The Lady in Dignity

The Lady in Dignity
Promotional poster
Also known as Lady with Class
Hangul
품위있는 그녀
Hanja
品位있는 그女
Literal meaning Woman of Dignity
Revised Romanization Pumwiinneun Geunyeo
Genre
Written by Baek Mi-kyung
Directed by Kim Yoon-chul
Starring
Country of origin South Korea
Original language Korean
No. of episodes 20
Production
Executive producers
  • Jo Joon-hyung
  • Lee Jin-suk
  • Park Joon-seo
Producers
  • Jang Min-ae
  • Kim So-jung
  • Na Ye-seu-ran
Running time 60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network JTBC
Release June 16 –
August 19, 2017

The Lady in Dignity (Korean: 품위있는 그녀) is a South Korean television series starring Kim Hee-sun, Kim Sun-ah, Jung Sang-hoon with Lee Tae-im and Lee Ki-woo. The series aired on cable network JTBC on Fridays and Saturdays at 23:00 (KST) time slot from June 16 to August 19, 2017. It became one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.

Synopsis

The story of an elegant Cheongdam-dong woman named Woo Ah-jin (Kim Hee-sun), who relished a life of luxury by marrying a quasi-chaebol son, until Park Bok-ja (Kim Sun-ah) walks into her life.

Cast

Main

A cheerful, elegant and charismatic woman who married into a rich family, but hit rock bottom after her husband's betrayal.
A cool and unfazeable woman who climbs her way up the social totem pole despite coming from a small village.
Youngest son of Ahn Tae-dong and also Ah-jin's cheating husband.
Ji-hoo's sexy art teacher who is overwhelmed with greed for fame and honor. She betrays Ah-jin who helped her into the art world and cheats with her husband Jae-suk.
A coma patient turned lawyer. He had feeling toward Ah-jin and willing to help her either with her father-in-law's business or her divorce process

Supporting

People around Ah-jin

People around Jae-suk

  • Kim Yong-gun as Ahn Tae-dong, Jae-suk's father
  • Seo Jeong-yeon as Park Joo-mi, Ahn Jae-goo's wife
  • Han Jae-young as Ahn Jae-goo, Jae-suk's brother
  • Oh Na-ra as Ahn Jae-hee, Jae-suk's sister
  • Yoon Sa-bong as Yoon-su,
  • Lee Chae-mi as Ahn Ji-hoo, Ah-jin and Jae-suk's daughter
  • Lee Geon-woo as Ahn Woon-kyu, Park Joo-mi and Ahn Jae-goo's son

Extended

  • Song Young-gyu as Jang Sung-soo, a plastic surgeon
  • Kim Bub-rae as Seo Moon-tak, who owns a hotel group
  • Chae Dong-hyun as Kim Bong-shik, Kyung Hee's husband
  • Hwang Hyo-eun as Chun Bang-soon, a friend of Park Bok-Ja
  • Jo Sung-yoon as Goo Bong-chul, a personal trainer
  • Lee Jung-eun as Gook Sun-young, Ki Ho's secretary
  • Song Tae-yoon as Choi Ki-seok, Hyo-Joo's boyfriend
  • Seo Kyung-hwa as Mrs. Jo, the housekeeper
  • Yoon Ye-in as Kyung San-daek
  • So Hee-jung as Oh Poong-sook, a restaurant owner
  • Park Jin-woo as Mr. Park, Head of Department
  • Lee Young-hoon as Mr. Kim, the lawyer
  • Lee Kan-hee as Madam Kwak
  • Kim Sun-bin as Han Min-ki
  • Baek Seung-hoon as Bodyguard
  • Baek Bo-ram as Se-hee
  • Jeon Soo-kyeong as Director Seo
  • Jun Hun-tae as Detective Lee
  • Park Hoon

Special appearances

Original soundtrack

The Lady in Dignity OST
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
Released 2017
Genre Soundtrack
Language Korean, English
Label Poong Entertainment
Warner Music Korea Ltd.

Part 1

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "When the Cold Wind Blows" (찬바람이 불면) E-QLO
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
 Ivy 04:57
2. "When the Cold Wind Blows" (Inst.)  
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
   04:57
Total length: 09:54

Part 2

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "Fly with the Wind" (돌려놔) Kun-yo
  • Kun-yo
  • Yudam
  • Lee Won-suk
  • Lee Seong-hyun
 Navi, Lina 03:37
2. "Fly with the Wind" (Inst.)  
  • Kun-yo
  • Yudam
  • Lee Won-suk
  • Lee Seong-hyun
   03:37
Total length: 07:14

Part 3

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "Only Love You" (너만 사랑하다가)
  • Han Sang-won
  • The Brothers
 Han Sang-won The Brothers 03:36
2. "Only Love You" (Inst.)   Han Sang-won   03:36
Total length: 07:12

