The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Cheese in the Trap – Season 1, Episode 8

Young-Gon was a foot on Cheese in the Trap, episode 8, and through his machinations, things grew awkward between Seol and Min-Soo.

Jung, in the meanwhile, began his internship in episode 8, and In-Ho pursued piano lessons.

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

Episode 8 did not pass the Russo test but the episode did pass the Bechdel and race test.

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Seol checks out In-Ho’s piano skills.

Episode 8 did not pass the Russo test, and the episode did not pass this test because there were no LGBTI characters in episode 8. Episode 8 did, however, pass the Bechdel test.

Named women talked to each other a couple of times in episode 8, and on a few of those occasions when named women talked to each other, men were not mentioned so the episode passed the Bechdel test. Episode 8 also passed the race test, and the episode passed this test because the entire cast was Asian and White people were only mentioned a time or two in episode 8, so almost every conversation involved non-White individuals talking to each other without mentioning White people.

*The Bechdel test entails three requirements:
1. It has to have at least two (named) women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

**The Vito Russo test entails three requirements:
1. The show contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and/or transgender
2. The character must not be solely or predominately defined by her sexual orientation, gender identity and/or as being intersex
3.The character must be tied into the plot in such a way that her removal would have a significant effect

***The race or people of color (POC) test has three requirements:
1. It has two people of color in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than a White person

****Just because a show passes the Bechdel, Russo and race test does not mean that it is not sexist, heterosexist, racist and/or cissexist, etc. The Bechdel, Russo and race test is only a bare minimum qualifier for the representation of LGBTI individuals, women and people of color in television. The failure to pass these tests also does not identify whether the central character was a woman, a person of color or a LGBTQI individual and it does not dictate the quality of the show.