On the first episode of the vampire themed K-drama Vampire Detective, private investigators Yoon San and Yong Goo-Hyung were hired by Gyeo-Wool, an ex-convict, to investigate her brother. Why? Because Gyeo-Wool’s brother, a blood specialist, had been acting oddly ever since his girlfriend suddenly went missing.

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

Episode 1 passed the race test but it did not pass the Bechdel or Russo test.

Episode 1 passed the race test, and the episode passed this test because there were numerous instances where non-White individuals talked to each other without mentioning White people as the entire cast was Asian and none of the characters ever mentioned White people.

As to the Bechdel test, there were three named women in episode 1, Gyeo-Wool, Yoo-Jin and Se-Ra, and because none of these women ever spoke to each other, the episode did not pass the Bechdel test.

Episode 1 also failed to pass the Russo test, and the episode did not pass this test because there were no LGBTI characters in episode 1.

*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.