A Comparative Analysis of Gender Representation in Original Dramas Produced by Netflix and Tving

초록

This study investigates gender representation in original Korean dramas produced by Netflix and Tving, two over-the-top (OTT) platforms that follow different industrial and cultural logics. Netflix, as a global platform, has promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as part of its policies. Tving, by contrast, mirrors the conventions of Korea’s domestic broadcasting culture, where there are assumably limited formal diversity strategies. The key question is how these different situations influence the gender representation in Korean original drama series. To answer this, the research examined original dramas released from 2018 to 2024. A systematic content analysis was conducted to see not only quantitative data analysis with age, occupation, and body type, but also qualitative side of gender representation by analyzing spatial location, emotional expression, and personality traits. The results show both similarities and differences. Netflix dramas, despite the presence of its DEI program, often return to traditional gender hierarchies. Women are shown as younger, good-looking, or in subordinate roles. Tving dramas sometimes depart from this pattern. Women are placed more often in public and work settings, and male characters are occasionally shown in moments of vulnerability. However, Tving repeated displays familiar stereotypes, such as putting women to subjugated positions. Taken together, the findings show that Netflix’s inclusivity framework does not erase established stereotypes. Tving, although without formal diversity policies, reveals partial shifts that reflect audience expectations. By going beyond numerical counts and emphasizing qualitative dimensions, this study adds to debates on media diversity, platform strategies, and the cultural role of OTT drama in Korea and beyond.

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