The Lady in Dignity ~ Wealth, Betrayal, and Dignified Power Play Games

“The Lady in Dignity” (aka “Woman of Dignity”) is a 2017 Korean drama, 20 episodes, categorized as Revenge, Mystery, and Thriller; and streaming on KOCOWA+ and Netflix.

• Memorable Quote: “The day the servant becomes the mistress, the game of dignity begins.” (Paraphrase, not a direct scripted quote.)

SUMMARY: A wealthy woman’s life of privilege is shaken when she hires a caretaker with a hidden agenda. As the caretaker infiltrates and positions herself in the wealthy woman’s household, their clash exposes greed, betrayal, and the fragile “dignity” behind living in high society.

♦ Greed, Class Divides and Privilege

In “The Lady in Dignity”, Woo Ah-Jin is a woman who enjoys wealth, comfort, and flawless social standing in an elite neighborhood. Her privileged life is secured through marriage into a powerful family: her father-in-law is the chairman of a prosperous paper-goods company, and her husband relies on her polished image to elevate their family’s reputation.

This carefully composed world begins to fracture with the arrival of Park Bok-Ja, a seemingly meek caregiver hired to look after the chairman, who uses a wheelchair. Although Park Bok-Ja comes from a modest provincial background, she possesses sharp intelligence, ambition, and a hidden agenda. The chairman quickly grows fond of her, triggering tension and suspicion within the household. Woo Ah-Jin, long accustomed to being the family’s center of grace and influence, suddenly finds her authority being challenged. By an “unimportant” servant???

There is a shifting power struggle between the two women. While Park Bok-Ja strategically climbs the social ladder using charm and manipulation, Woo Ah-Jin faces a double whammy of personal crises:

1. her husband is a typical cad, i.e., he’s unfaithful – after all, his marriage is just “for appearances”, plus
2. the chairman’s deteriorating health, and the increasingly evident threat posed by Park Bok-ja’s devious manipulations and machinations. The caretaker even gets a lawyer to help her carry out her schemes.

Woo Ah-jin’s elegant facade as a “lady of dignity” deteriorates like her father-in-law‘s health. Woo Ah-Jin is forced to reassess what dignity truly means when stripped of privileged status and marital security. By contrast, Park Bok-Ja seems to be a gold-digger; however, she has a painful backstory. It gradually emerges, revealing her resentment and motivations to overturn the hierarchy that once held her down. Dignity? Define dignity?

Main Characters:

• Woo Ah-Jin (played by Kim Hee-Seon, “Bitter Sweet Hell”, “Tomorrow”, “Alice”)
• Park Bok-Ja (played by Kim Sun-A, “Children of Nobody”)

Where to Watch: KOCOWA+ and Netflix

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.4 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8.1 out of 10 stars
• Google users shared a public rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as MDL.

“The Lady in Dignity” is a “typical” plot: classy wife, crappy husband, and outsider innocently invited to become an insider who has a hidden agenda. What happens when the person you trusted becomes your rival? How does a woman measure her dignity? Is it a measure of wealth and social position, OR self-agency and authenticity (and determination)?

• One reviewer said if you like “Misty“, you’ll like this K-drama.
• Another reviewer compared it to “Mine”.

I watched and reviewed both Korean dramas, and I agree with them.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

K-Drama Time Machine: ‘The Lady In Dignity’ Plunges Deeply Into The World Of The Hypocritical Rich. | HelloKPop
‘The Lady in Dignity’ Is Back on Netflix US. Worth Watching? | Reddit

K-Drama Review: Woman of Dignity Is Awesome! | Chasing Carefree

The Lady in Dignity – An Award-Winning K-Drama. | KGAJA

7 Reasons Why ‘Mine’ Gives Us Serious ‘The Lady in Dignity’ Déjà Vu. | GwenchaNoona

‘Woman Of Dignity’ On The Cusp Of Becoming JTBC’s Most-Watched Drama Ever With Latest Episode. | Soompi

TRAILER/TEASER:

OnlyKDrama. “Woman of Dignity 2017 Official Trailer Korean Drama.” YouTube, 3 Jun. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5bTitBapIc.

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