Bechdel Day

Bechdel Day
Previous: Bechdel Day 2025
Pending: Bechdel Day 2026
Native name벡델데이
DescriptionHonors for outstanding creators and works contributing to gender equality in South Korean cinema and television
Sponsored byMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Korean Film Council
CountrySouth Korea
Established2020
Currently held byDirectors Guild of Korea (DGK)
Most wins

Bechdel Day (Korean: 벡델데이) is an annual South Korean awards ceremony and event hosted by the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council. Established in 2020, the event evaluates and honors gender equality in South Korean film and television, utilizing the Bechdel test alongside expanded criteria.

History

In 2020, Gender Equality Week moved from July to the first week of September to commemorate the anniversary of "Yeoyeotongmun," Korea's first declaration of women's rights on September 1. That same year, the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) launched Bechdel Day, an event inspired by American cartoonist Alison Bechdel's the gender Bechdel test.[1][2]

The event annually honors standout creators, including directors, writers, actors, and producers, who contributed to these works as "Bechdelians." It also selects ten works with high gender equality standards as the "Bechdel Choice 10." In 2022, the scope expanded to include television series under the category "Bechdel Choice 5," before expanding to a full selection of ten series in 2023.[3][4]

Criteria

The initiative evaluates media using the "Bechdel Test 7," which builds upon the traditional Bechdel test by incorporating four additional criteria, as follows:[5]

  • There are at least two named female characters.
  • The female characters have a conversation with each other.
  • Their conversation is not solely about male characters.
  • At least one key crew member (director, producer, screenwriter, or cinematographer) is a woman.
  • The work features a solo female protagonist, or balances the roles and importance of male and female leads equally.
  • The content is free from hatred or discriminatory views toward minorities.
  • Female characters are portrayed without relying on stereotypes.

Bechdel day events

Bechdel day events
Edition Date Venue Programmer Ref.
1st September 1–7, 2020 Online [6]
2nd September 4, 2021 Online Yoon Dan-bi, Im Sun-ae [7]
3rd September 6–7, 2022 Chungmu Arts Center Small Theater Blue Lee Hwa-jeong [8]
4th September 6–7, 2023 Indie Space, Seoul [9]
5th September 7, 2024 [10]
6th September 6–7, 2025 KU Cinematheque, Arts & Culture Center, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul [11]
7th August 29–30, 2026 Yeonnamjang, Seoul Yoon Dan-bi, Lim Dae-hyung [12]

Bechdel Choice 10

Edition Year Film Series Ref.
1st 2020
N/a [5]
2nd 2021
N/a [13]
3rd 2022
[14]
4th 2023
[15]
5th 2024
[16]
6th 2025
[17]
7th 2026
[18][19]

Bechdelian

Bechdelian in film — Director of the Year

Bechdelian in film — Director of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Film(s) Ref.
1st 2020 Kim Bora House of Hummingbird [5]
2nd 2021 Hong Seong-eun Aloners [13]
3rd 2022 Shin Su-won Hommage [14]
4th 2023 July Jung Next Sohee [15]
5th 2024 Lee Ji-eun Hill of Secrets [20]
6th 2025 Lee Mi-rang About Her [17]
7th 2026 Yoon Ga-eun The World of Love [21]

Bechdelian in film — Producer of the Year

Bechdelian in film — Producer of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Film(s) Ref.
1st 2020 Kim Ji-hye The House of Us [5]
2nd 2021 Hong Seong-eun Aloners [13]
3rd 2022 Park Eun-kyung Samjin Company English Class [14]
4th 2023 Shin Hye-yeon, Kim Sung-hwan The Anchor [15]
5th 2024 Kang Hye-jung Smugglers [22]
6th 2025 Lee An-na Victory, High-Five [17]
7th 2026 Ha Myung-mi Hallan [21]

