The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: The K2 – Season 1, Episode 3

Je-Ha escaped the Ko household by using Yoo-Jin as a hostage on The K2, episode 3, but his grand escape plan went awry when another enemy of Yoo-Jin’s suddenly swooped in and attempted to kill both her and Je-Ha.

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

Episode 3 passed the race test but it did not pass the Bechdel or Russo test.

Episode 3 passed the race test, and the episode passed this diversity test because there were many instances where non-White individuals talked to each other without mentioning anyone White as the entire cast was Asian and none of the characters ever mentioned White individuals. The episode did not, however, pass the Bechdel or Russo test.

Episode 3 did not pass the Bechdel test because while there were named women in the episode and there were a few instances where some of these women talked to each other, whenever named women talked to each other, they mentioned men.

As to why episode 3 did not pass the Russo test, there were no LGBTI characters in the episode.

*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.