A Virtuous Business

A Heartwarming, Empowering Drama with a Flawed Finish

Set in 1992 South Korea, A Virtuous Business tackles bold themes of female empowerment and sexuality against the backdrop of a conservative society. This quirky, heartfelt drama blends comedy, melodrama, and a touch of mystery, delivering a compelling narrative driven by the bonds of four remarkable women. While it shines in its character-driven storytelling and vibrant aesthetics, an uneven ending and underdeveloped subplots prevent it from reaching its full potential.

At the heart of the story is Jeong-suk, a former beauty contest runner-up now living a modest life in the small town of Geumje. Struggling to make ends meet with her son, Min-ho, and her unfaithful partner, Seung-soo, Jeong-suk’s world shifts when she discovers Seung-soo’s affair. This betrayal sparks her journey of self-discovery, leading her to join Fantasy Lingerie, a venture selling adult products like lingerie, whips, and chains.

Jeong-suk teams up with Yeong-bok, a resilient mother of four, and later meets Ju-ri, a vibrant single mother and salon owner who embraces her femininity unapologetically. Rounding out the quartet is Geum-hui, a privileged yet unfulfilled housewife married to Won-bong. Together, these women form an unbreakable bond, navigating societal pushback, personal struggles, and hilarious mishaps as they peddle their provocative wares.

The show starts as a quirky comedy, with laugh-out-loud moments as the women awkwardly market their products. However, it gradually shifts into a sentimental, slow-burn melodrama, exploring deeper themes of self-worth, independence, and the pursuit of personal happiness.

Woven into the narrative is a mystery surrounding Do-hyeon, a detective new to Geumje, searching for his birth mother. Armed with only vague memories, burn marks on his arm, and a gut feeling, Do-hyeon’s quest intersects with Jeong-suk’s journey. Their budding romance is tender and heartfelt, grounding the drama’s more comedic and dramatic elements. However, the show’s attempt to juggle additional subplots dilutes its focus, contributing to its uneven pacing.


STRENGTHS: FRIENDSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT

The drama’s greatest asset is the chemistry among its four leads. Their friendship, reminiscent of Thirty-Nine but executed with greater warmth and authenticity, is the emotional core of the series. The writers skillfully shift the spotlight from Jeong-suk to the other women midway through, delving into their backstories and struggles. Yeong-bok and Geum-hui, in particular, face significant hardships, making their arcs feel especially poignant and impactful.

A Virtuous Business delivers a powerful message about embracing femininity and pursuing personal fulfillment, both sexually and in life. It educates its audience with sensitivity, challenging societal taboos while celebrating women’s strength and resilience. The show’s aesthetic complements its storytelling, with distinct set designs, well-crafted costumes, and a vibrant small-town atmosphere. Flashbacks are seamlessly integrated, and the soundtrack, featuring a quirky title track and soulful ballads, enhances the emotional depth. At a brisk pace, the episodes avoid overstaying their welcome, with sharp editing keeping the narrative engaging.


WEAKNESS: A DISAPPOINTING ENDING

Despite its strengths, A Virtuous Business stumbles in its final act. It falls victim to a rushed and unsatisfying conclusion. A time-jump trope disrupts the narrative flow, leaving several subplots unresolved. Yeong-bok’s marital arc, Ju-ri’s romantic prospects, and the future of Fantasy Lingerie are left ambiguous, while secondary characters, like Yeong-bok’s children, are sidelined entirely. This lack of closure undermines the show’s earlier momentum and sours its otherwise strong character work.

While Jeong-suk’s transformation from a timid housewife to a confident, independent woman is the drama’s central focus, it comes at the expense of the other characters’ development. By the end, Jeong-suk’s arc feels less compelling compared to Yeong-bok and Geum-hui’s, whose struggles carry greater emotional weight. The shift in Jeong-suk’s role, moving from self-discovery to supporting others, feels like an acknowledgment of this imbalance, but it’s not enough to fully redeem the uneven character focus.


FINAL THOUGHTS

A Virtuous Business is a delightful and empowering K-drama that blends humor, heart, and bold themes with a memorable cast. The friendship among its four leads, coupled with strong backstories and a vibrant aesthetic, makes it a standout. However, a disappointing ending and unresolved subplots hold it back from greatness. Despite its flaws, the drama’s infectious charm and meaningful message make it a worthwhile watch for fans of character-driven stories and female-led narratives.

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A Virtuous Business truly feels like an underrated gem amongst all the k-dramas that have come out this year, but it was never really on my radar until I stumbled upon it on Netflix once it started airing, but I was truly enthralled by every single episode and had a great time from start to finish. And it’s always wonderful when stories manage to surprise you like that.

There was something just so effortless and charming about the setting and the main characters, but they all seemed to be those moms who would usually never get to be in the lead role in most other stories, but here they got the spotlight. This variety of women who live in this small community inside this small town where nothing really happens. Until it does.

It is wonderful to see how they gradually started to bond and form friendships through their unusual business and the circumstances they face because of it, but also gain a certain sexual liberation and ways to show and express their desires, even if society does not want to admit that women over a certain age can have any sorts of desires.

But it was that aspect of the story that made many kdrama viewers did not notice this drama or pay much attention to it. It’s not a romcom, it doesn’t have the typical romance or characters, and it certainly did not feature a young heartthrob in the lead role. And the kdrama space, just like our society tends to put men at the center and their roles in the lives of women which is often why romance is such a focal point in our lives. We are all meant to be in love (with men).

There was plenty of fun to be had since the humor was good and with a heartwarming little romance as a side story which fitted a story such as this But the true love story here is the love between these women and how they grow with each other, and the drama seemed to understand that.

One thing this drama did very well was to show how the image and sense of self of these women within the society was often tied to their husbands and children. The men around them shaped their lives and the narrative that not only the story told, but also the people around them did, through the gossip that spread and how the actions of those men sometimes had greater consequences on the woman, which was something that most of them did not think or care about. So many things became a burden for the woman. And she is admired or pitied because of their behavior. Or their lack of a man, even.

The drama may have shied away a bit or hesitate to go all the way with the sex toy storyline, but it does fit the time and the characters who are the main protagonists of the story. And while the business around sexy lingerie and sex toys certainly liberated them to a certain extent, they were still allowed to be a little prudish despite being allowed to express their desires. But the real liberation within the story was their friendship. Because without it, they were quite isolated.

The romance or love within the story was, again, the love between these women and themselves, even though that story also brought out some rekindled emotions and the fun little flings and flirting. All of them got a man in their lives, for better or for worse, in the end. Because no woman in society is complete without a man. And I felt like the drama understood how that is how society sees the purpose of women. The main romance was very slow, which suited the story very well and never took too much time away from the main plot.

My biggest fail mark within the story is the investigation and the lost child-cold case that was a side story there dragged on a bit and sometimes I felt like that part of the story was hardly more than an excuse to give the main male character (and the only man there who was decent) more to do and fill in some dead time. It all came together in the end, which I was sure it would, and it was done in a kind of predictable way, and I’m still not sure if it added anything to the story or if the drama wouldn’t have worked perfectly without it.

Overall, it was a fun, lighthearted and easy watch where the hours flew by and the screenwriters did a good job of cramming all the character development and the slow-burning romance and wonderful friendship and everything else you could want from a drama like this in 12 episodes – but I will continue to insist that it’s a little too short for a traditional kdrama storyline and the pacing they’re used to having. But neither the character development nor the plot seemed too rushed here and the focus to tell a very funny and heartfelt little story about small town women, their quirky neighbors that make up their community and friendship never truly wavered.

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