Why Are Women Vulnerable to Becoming Victims of Crime in K-drama 'Honour'?

The Korean drama Honour (2026) specifically tells the story of women who are particularly vulnerable to violence. Yoon Ra Young (Lee Na Young) is one example of a victim of sexual abuse by her ex-boyfriend. She realizes that the world has not been supportive of women who are victims of violence and abuse. Since then, Yoon Ra Young and her two friends, Kang Shin Jae (Jung Eun Chae) and Hwang Hyun Jin (Lee Chung Ah), have established a law firm specifically to help women seek legal justice. So, why are women so vulnerable to crime in the Korean drama Honour?

Warning, this article contains spoilers.

The lingering influence of patriarchy

Despite progress, patriarchal culture remains deeply ingrained in daily life. Under this culture, men are generally granted easier access to positions of higher authority. Evidence of this is that the perpetrators of these crimes are men who hold greater power than their victims. Park Je Yeol (Seo Hyun Woo) uses his power as a prosecutor to gain access to women who are considered weak and unable to fight back. For example, he uses his access to various cases he is handling to pressure the women involved to drop the cases more easily in exchange for various conditions. This makes it very possible for Park Je Yeol to gain a lot of access through his power and his job as a prosecutor.

Economic and power inequality

This economic and financial inequality is closely related to women’s access to education and power. One example is the case of Jo Yoo Jeong (Park Se Hyun), who had to face the law because she was accused of stealing a bag. At that time, Jo Yoo Jeong had to pay a sum of money. Unfortunately, Jo Yoo Jeong could not easily get out of the case. A detective, later known as Kim Seung Jin (Jung Hee Tae), was the person who made Jo Yoo Jeong download the Connect In app.

Weak legal protection

Victims of violence and sexual harassment generally find it difficult to obtain justice. They are usually pressured by social views and various negative narratives about this issue. Not only that, sexual harassment is usually more difficult to prove because it takes place in closed spaces or is done secretly. As a result, it can be difficult to find eyewitnesses because the location of the incident is quite private. In addition, the views of officers and law enforcement officials are also important factors in the legal proceedings of such cases.

Physical differences and strength

Generally, men have greater physical strength than women. This condition can make women more vulnerable to violence and abuse. Not only that, cultural conditions that place women in a more passive role and maintain stability also make them easier victims. This makes women’s position more vulnerable. Although this is not a generalization, unfortunately, this practice is still very common in many places. The proof is that the character Yoon Ra Young, who is 20 years old, also had a similar experience. She firmly rejected her boyfriend’s advances at the time and tried to fight back. Unfortunately, she did not have the strength to overpower her boyfriend physically at that time.

This situation is quite interesting to study. The enforcement of laws and cultural perspectives are indeed necessary and must continue to be implemented. Unfortunately, various cases of violence against women are still not a priority for governments in many countries.