"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” wrote William Congreve in 1697. Over 300 years later, the sentiment remains. Audiences still gravitate toward women’s rage in media, and in recent years this trend spawned a peculiar subgenre of its own. Films like Carrie, Gone Girl, and Knives Out, which seemingly have very little in common, all fall under this genre, and all because they share one thing in common: a woman scorned. And it seems that these days, when women seek revenge, moviegoers are quicker to open their wallets. Despite the appeal of a woman being rewarded for her mistreatment, this genre, dubbed the “Good for Her” trope, carries with it dangerous implications beyond just the silver screen.

The rise in revenge media is not exclusive to just one market. Both domestic and international audiences flock to these films and TV series, seemingly in search of something, perhaps catharsis. The trend appears to focus primarily on female characters seeking revenge against those who have wronged them, who are often men or individuals with significant privilege. The story is driven by the main character’s revenge journey, usually unfolding step by step as the audience becomes wise enough to acknowledge a bigger picture scheme the woman devised. The subgenre gets its moniker from the popular TV series Arrested Development, from a scene during which a news report states that a woman purposefully rolled her car into traffic, followed by one of the characters proclaiming, “good for her.” While entertaining, the underlying messages of media of this sort tend to be either “revenge is justified and necessary” or “the best revenge is to turn the other cheek and remain unbothered.” However, both of these philosophies carry with them tremendous weight and real-life consequences which should be considered beyond the media people consume. 

Under a Western Lens

Revenge, as framed by American media, is often positive, once other, more formal channels fail the protagonist. She is then typically forced to go about her revenge in less-thansavory means. Instead of focusing on the policy failure which allows criminals to go unchecked, these films herald the protagonist as a vigilante, a heroin who wins against all odds. In movies such as Gone Girl or the recently released The Menu, the protagonist uses any means necessary to achieve her goal of escaping. This can include outright crimes, deception, lies, and other forms of manipulation. American media present these as necessary evils, which aligns with the tense political situation its citizens are currently facing. When policy fails, the people wish to take matters into their own hands, as can be seen in multiple instances in the past, whether it be the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests on the left, or The Capitol insurrection attempt on the right. It is unsurprising then that American media provides an outlet to frustrated audiences, showing them the reward that can come from “standing up for what’s right.”

The female protagonists in “Good For Her” media achieve happiness by enacting revenge. They punish those who wronged them and experience no remorse afterward, like a clean break. The almost cleansing feeling audiences can feel once a retribution has been completed is like a sigh of relief and a promise of no future harm being caused. Stories of successful retaliation scratch an itch in the most basic way. They are a simple, yet naïve, representation of what revenge can actually feel like, and may end up disappointing those who look to fill a void within themselves only to find that payback may not be so sweet after all.

The Domestic Point of View

Korean media also concerns itself with stories of revenge, although typically the local approach to its portrayal is vastly different from Hollywood’s. Whereas American films glorify revenge, domestic media instead often champions the idea of “forgive and forget” or “revenge will not lead to happiness,” as can be seen through various media over the years, such as in the classic Korean “Good For Her” film Lady Vengeance, which f r a m e s r e v e n g e a s a n e m p t y achievement at its end. While this depiction is certainly less morally gratifying, it still presents issues of its own. If violence is not the answer, how can one move on from the wrongs inflicted upon them?

In the Korean smash-hit series The Glory, a victim of school bullying sets out on a years-long journey to carry out revenge against her former tormentors. Instead of the classically Korean depiction of this journey being void of any form of genuine inner peace, the character does seem to improve as her plans move along, much more closely mirroring American narratives. This shift may be due to an increased influence of Western politics on local media, or it could hint at the long-standing frustration of Korean citizens bubbling under the surface of society. Wealth and gender inequality in Korea continue to be pressing issues, and with no clear solution in sight, those who are tired of waiting for a fix may be drawn toward media which gives them a quicker alternative. The two opposing viewpoints on the matter of revenge ignore both its purposes and its faults. As a concept, vengeance cannot be black and white. In reality, there are no clear “good guys” and “bad guys,” although social media and popular narratives could have audiences thinking otherwise. In a world full of harm and polarization, the glorification of revenge only serves to further divide people and divert them from what they should really be focusing on. However, by turning the other cheek, viewers are then taught to look away from injustice, which has further harmful implications on the way governments treat their citizens, as can be seen through the inhumane practices of the United States (U.S.) prison system. If people manage to see eye to eye on the matter of revenge, perhaps fundamental questions about the way criminals and wrongdoers are treated could finally be answered, and a more realistic, humane approach could be found.