A considerate amount of language, which includes: "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "damn," "crap," "butt," "bastard," "bitch," and "slut." The middle finger is given.
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A character writes a steamy online fantasy blog. Some of the scenes are shown in a reader's imagination. Kissing, petting, sexual situations with clothes on, seductive language.
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People place a lot of weight on material goods and money. A main character works in a convenience store and some brands can be seen, but the majority are amalgamations of brand names (the store, RU24) is a play on 7-Eleven and CU stores. A character smokes "Sunhill" cigarettes, a play on Dunhill cigarettes.
Violence & Scariness
very little
Women face verbal abuse and harassment in the workplace. Characters hit and threaten each other verbally, sometimes for comedic effect.
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South Korean corporate culture and gender stereotypes are themes examined in this show.
Positive Messages
a little
Speak up for your rights. Don't worry about what people think. Take care of your loved ones. Be a good friend. Don't let people keep you from following your dreams. Do good deeds. Speak up for justice.
Positive Role Models
a little
The main character in this show, Son Hae-Young, has always spoken up for herself, demanding equal play space for girls and boys on the recess playground as a school child. But when she sees that she's being discriminated against, she takes matters into her own hands by gaming the system. Her male counterpart, Kim Ji-uk, is called an "angel" by many people because he does good deeds all day long.
Diverse Representations
a little
This show takes place in South Korea, and the majority of people in this show are of Korean descent. Women's rights are a theme. A main female character wants to break the glass ceiling in order to be promoted, but discovers she can't do so in her company unless she's married.
Parents need to know that No Gain No Love is a Korean drama (available dubbed and subtitled in English) in which marriage is used as a way to gain economic advancement. Sexual harassment and gender discrimination are themes. Language is frequent and colorful, including "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "damn," "crap," "butt," "bastard," and "bitch." Characters drink alcohol and consequently make poor choices; a main character smokes cigarettes. Some kissing and sexual themes, but no nudity. Character strengths of compassion and perseverance are considered in this show.
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What's the Story?
In NO GAIN NO LOVE, Son Hae-young (Shin Min-a) has been fighting for an equal playing field since she was in grade school. Because her mother brought children in need to her home, she never felt like she got a fair shake at life. At work, she's realizing that she can't advance in her company as a single woman. When the company advances a program to help bright young workers get a head start, she comes up with a plan to help herself get ahead. But her plan includes roping into her scheme an innocent bystander whose feelings might get hurt. Can she move ahead without damaging those around her?
Complicated and playful, this K-drama addresses sexism in the workplace by tackling the question of being single. No Gain No Love does employ the whiz-bang sound effects that can distract in shows coming out of Korea and China, but they are used to decent effect in this series, illustrating that care has been taken in editing a show that might have staying power. The clever writing and decent acting supports this effort.
Fans of underdog dramas with a romantic bent will enjoy this one. Be aware show does have more language and sexy stuff than most K-dramas, so it's best for more mature viewers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about perseverance in No Gain No Love. At what point does the main character realize that her perseverance isn't appreciated? How do you know when to stop barking up the wrong tree?
Compassion drives people's good deeds, but it can be a cause for breakup (when a love interest asks a character if she's the only one taking care of her elderly mother). Do you think there's such a thing as being overly compassionate?
In this show's corporate setting, people work with each other and against each other. How does teamwork really work? What if people are on a team for their own gain?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