Part 4

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "Don't Want To Believe" (믿고 싶지 않아) Blueblack Jion Lee Si-eun 03:58
2. "Don't Want To Believe" (Inst.)   Jion   03:58
Total length: 07:56

Part 5

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "I Miss You" (보고싶어)
  • Oh Sung-hwan
  • Jung Young-a
  • Oh Sung-hwan
  • Jung Young-a
 Kim Seong-ri 03:46
2. "I Miss You" (Inst.)  
  • Oh Sung-hwan
  • Jung Young-a
   03:46
Total length: 07:32

Part 6

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "Drunken Night (Drama ver.)" (보고싶어)
  • Norwegian Wood
  • Kun-yo
  • Norwegian Wood
  • Kang Seung-hyun
  • Blue Mangtto
  • Rubatov
 Norwegian Wood 03:38
Total length: 03:38

Part 7

No. Title Artist Length
1. "Anything" B.Heart 03:15
2. "Anything" (Inst.)   03:15
Total length: 06:30

Part 8

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "Why" (왜)
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
 The NuTs 04:04
2. "Why" (Inst.)  
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
   04:04
Total length: 08:08

Part 9

No. Title Lyrics Music Artist Length
1. "Anding"
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
  • Stephanie
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
  • Sui.Jay
 Stephanie 03:49
2. "Anding" (Inst.)  
  • E-QLO
  • B.O.K
  • Sui.Jay
   03:49
Total length: 07:38

Reception

The Lady in Dignity is one of JTBC's highest rated drama with a single episode rating of 12.065%. Culture critic Jung Duk-hyun says that the drama is not just a soap opera about couples' affairs, but a "social drama" where the two women's confrontation symbolizes the power and class structures of the society.

Due to its popularity, JTBC did a rerun of the series from October 2–6, 2017 with four-episode marathon per day starting from 7:00 (KST).

Ratings

In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

Ep. Original broadcast date Title Average audience share
AGB Nielsen TNmS
Nationwide Seoul Nationwide
1 June 16, 2017 A Life With a Great View
(전망 종은 인생) 		2.044% 2.435% 2.2%
2 June 17, 2017 Matisse & Kandinsky
(마티스와 칸딘스키) 		3.108% 3.126% 2.5%
3 June 23, 2017 Dangerous Gossip
(위험한 가십) 		2.871% 3.273% 2.8%
4 June 24, 2017 Choice and Secret
(선택과 비밀) 		3.285% 3.149% 3.8%
5 June 30, 2017 Greed, With Love
(탐욕은 사랑을 타고) 		3.609% 3.658% 2.6%
6 July 1, 2017 Night Before the Storm
(폭풍전야) 		4.518% 5.250% 3.5%
7 July 7, 2017 Triangle
(드라이앵글) 		4.091% 4.346% 2.4%
8 July 8, 2017 The Glass Ceiling and The Glass Floor
(유리천장과 유리바닥) 		5.795% 6.285% 5.9%
9 July 14, 2017 Prologue of War
(전쟁의 서막) 		5.010% 5.196% 4.2%
10 July 15, 2017 The Last Brunch
(마지막 브런치) 		6.899% 7.326% 7.6%
11 July 21, 2017 Twisted Fate
(억갈린 운명) 		8.476% 9.062% 8.0%
12 July 22, 2017 Charm of Mutual Benefit
(상생의 묘미) 		8.944% 9.493% 8.3%
13 July 28, 2017 Show Me the Money
(쇼 미 더 머니) 		6.773% 7.068% 6.0%
14 July 29, 2017 Timing
(타이밍) 		9.131% 9.575% 8.5%
15 August 4, 2017 The Suspects
(용의자들) 		7.398% 8.089% 6.6%
16 August 5, 2017 Unpredictable Future
(예측불허) 		9.986% 10.364% 9.9%
17 August 11, 2017 Just Like Her
(그 녀 처럼) 		8.430% 8.982% 7.7%
18 August 12, 2017 The Point of No Return
(돌아올 수 없는 지점) 		9.748% 10.250% 9.2%
19 August 18, 2017 Nobody Knows
(아무도 모른다) 		9.694% 9.953% 7.2%
20 August 19, 2017 Curtain Call
(커튼콜) 		12.065% 12.692% 10.9%
Average 6.594% 6.979% 6.0%
  • This drama airs on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS).

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2017 10th Korea Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor Lee Ki-woo Nominated
Hot Star Award Lee Tae-im Won
1st The Seoul Awards Best Drama The Lady in Dignity Nominated
Best Actress Kim Hee-sun Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Jung Sang-hoon Won
Best Supporting Actress Seo Jeong-yeon Nominated
2nd Asia Artist Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Kim Hee-sun Won
2018 54th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Director Kim Yoon-chul Won
Best Actress Kim Hee-sun Nominated
Kim Sun-a Nominated
Best Screenplay Baek Mi-kyung Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Jung Sang-hoon Nominated