Dear readers (Dearest Gentle Reader), the social season has returned to London high society. That is because the Netflix series <Bridgerton> Season 4 released its first half, four episodes, on the 29th of last month. It ranked No. 1 globally among Netflix English-language series for two weeks, proving its enduring buzz. A distinguishing feature this season is that Korean Australian actor Ha Ye-rin (28) plays the heroine, Sophie. That is one reason Season 4 is drawing strong interest in Korea.

On the 26th, the remaining half of Season 4 (Part 2, four episodes) will be released. The Lunar New Year holiday is a good time to binge Part 1 or even earlier seasons. For those wondering whether it fits their taste, or who feel burdened by the fact that there are already four seasons, we prepared a brief guide to <Bridgerton> Season 4 with recommendations.

■ <Bridgerton>, what is it?

It is a ‘fusion’ period drama set against the high society of the Regency era in Britain (1811~1820) in the early 19th century. That may sound grand, but think of it as a romance set in a time when the aristocracy still thrived. It is based on romance novels by American author Julia Quinn. The eight siblings of the distinguished Bridgerton family each take the lead in one book (in the series, each season).

Since Season 1 released in 2020, a key difference from the original has been its racial diversity. The role of the ‘Duke of Hastings’, the man whom Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest Bridgerton daughter and the Season 1 protagonist, falls in love with, was played by Black actor Rege-Jean Page. In Season 2, the eldest son Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) becomes entangled with Kate of the Indian Sharma family, and British actor of Indian descent Simone Ashley played Kate.

As it deals with the loves of nobles, lavish ballroom scenes are indispensable in <Bridgerton>. While authentic in its period costumes, the ballroom brings together people of many races who dance as one. At once elegant, the show also pushes the envelope in its intimate scenes, which is another point of appeal.

■ What is Season 4 about

This season's protagonist is Benedict (Luke Thompson), the second son of the Bridgertons. Unlike other seasons, the person he falls for is not an aristocrat. Sophie (Ha Ye-rin) is a maid who works in a noble household. Born to a noble father and a maid mother, she was educated and raised like a lady, but after both parents died she grew up under the mistreatment of a stepmother. Sounds like Cinderella? That is right. Even the original title is <The Gentleman and the Glass Slipper>, clearly taking its motif from the Cinderella tale.

A class-crossing romance between an aristocrat and a maid with a complicated birth status. It may sound cliched, but within the <Bridgerton> universe, which for three seasons has shown the lives of nobles, there is fresh appeal in looking at the lives of the maids and footmen who support that splendor. Though of low status, Sophie is highly capable. She deftly does the work of several people on her own, values herself, and carries herself with confidence. That attitude in turn keeps Benedict on his toes and balances the ‘push and pull’ between them.

This is the first time <Bridgerton> has cast an East Asian woman as a lead. Still, the drama does not go out of its way to stress that Sophie is ‘Korean’. This differs from Season 2, which established that Kate came from Mumbai, India. Other than changing the original surname ‘Beckett’ to the Korean surname ‘Baek’, there are no conspicuous Korean elements. The Penwood earldom, filled with East Asian actors including the stepmother of Sophie, Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), blends naturally into the social world of the series. A virtue of Season 4 is that it does not project outdated racial stereotypes onto Sophie and other Asian characters.

Ha Ye-rin, who plays Sophie, delivers a steady and engaging performance. In Korea, she drew attention when it became known that she is the maternal granddaughter of actor Son Sook.

■ Do you need to binge previous seasons?

Since the eight siblings take turns as protagonists, watching only Season 4 poses no problem. Moreover, Sophie appears for the first time this season, so the show unfolds her story step by step.

However, in <Bridgerton> the newsletter of ‘Lady Whistledown’, which sharply delivers society gossip, wields great influence. Season 4 is set after the identity of this once anonymous writer has been completely revealed. Because finding out ‘who is Lady Whistledown’ functions as a key backbone of the drama up to the previous seasons, if you watch Season 4 first you will learn that identity too easily, which may feel disappointing. If you dislike spoilers, we recommend watching straight through from Season 1.