[Knetz Reaction] Second Shot At Love Sooyoung’s Scene on Workplace Sexism Hits 1.3M Views

[Knetz Reaction] Second Shot At Love Sooyoung’s Scene on Workplace Sexism Hits 1.3M Views

A Scene Too Real for Comfort

A piercingly realistic moment from tvN’s Second Shot at Love starring Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung has gone viral in South Korea. In the now-trending scene, Sooyoung’s character, Han Geumju, gets passed over for a promotion despite working the most overtime and achieving the best performance—simply because of a rumor that she might be getting married. Her bosses cite “potential pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare” as reasons for the decision.

ㅅㅂ 너무 현실적이라 욕나옴 여자 먼저 선임달았다고 역차별이란 말 돌고 야근에 최고실적까지 찍어도 결혼한다는 소문만 있어도 임출육꺼내면서 승진 안시켜줌 개씨발 어디 여자가 잘나면 뒤지냐? #금주를부탁해 pic.twitter.com/SvuzQGJfwJ

— 설렘🌹 (@belovedTY39) May 13, 2025

One Korean netizen’s tweet, which has amassed over 1.3 million views, summed up the frustration:

“It’s so painfully realistic I can’t help but curse. A woman gets promoted first and suddenly it’s ‘reverse discrimination.’ Even after pulling the most overtime and hitting the best performance numbers, a mere rumor that she might get married is enough to bring up the whole pregnancy-childcare excuse and block her promotion. Seriously, does a woman have to fail just to make everyone else comfortable? #SecondShotAtLove”

Knetz Reactions: “It’s Not a Drama, It’s Korea”

The tweet quickly sparked a storm of reactions from Korean netizens, many of whom shared personal experiences or vented about systemic inequality in the workplace.

Some expressed appreciation for Sooyoung, noting that she consistently chooses roles that speak up for women’s realities. Others focused on how painfully relatable the drama’s storyline felt, calling it “not fiction, just facts.”

Praise for Sooyoung’s Role Choices

“Sooyoung always seems to choose projects with a message, even if subtle. I loved her as a singer, but I really respect her path as an actress too.” — @lifewasteartist
“I love how she consistently picks roles that highlight real issues.” — @haute1215

Anger at Korea’s Workplace Sexism

“Men try to drag women down just to match their own mediocrity. There’s no way society can move forward like this.” — @mom_of_natsu
“It’s honestly exhausting how the whole world revolves around men’s emotional entitlement.” — @wadada9181
“So when a woman gets promoted first it’s ‘reverse discrimination,’ but if a man does, that’s just normal??” — @lidivybbbb

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