Bechdelian in film — Writers of the Year

Bechdelian in film — Writers of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Film(s) Ref.
1st 2020 Lee Bo-ram, Kim Yoon-seok Innocent Witness [5]
2nd 2021 Park Ji-wan The Day I Died: Unclosed Case [13]
3rd 2022 Chung Seo-kyung, Park Chan-wook Decision to Leave [14]
4th 2023 Kim Se-in The Apartment with Two Women [15]
5th 2024 Kim Min-ju A Letter from Kyoto [20]
6th 2025 Kim Soo-yeon Minimal Goodness [17]
7th 2026 Seo Ja-yeon The Woman in the White Car [21]

Bechdelian in film — Actresses of the Year

Bechdelian in film — Actresses of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Film(s) Ref.
1st 2020 Kim Hee-ae Moonlit Winter [5]
2nd 2021 Yeom Hye-ran Black Light [23]
3rd 2022 Ha Yoon-kyung Gyeong-a's Daughter [14]
4th 2023 Lee Ha-nee Phantom [15]
5th 2024 Ra Mi-ran Citizen of a Kind [20]
6th 2025 Lee Hye-young The Old Woman with the Knife [17]
7th 2026 Jang Sun, Byun Jung-hee Red Nails [21]

Bechdelian in series — Directors of the Year

Bechdelian in series — Directors of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Film(s) Ref.
3rd 2022 Jung Ji-in The Red Sleeve [14]
4th 2023 Lee Jong-pil One Day Off [15]
5th 2024 Jeon Go-woon, Lim Dae-hyung LTNS [24]
6th 2025 Jung Ji-in Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born [17]
7th 2026 Lee Hae-young Aema [25]

Bechdelian in series — Producers of the Year

Bechdelian in series — Producers of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Series(s) Ref.
3rd 2022 Park Sung-hye Inspector Koo [14]
4th 2023 Cho Moon-joo Little Women [15]
5th 2024 Baek Mi-kyung Strong Girl Nam-soon [24]
6th 2025
  • Han Seok-won
  • Hwang Ki-yong
  • Shin Hye-mi
 A Virtuous Business [17]
7th 2026
  • Choi Han-gyul
  • Park Jin-hyung
  • Son Jae-sung
 Honor [25]

Bechdelian in series — Writers of the Year

Bechdelian in series — Writers of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Series(s) Ref.
3rd 2022 Yoo Young-ah Thirty, Nine [14]
4th 2023 Park Ba-ra Under the Queen's Umbrella [15]
5th 2024 Park Kyung-hwa The Midnight Romance in Hagwon [24]
6th 2025 Park Ji-sook The Tale of Lady Ok [17]
7th 2026 Song Hye-jin You and Everything Else [25]

Bechdelian in series — Actresses of the Year

Bechdelian in series — Actresses of the Year
Edition Year Winner(s) Film(s) Ref.
3rd 2022 Lee Young-ae Inspector Koo [14]
4th 2023 Lim Ji-yeon The Glory, Lies Hidden in My Garden [15]
5th 2024 Lee Ha-nee Knight Flower [24]
6th 2025 Park Bo-young Unknown Seoul [17]
7th 2026 Kim Go-eun You and Everything Else [25]

