Welcome to the Gender Equality Playground! Anticipating Bechdel Day 2025

What constitutes 'good' content? The criteria for determining 'good' content may vary from person to person. What is considered 'good' content? Every year, when awards are given for 'Best Work' at various ceremonies, differing opinions on the selected works arise for this very reason. However, there is an event that selects and encourages works and creators based on solid criteria.

'Bechdel Day' is an event established to reflect on gender equality representation in Korean film and media, contributing to enhancing audience awareness of gender equality through films and series, and promoting cultural diversity. Organized by the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK), Bechdel Day started in 2020 and marks its 6th year this year.

What is Allison Bechdel's 'Bechdel Test'?

DGK's 'Bechdel Day' is based on Allison Bechdel's 'Bechdel Test'. The concept of the 'Bechdel Test' first appeared in Bechdel's 1985 comic 「Dykes to Watch Out For」. The criteria proposed by Allison Bechdel for the 'Bechdel Test' are as follows.

Allison Bechdel's 'Bechdel Test'

① At least two named female characters must appear in the film

② The female characters must have a conversation with each other

③ The subject or topic of their conversation must not be solely about male characters

It has been exactly 40 years since Allison Bechdel proposed the above criteria in her comic. Now, in 2025, let’s think of films and series that satisfy all three of the above criteria. Since these are the 'minimum' standards, the number of content that meets the above criteria has significantly increased compared to the past. In fact, according to the Korean Film Council's (KOFIC) '2024 Gender Equality Report on Korean Films', among the films that ranked in the top 30 at the box office last year, a total of 16 films passed the 'Bechdel Test', accounting for 59.3% of the 27 films surveyed. While this is not an absolutely high figure, it is the highest record since KOFIC began publishing gender statistics in 2017.

Examining Bechdel Day's Unique 'Bechdel Test 7' Criteria

However, even these three criteria, which seemed like 'minimum conditions', were not easily found in domestic commercial films until just over a decade ago. Moreover, passing Allison Bechdel's 'Bechdel Test' does not necessarily mean that a work is gender-equal. The gender ratio among key content creators such as directors, producers, lead actors, screenwriters, and cinematographers remains imbalanced, and even if the number of female characters has increased, they often remain peripheral or are depicted in a flat manner.

Therefore, to consider various aspects such as production aspects, the narrative position of characters, the representation and diversity of female characters, and the dismantling of gender stereotypes, DGK has added four items to Allison Bechdel's criteria to establish a new 'Bechdel Test' standard unique to Bechdel Day. DGK's 'Bechdel Test 7' criteria are as follows.

Bechdel Day's 'Bechdel Test 7'

① At least two named female characters must appear in the film

② The female characters must have a conversation with each other

③ The subject or topic of their conversation must not be solely about male characters

④ At least one of the director, producer, screenwriter, or cinematographer must be a female filmmaker

⑤ The film must either be a female-led film or have equal roles and significance for both male and female protagonists

⑥ It must not contain hate or discriminatory views towards minorities

⑦ Female characters must not be represented in a stereotypical manner

The expanded criteria prompt a close examination of how content represents the world from various perspectives and attitudes. However, even the seven criteria above do not guarantee that a work is necessarily 'good' or gender-equal just because it passes these items. Therefore, the judges of Bechdel Day qualitatively assess whether the content that passes the 'Bechdel Test 7' perpetuates 'stereotypical depictions' based on gender, how characters lead the narrative, and whether the way characters interact is gender-equal, to determine this year's award winners.

Bechdel Day 2025, This Year's Works and Creators

Every year, Bechdel Day selects the ten most gender-equal films and series released in Korea based on the 'Bechdel Test 7' criteria as 'Bechdel Choice 10', and recognizes directors, writers, actors, and producers who contributed to gender equality as 'Bechdelian'. Bechdel Day 2025 has selected the nominees for 'Bechdel Choice 10' and 'Bechdelian' in four categories from Korean films and series released from June last year to May this year.

The films selected as 'Bechdel Choice 10' in the film category include 〈The Black Nuns〉 〈To Her〉 〈About My Daughter〉 〈Lucky, Apartment〉 〈Revolver〉 〈Victory〉 〈The Minimum Goodness〉 〈Breakthrough〉 〈High Five〉 〈I Hate Korea〉 (in alphabetical order). The film 〈The Black Nuns〉, which features nuns as the main exorcists, 〈Breakthrough〉 and 〈Revolver〉, which subvert the noir genre from a female perspective, and 〈High Five〉, which breaks the mold of superhero films, have garnered attention. Films such as 〈To Her〉, 〈About My Daughter〉, 〈The Minimum Goodness〉, and 〈Victory〉 have depicted women's lives, relationships, and solidarity in a multifaceted manner, while 〈I Hate Korea〉 and 〈Lucky, Apartment〉 have been evaluated as works that reflect on discrimination and hatred. Meanwhile, the Bechdelian in the film category includes director 〈About My Daughter〉 Im Mi-rang, actress 〈Breakthrough〉 Lee Hye-young, writer 〈The Minimum Goodness〉 Kim Soo-yeon, and producer 〈Victory〉 〈High Five〉's representative, Anna Purna Film's Lee Anna.

