"The Lady in Dignity" Kdrama Review: 10 Times More Amazing Than Expected

The Lady in Dignity (or Woman of Dignity) was a random pick for me and I wish I had seen it when it was on air. It’s a fantastic show. It’s ten times more fantastic than I expected.

• Number of episodes: 20

What is The Lady in Dignity about?

She lost everything yet...she's still confident in every way.
I have everything now yet...I don't feel confident at all.
Why is that? What do I have to do to be like her? Why can't I smile and laugh like she does? Why? (Park Bo Ja)

The series is about how a maid becomes the mistress of the house by doing research, planning, and taking revenge.

It explores the theme of human greed and how it can lead to tragedy. The main character, Park Bok Ja (played by Kim Sun Ah), is a greedy woman who wants to climb the social ladder and change her life. She envies Woo Ah Jin (starring Kim Hee Sun), a kind and elegant woman who seems to have everything. But she soon realizes that money and power are not enough to make her happy or satisfied. Can you relate to Park Bok Ja’s situation? You wished you had someone else’s life.

Well, it makes sense that Park Bok Ja envied Woo Ah Jin. Woo Ah Jin was such a kind person. She was too good for this world. Sometimes it was hard to breathe because she was so nice to everyone. But she was not afraid to transform her life. She was a smart, brave person. She would be flawless if she was not so generous to Park Bok Ja.

It has everything you can ask for

Cozy sweaters, criminal pasts, slapping faces, unfaithful spouses, smart kids, soaked cats, relaxing baths, spiritual cults, breakfast brawls, chilly golf, art dealers, underground kitchens, revenge, colorful lovers, and a surprising amount of toilet tissue business sense.

Hot take

Woman of Dignity is a hot mess of chaebol scandals and I love it. It’s like a guilty pleasure soap opera, but in a good way. And I can’t get enough of Lee Ki Woo, a tall and handsome actor.

Everyone dreams of happiness. Everyone desires something they don’t have. Our lives begin with that strong assumption; we need more to be happy. But... our lives never begin, or end, the way we want them to. This is my story. But it’s also the story of her, who dreamed of being me. (Woo Ah Jin)

Woo Ah Jin, played by Kim Hee Sun, is the woman of dignity in the title, and this is her story. She is the narrator and the protagonist of the show. She is the one who makes the decisions and drives the plot. She is the one who hires Bok Ja, divorces her cheating husband, and makes the familial decisions regarding her in-laws. She is a strong, smart, and bold woman who knows what she wants and how to get it.

Acting

The acting is superb, especially from the two female leads. Kim Hee Sun is perfect as the classy and elegant Woo Ah Jin. She shows a wide range of emotions and expressions throughout the show. One of my favorite scenes is when she calls Seong Hee, the mistress, “Ya, mistress!” in episode 14. She sounds so contemptuous and dignified at the same time.

Kim Sun Ah’s performance as Park Bok Ja was amazing. She showed two different sides of her character in the first few episodes, and I was impressed by her acting. Her crying scenes were compelling. She cried so hard that she could barely speak. That’s how real tears are. Her sobbing sounded very authentic. I was moved every time she cried.

I also want to praise Park Joo Mi. She was my girl crush before she became obsessed with "killing" Park Bok Ja. She had the aura of a chaebol. She spoke in a cold and low voice and gave intimidating looks and actions. Seo Jung Yeon did a great job portraying the weak and helpless Park Joo Mi.