References

  1. ↑ Lim, Jeong-won (March 7, 2023). "Korean film industry still a battlefield for female creators". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on July 15, 2026. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  2. ↑ "차별 없는 영화를 말하다…'벡델데이 2020' 심포지엄". plus.hankyung.com. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  3. ↑ Kwak, Yeon-soo (September 6, 2021). "'Men appear twice as often as women in Korean films,' data shows - The Korea Times". Korea Times. Archived from the original on July 26, 2026. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  4. ↑ "DGK Publishes Bechdel Choice 10 List". Korean Film Biz Zone. Archived from the original on May 12, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kim, Yeon-ah (August 12, 2020). "10 Korean films make 'Bechdel Choice 10' list for promoting gender equality". Korea Joongang Daily. Archived from the original on July 28, 2026. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  6. ↑ 아트인사이트. "[Opinion] '벡델데이2020', 영화 산업 속 양성평등을 외치다 [영화]". 아트인사이트 (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ 김성훈 (August 26, 2021). ""영화가 성 평등 가치와 문화를 외면해서는 안 된다는 생각을 나누고 싶다"". 씨네21 (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  8. ↑ "벡델데이 2022". sites.google.com. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  9. ↑ "벡델데이 2023". sites.google.com. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  10. ↑ "벡델데이 2024". sites.google.com. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  11. ↑ "역대 벡델데이". sites.google.com. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  12. ↑ "윤단비·임대형 감독 프로그래머 합류…'벡델데이 2026' 8월 개막". KPOPSTARZ (in Korean). July 23, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Lee, Jae-lim (August 19, 2021). "Directors Guild of Korea announces this year's 'Bechdel Choice 10'". Korea Joongang Daily. Archived from the original on July 27, 2026. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Han, Ki-bong (August 30, 2023). 9월 1~7일은 ‘양성평등주간’입니다 [September 1st to 7th is 'Gender Equality Week']. Women Times (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 15, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  16. ↑
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Park, Jin-hai (September 3, 2025). "Bechdel Day 2025 celebrates K-dramas, films that rewrite rules for female characters - The Korea Times". Korea Times. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  18. ↑ Park, Ji-yoon (August 5, 2026). '교생실습'부터 '세계의 주인'까지…벡델초이스 10 공개 [From 'Teaching Practice: Idiot Girls and School Ghost 2' to 'The World of Love'... Bechdel Choice 10 Revealed]. The Fact (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 6, 2026. Retrieved August 5, 2026 – via Naver.
  19. ↑ Park, Ji-yeon (August 12, 2026). '벡델데이 2026', 세대·장르·시대 넘나드는 벡델초이스 10 공개 ['Bechdel Day 2026' Unveils Bechdel Choice 10, Crossing Generations, Genres, and Eras]. The Fact (in Korean). Retrieved August 12, 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Kim, Kyung-hee (August 12, 2024). 벡델데이 2024 영화 부문 벡델리안에 라미란, 강혜정 제작사, 이지은 감독 등 선정 [Ra Mi-ran, Kang Hye-jung's production company, Director Lee Ji-eun, and others selected as Bechdelians in the film category for Bechdel Day 2024]. iMBC Entertainment (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 27, 2026. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Kim, Seong-hyeon (August 6, 2026). '세계의 주인' 윤가은 감독, 벡델데이 '올해의 감독' 만장일치 선정 [Director Yoon Ga-eun of 'Master of the World' Unanimously Selected as 'Director of the Year' on Bechdel Day]. YTN (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 8, 2026. Retrieved August 6, 2026 – via Daum.
  22. ↑ Na, Won-jeong (August 28, 2024). [비하인드컷] K무비 판 뒤집는 여자들 [[Behind the Scenes Cut] Women Who Turn K-Movies Around]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  23. ↑ Kim, Ji-eun (August 23, 2021). '올해의 벡델리안'에 배우 염혜란 등 4명 선정 [Four people, including actress Yeom Hye-ran, selected as 'Bechdelians of the Year']. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 28, 2025. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Kim, Ji-yeon (September 20, 2024). 벡델데이2024 현장, 〈LTNS〉 〈졸업〉 〈힘쎈여자 강남순〉 등을 만든 벡델리안들과의 만남 [Bechdel Day 2024 On-site: A meeting with Bechdelians who created LTNS, Graduation, Strong Woman Gangnamsoon, and more]. Cineplay (in Korean). Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  25. 1 2 3 4 Park, Jin-young. 김고은·'은중과 상연' 송혜진 작가·'애마' 이해영 감독, 벡델리안 선정 [Kim Go-eun, 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon' writer Song Hye-jin, and 'Aema' director Lee Hae-young selected by Bechdelian]. Joynews24 (in Korean). Retrieved August 13, 2026.
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