Meanwhile, the series category 'Bechdel Choice 10' includes 〈Good Partner〉, 〈She Who is Different Day and Night〉, 〈Unknown Seoul〉, 〈Good Competition〉, 〈Madam Oksun〉, 〈Such an Intimate Betrayer〉, 〈Retirement〉, 〈Quiet Sales〉, 〈Totally Deceived〉, 〈Hyper Knife〉 have been selected. This year, the gender equality of historical dramas and period pieces is particularly notable with titles like 〈Totally Deceived〉, 〈Retirement〉, and 〈Madam Oksun〉. Additionally, 〈She Who is Different Day and Night〉 and 〈Unknown Seoul〉 resonate with reality, while 〈Hyper Knife〉 and 〈Good Partner〉 subvert genre conventions, and 〈Good Competition〉 and 〈Quiet Sales〉 are noted for their narratives of female solidarity and growth. Meanwhile, the Bechdelian in the series category includes director 〈Retirement〉 Jeong Ji-in, writer 〈Madam Oksun〉 Park Ji-sook, actress 〈Unknown Seoul〉 Park Bo-young, and producers 〈Quiet Sales〉 Han Seok-won, Hwang Gi-yong, and Shin Hye-mi.

Just a few years ago, films or dramas centered around female protagonists were considered a risk factor for box office success. However, the presence of numerous commercial films and TV dramas with high viewership ratings in this year's Bechdel Choice indicates that audiences find sufficient enjoyment and immersion in female-centered narratives, and are eager for new perspectives. This demonstrates that gender-equal narratives are no longer a risk but a driving force for content expansion, and that the enjoyment of content is not inversely proportional to gender equality.

Bechdel Day 2025 Program as a 'Gender Equality Playground'

The 'gender equality in media' that Bechdel Day aims for is not a boring proposition, but rather a 'catalyst' that invigorates content and broadens quality and diversity. Therefore, this year's Bechdel Day 2025 will also meet audiences and creators through a variety of programs to easily and enjoyably convey the purpose of Bechdel Day as a 'gender equality playground'.

This year, Bechdel Day 2025 will be held for two days from September 6 to 7 at KU Cinema Tech. The event will feature special talks, special screenings, and GV (Guest Visit) sessions. On Saturday, the 6th, the 'Meeting with Bechdelian' will include Bechdelian selected director 〈About My Daughter〉 Im Mi-rang, representative Lee Anna who produced 〈Victory〉 and 〈High Five〉, writer Kim Soo-yeon of 〈The Minimum Goodness〉, director Jeong Ji-in of 〈Retirement〉, and producer Shin Hye-mi of 〈Quiet Sales〉, who will discuss female characters and gender equality in narratives where they have secured their share in genres and stories. Meanwhile, on the same day, there will be a screening of the film 〈Breakthrough〉 and a talk titled 'One and Only! Actress Lee Hye-young: Expanding the Boundaries of Female Actors' with director Min Kyu-dong and actress Lee Hye-young, discussing the film and the achievements of actress Lee Hye-young. Additionally, a special screening of 〈About My Daughter〉 is scheduled for that evening.

On the following day, the 7th, there will be a screening of the film 〈Victory〉, which was selected as Bechdel Choice 10, along with a conversation with director Park Beom-soo and actress Park Se-wan. The GV will feature director Jeong Ga-young of 〈Romance Without Love〉 as the moderator. Additionally, there will be a discussion on gender equality in recent hot topics in TV entertainment, including 〈Street Woman Fighter〉, 〈The Women Who Kick Balls〉, and 〈Iron Girl Group〉. SBS's 〈The Women Who Kick Balls〉's PD Kwon Hyung-gu, actress Lee Young-jin, and Mnet's 〈World of Women Street Fighter〉's PD Jeong Kyung-wook will discuss the theme 'Freedom of the Body, Awakening the Suppressed Desires and Challenges of Women' regarding gender equality in media competitiveness. Furthermore, a special screening of 〈The Minimum Goodness〉 will take place that evening.