.

Wonryong's house

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A lawyer and rookie politician who gets involved with the three sisters.
General's daughter, politician's wife and Director of the Museum of Art. Her relationship with the three sisters begins when Sang-ah's daughter Hyorin becomes involved with Oh In-hye.
Park Jae-sang and Won Sang-ah's daughter, and Oh In-hye's best friend.
Security Commander in the 1980s and Won Sang-ah's father.
Won Ki-seon's son and Won Sang-ah's older brother. He was a son who didn't matter to his father.

Wonryong's group

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He graduated from a prestigious university and becomes involved with Oh In-ju. He is a mysterious character whose true allegiance is unclear. His father was part of the Jeongran Society, however, he was murdered for betraying them and his mother was framed for his father's death. Though his true allegiance is unclear for most of the part of the series, he is shown to be protective of In-ju.
Park Jae-sang's right-hand assistant.
Principal of Wonryong School.

Special appearances

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In-ju's secret friend.
A director who was suspected of having an affair with Hwa-young.
  • Hong Seo-hee as expensive shoes woman (Ep. 1)
  • Song Joong-ki as shoe salesman (Ep. 2)

Production

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Development

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In an interview with Tatler Asia on November 25, 2021, screenwriter Jeong Seo-kyung disclosed her involvement, "I'm working with the director of Vincenzo for a Korean adaptation of Little Women. The leading actresses are Kim Go-eun and Nam Ji-hyun while the male lead is Wi Ha-joon from Squid Game. I actually read the book, Little Women, when I was young and I really loved it."[25]

Casting

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On December 23, 2021, it was confirmed that tvN's series titled as Little Women directed by Kim Hee-won, written by Jeong Seo-kyung and produced by Studio Dragon, with Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun and Park Ji-hu as main leads.[26] On October 19, 2021, MS Team Entertainment revealed that Wi Ha-joon was offered a role in the series.[27] On the same day, it was reported that casting for the series was complete.[28]

Filming

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On March 3, 2022, it was confirmed that actor Wi Ha-joon had tested positive for COVID-19. He was expected to be released from quarantine on the 8th, and the diagnosis was confirmed when he was released.[29]

Filming took place from June to July 2022; filming locations include various locations around Singapore.[30][31]

Controversies

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Plagiarism

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On September 5, 2022, the staff issued an apology for the poster's resemblance to a Japanese beauty brand.[32]

On September 8, 2022, the drama's poster maker Propaganda issued an official apology for the plagiarism of the poster similar to the exhibition poster of a Japanese cosmetics brand from 2016.[33]

Ban in Vietnam

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On October 3, 2022, Vietnam's Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information requested that Little Women be removed from the Vietnamese version of Netflix due to historical falsification of the Vietnam War. According to the Director of Authority, Lê Quang Tự Do, the series breached the Vietnamese media and cinema laws due to inaccurate statements about the Vietnam War in episodes 3 and 8, which distorted Vietnamese history by glorifying South Korea's involvement in the Vietnam War, including war crimes committed by South Korean soldiers.[34][35]

On October 7, 2022, the drama staff apologized and promised to be more careful with both the social sensitivity and the production process in the future.[36]

Original soundtrack

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Little Women
Soundtrack album by
Various
Released2022
GenreSoundtrack
Language
Label
  • Genie Music
  • Stone Music Entertainment

Part 1

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Released on September 18, 2022 (2022-09-18)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Enough"eSNaPrimary, eSNaZior Park3:46
2."Enough" (Inst.) Primary, eSNa 3:46

Part 2

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Released on October 2, 2022 (2022-10-02)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."La Vie"Park Ye-seoWoo Ji-hoonSole3:49
2."La Vie" (Inst.) Woo Ji-hoon 3:49

Viewership

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Little Women : South Korea viewers per episode (millions)
SeasonEpisode numberAverage
123456789101112
11.4021.6971.3151.6961.6662.0401.4492.0501.6852.2301.7672.6181.801
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Korea.[38]
Average TV viewership ratings
Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
(Nielsen Korea)[38]
Nationwide Seoul
1 September 3, 2022 6.395% (1st) 6.931% (1st)
2 September 4, 2022 7.747% (1st) 8.519% (1st)
3 September 10, 2022 5.587% (1st) 6.110% (1st)
4 September 11, 2022 7.256% (1st) 8.315% (1st)
5 September 17, 2022 7.038% (1st) 8.072% (1st)
6 September 18, 2022 8.338% (1st) 8.898% (1st)
7 September 24, 2022 6.014% (1st) 7.033% (1st)
8 September 25, 2022 8.676% (1st) 9.710% (1st)
9 October 1, 2022 7.346% (1st) 8.935% (1st)
10 October 2, 2022 9.701% (1st) 11.278% (1st)
11 October 8, 2022 7.707% (1st) 8.931% (1st)
12 October 9, 2022 11.105% (1st) 11.968% (1st)
Average 7.743% 8.725%
  • In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest published ratings and the red numbers represent the highest published ratings.

Reception

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Critical response

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Little Woman has an approval rating of 100% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 5 reviews, and an average rating of 8.5/10.[39]

Accolades

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Award ceremony Year Category Nominee Result Ref.
APAN Star Awards 2023 Drama of the Year Little Women Won [40]
Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Uhm Ji-won Won
Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards 2023 Best Creative Little Women Nominated [41]
Best Writer Jeong Seo-kyung Nominated
Baeksang Arts Awards 2023 Best Drama Little Women Nominated [42]
Best Director Kim Hee-won Nominated
Best Screenplay Jeong Seo-kyung Nominated
Technical Award Ryu Seong-hui Won [43]
Bechdel Day 2023 The Bechdel Day 2023 series Little Women Top 10 [44]
Person of the Year (Producer) Cho Moon-ju Won
Kinolights Awards 2022 Korean Drama Of The Year Little Women 4th [45]
Korean Actress Of The Year Kim Go-eun 4th [45]

References

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  37. ^ a b Original Soundtrack:
  38. ^ a b Nielsen Korea ratings:
    • "Ep. 1". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 3, 2022. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
    • "Ep. 2". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 4, 2022. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
    • "Ep. 3". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 10, 2022. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
    • "Ep. 4". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 11, 2022. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
    • "Ep. 5". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 17, 2022. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
    • "Ep. 6". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 18, 2022. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
    • "Ep. 7". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 24, 2022. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
    • "Ep. 8". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). September 25, 2022. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
    • "Ep. 9". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). October 1, 2022. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
    • "Ep. 10". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). October 2, 2022. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
    • "Ep. 11". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
    • "Ep. 12". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
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  44. ^ Jeong Yoo-jin (August 16, 2023). "임지연, 올해의 벡델리안 배우상 "동물적 연기 극과 극 온도차]" [Lim Ji-yeon Wins Bechdelian Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in the Year: "Polar Differences in Animal Acting"]] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Naver.
  45. ^ a b Kim, Ji-Woo (December 21, 2022). "뜨거웠다' 박해일, 박은빈 그리고 손석구" [It was hot’ Park Hae-il, Park Eun-bin and Son Seok-gu] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Retrieved September 12, 2023 – via Naver.
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