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What a Good Secretary Wants

Name: What a Good Secretary Wants
Director: Kim Hyo-jae
Released: 2016
Duration: 71 min

Representation Score

3.1/10

Limited

2016

Director

Kim Hyo-jae

Runtime

71 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

What a Good Secretary Wants operates within a highly conventional framework, prioritizing traditional romantic and professional hierarchies. The narrative relies on established clichés, particularly regarding the female lead's role as both a competent professional and an object of aesthetic appeal. The film lacks engagement with the way different parts of someone's identity overlap, offering a homogeneous view of the corporate world. It reinforces social stability and institutional norms rather than challenging them through diverse perspectives or subversive storytelling. Ultimately, the production follows standard regional industry patterns, focusing on a narrow, traditionalist depiction of workplace romance and professional life.

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Category Breakdown

Does What a Good Secretary Wants have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story follows a traditional romantic trajectory between a male CEO and a female secretary. There is no mention of queer narratives or non-straight relationships.

How does What a Good Secretary Wants portray gender?

Fair

Ji-won is portrayed as both capable and physically desirable. This framing relies on clichés that pair female competence with aesthetic appeal within a patriarchal hierarchy.

How racially and ethnically diverse is What a Good Secretary Wants?

Limited

The setting focuses on a South Korean corporate environment with ties to China. The narrative appears to center on a homogeneous professional group.

How does What a Good Secretary Wants represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film emphasizes workplace stability and professional duty. It reinforces traditional institutional values rather than critiquing social or capitalist structures.

Does What a Good Secretary Wants include disability representation?

Minimal

The narrative contains no characters identified with visible or invisible disabilities. No representation of neurodivergence or physical impairment is present.

Present on Screen

The protagonist is depicted as a highly capable and professional individual within her corporate role.

Limited or Absent

The film relies on gendered clichés that link female competence to physical desirability.
The narrative lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.
The setting lacks ethnic diversity, focusing instead on a homogeneous professional environment.

Official Synopsis

The silent secret of the perfect woman. Genius Consulting is a recruiting company that provides Board of Members of large corporates and professional talents to China. As the original secretary for Joo Yeong-cheol, CEO of the company went on her maternity leave, Ji-won, a new secretary is hired and starts filling the position. All the employees welcome her who looks sexy at a glance, is capable of doing her job and also has a warm good personality. On a rainy night, CEO Joo and his new secretary Ji-won have a brief beer break, while working until late at night in the office.

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