K-Drama: How Far Would you go to Protect What’s Yours?

Mine | 마인 (2021)

If the likes of SKY Castle, The Penthouse or The World of the Married were right up your alley, make sure to add Mine to your list! Similar to the dramas mentioned, Mine is an elaborate drama that is scandalous, dramatic and full of secrets. 

tvN | Mine

Mine follows the lives of two ambitious women living in Seoul’s high society, as they struggle to live for themselves within the restrictions of being in a wealthy “chaebol” family.  Jung Seo Hyun (Kim Seo Hyung) is married to the first son of the Hyowon Group Corporation and was also born into a wealthy family. She is intelligent, rational and observant. Seo Hee Soo (Lee Bo Young) is a former actress who gave up her career to marry the second son of Hyowon Group and care for his son. Despite the snide comments she receives on a regular basis from some of the other family members, she stays strong and does her best to be a good daughter-in-law. 

Whilst I love both of these characters, get ready to crush BIG-TIME on Seo Hyun 😍 Her boldness, elegance and low-key protectiveness over Hee Soo will leave you gushing over how seriously cool she is. You might recognise the actress, Kim Seo Hyung, as the intense yet iconic tutor in SKY Castle. This time, she’s replaced the black turtleneck for power suits and sleek dresses in her new role. 

tvN | Mine

Speaking of fashion, get ready for an absolute feast for your eyes! With such lavish lifestyles, you already know the outfits are going to be equally as extravagant to match 💃 With some carefully selected pieces from Dior, Gucci, Prada and Hermès making their appearances, you can’t help but appreciate how much the looks add to the story. Symbolically and visually, the costume design tells us more about the character, plot and scenery. My personal favourite is how big the shoulders get, for when they need to be extra bold 😂 Check out the determination in this look of Kang Ja Kyung (Ok Ja Yeon), a mysterious tutor for Hee Soo’s son: 

tvN | Mine

While this drama definitely showcases the luxuries that come with abundant wealth, it also shows the sides that aren’t as great. Despite the mansion, the maids and the pet PEACOCK, nobody in the Hyowon Group family seems genuinely happy - not even the kids 😞 The competitiveness of business amongst the adults pits them against each other, and it seems that anyone who gets involved with this dysfunctional family also has to face the consequences. This is a consistent theme in K-dramas, in order to address the economic gap in Korea and to show that no matter how big and well-manicured, the grass is not always greener on the other side. “They’re never satisfied, so they’re always hungry for more. Their endless greed threw them into hell.” says Mother Emma (Ye Soo Jung), yet another mysterious character who is a nun and somewhat of a counsellor to everyone.

Mine has some strong themes of breaking free from society’s prejudice, finding yourself and sacrifice for the ones you love. It also radiates some big feminine energy, so if that sounds like something you’re interested in seeing more of in media, it’s available for you check out now on Netflix!

You can also watch the trailer here!